Charity...The Pure Love of Christ

Well Hello Family!!!

Man this week has been soo crazy! It's hard to believe how much occurs on a week to week basis out here but I will do my best to explain everything that has happened. First, it is COLD here like 4 degrees and snowing cold. Anyways, Friday night I believe we had finished a long day of mission work and it was time for bed. I fell asleep great, but about two in the morning I woke up and I was FREEZING!!! It had been a cold night, but I couldn't really figure why our apartment had turned into a freezer... Well, in the morning Elder Bills rebuked me for not locking the door. It had swung wide open somewhere in the night. Whoops... Thank goodness for your blanket, Mom. I think I would have been a lot worse off if I had some thin sheets for blankets.

Elder Bills and I are going to attend an RLDS church on Sunday. Funny huh? We are getting some seriously good work done! We had our first baptism. His name is Caiden Ruth and he is 9. He reminds me a lot of Booker, just a more shy version of him. He and I have became really close friends. I taught him knucks, bows, toes, and fros. I also got to help prepare him for his interview for baptism. He was really nervous but I did my best to put him at ease by telling him that the missionary he was going to talk to is really nice and that if he wasn't then Elder Bills and I would beat him up. (Don’t worry. He knew we were kidding.) As far as investigators go, we are meeting with Jennifer again and she was a lot happier. We read with Shane from the BOM Alma 36. It was so powerful! After we were done I bore my testimony that he could feel the same joys as Alma the Younger. He was crying and I know he felt the spirit. Sorry I’m kinda just blowing through all these experiences. We met with a less active lady named Sister [Smith]. She normally visits with the sister missionaries but she wanted us to stop by to give her a blessing. She has had problems with smoking, has some serious health issues and she was feeling super frustrated with her life. Which reminds me, Dad, thank you so much for sending me the poem "The Race." After the blessing, I shared that with her and told her basically it's time for her to get back up again and win the race. She was in tears and I really hope that will help make a difference in her life.

By far the most coolest thing that has happened this week was teaching [Carl and Fawn]. They are an African American couple that has had to endure a lot. We taught them three times this week and every single time it has been so powerful and reminds me of exactly what it was like having the Dell’Osos over when they were taught in our home. It's amazing how the gospel can bring so much love and happiness to families. Early this week, Carl would call and there would be A TON of yelling and he would be saying, “I'm throwing in the towel! I can't do this anymore.” After our last lesson on the law of chastity, a big, 39-year-old man was in tears sitting on the couch with his wife holding his hand right next to him saying that he knew that God put them together and that he loves her and nothing is going to stop that. They were all at church and they are progressing amazingly!

Sorry, I know I kinda did this outta order but I really love hearing from the family. I found it hard not to cry as I read all your emails and seeing the love that our family has for each other, like Collin picking up Aubrey at the mall and letting her hang out with him. Good job. Even though I do get homesick though and really do wish that I could be there hanging out with you guys and going to the temple--heck, even helping around the house and hanging out with the priests and that dorky new YM President. I will tell you though that nothing can get me to leave because I know I can help give other people a lot more than all those things. I still have no idea how long I will be in Missouri but I am still glad to be here. Oh, and to answer your question, I am in Blue Springs. Oh, and hey, there is a Costa Vida here!!! I thought it was only in Arizona. I did get your package. Thank you so much!!! My new scriptures are money mcboss. As far as lunch goes, I converted Elder Bills to pizza rolls, dinosaur chicken nuggets and we also eat corn dogs and hot pockets. I got to go email Collin back so see ya's.

Love Elder Ward

P.S. I will fix the ordering next time.