Monday October 22, 2012 (late entry)

1.  My companion is a nice guy.  He's been out for 15 months.  He'll fly back to Nevada but then probably go off to college.  He wants to finish his masters is Engineering Management.

2. Yes. It is as Beautiful as you think it is.  We're going to try to go to Woodstock Towers and take a picture of the valley today.

Hello from Woodstock.  I love it here.  We've got a beautiful valley and good weather right now.  No we don't go trick or treating.  We don't even go out after 7 on Halloween night.  We find a members house and hang out with them while we hand out candy.

I can't wait for Klynton to get his mission call.  I want to know where he goes.  I might not see him before he leaves either.

If we were to sit there and think about how many things are commandment then we'd be shocked.  In D&C 42:14 it says  "And the Spirit shall be given unto you ^aby the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the ^bSpirit ye shall not teach."  Shall is used in the Imperative form of the word.  Its not saying "If you don't have the spirit you might not teach" or "you won't teach well" or "Good luck you're on your own".  It says "If you don't have the Spirit, I FORBID you to teach.  You're not allowed to teach.  Don't you dare do it!"  Commandment.  Elder Holland taught that to the missionaries a few years ago and Its a lesson that will never change.

We taught a man this last week named Hal Sharp.  Hal is a historian.  Civil War.  He's also Lutheran.  A few years ago Hal told his congregation (While he was the President) "I don't think Jesus is in this church, so neither am I." and never went back.  Missionaries met Hal and his wife a couple months ago doing service.  After a couple more service opportunities they agreed to talk with us about the church.  So we did.  Hal ate up the Restoration.  We did service again on thursday.  We went to lunch and had a chance to talk about parts of the Plan of Salvation.  He acted as if it was what he was looking for all along.

I saw the spirit work in his heart and open his mind to the fullness of the gospel.  I saw the Restoration bless him with hope and faith that maybe there is more out there.  It was amazing to see it happen.

I have a testimony of Restored Truths.  That they are here.  I testify that God has not abandoned us to be on our own and in darkness or confusion.  I'm grateful for the gospel and the blessings that it brings.  If you have ever taken any of the challenges from the missionaries or the leaders of the church to heart and tried them you've gained an answer of the truth for yourselves.  If you say that you haven't then you didn't try hard enough.  Go back and do it again.  I testify that Jesus is the Christ.  He lives.  I do so in his name.  Even Jesus Christ.  Amen.

"Feed my sheep..."

Elder Christofferson