Who is STOKED for Conference?!?

This is the only picture I took this week… me in a neat lookin chair. Enjoy it.  (Editor mother says...seriously?)

Dear Family and friends,

What's up? Yesterday was awesome. I did a musical number in sacrament meeting. I did the Michael Hicks version of A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Love that arrangement. That's the one I did at my last MTC devotional as well. I was a little nervous about playing and singing at the same time, but it worked out well. None of our investigators decided to show up, but the Spirit was strong nonetheless. We are trying to find the elect. We have seen some good things happen as we talk to everyone and follow the Spirit as well.

Last Monday was a good day. We went to Walmart and also to some other stores. I bought a really good looking pair of brown shoes. They be stylin. Also, every Monday we have a "Noche de Hogar" at the church. I taught about member missionary work. I started out by showing how the restoration and the Gospel in general have blessed my family. Without the Gospel, I would be nothing. But with it, I am everything. I then asked some others how the Gospel had blessed their family. Then I took the angle that we all have been blessed by the Gospel. We know it's true. Does everyone else in the world? No. So we have to share it with them. We then talked about how to be a member missionary. We had some awesome participation from lots of people. The Spirit was there. He bore testimony to me and to many others of the truthfulness of what I was teaching. It just felt super good. But even looking back, I can see how the Spirit was working through me to ask certain questions, to cover this topic, to call on a specific person. It was a blessing to me to be able to share my thoughts about it. I am determined to be an awesome member missionary when I get home. The blessings are not to be lost. They are too great and rewarding.

We taught another very bold lesson with Agusto, a less-active, about not letting other people get in the way of our relationship with God. He says he understands but he isn't applying it. He is allowing people to offend him and thereby offending the Spirit by not keeping the commandments. It is super sad. We explain it as clear as can be, bear testimony, resolve his concerns, it is in him to repent and be better, but he kind of just throws it in our face. Super frustrating, but I am 100 sure that Heavenly Father gets frustrated with me sometimes when I don't do what He wants me to do. I seek His will every day, and strive to know what He wants me to do. If you know someone who is going through the same, go read/watch Elder Bednar's talk from October 2006 "And Nothing Shall Offend Them." It is a great one.

Osiris, one of the members of our branch was in the hospital for the second time this week. She had an operation on her stomach, but was still having pains. We went in to see her and to give her a blessing, and she didn't look very good. She was like telling her kids goodbye kind of. She said that everything would be alright, and that God was with her. I hope she gets well soon. But God's will will be done. We gave her a blessing. We hope and pray that everything goes well for that family.

WHO IS STOKED FOR CONFERENCE???? Elder Dial is. Elder Wall showed me a cool way to prepare. He goes in his Patriarchal Blessing, and from what he feels as he reads it comes up with a few questions that he wants answered. When Elder Bowen was here a few weeks ago, he focused a TON on that, never go anywhere without a question. The Lord will answer them, especially through His prophets and apostles. This morning I went through my Patriarchal Blessing and came up with three money questions that I will be focusing on this conference. DO THE SAME!!!!!

I know these things are true. They bless our lives. Many people willingly live without them. Don't know why. Many people don't even know about it. That's where you and I come in. Let's open our mouths to them. Love ya all!!!!

Elder Dial