Hello!
Another week gone by! And this one was seriously a blur... I shall start off with some P Day stories from last week. We drove out to Apache Junction with Elder Sweeten and Elder Bennett to a road that is called Idaho Road and went north until it turns into a dirt road and then ends at the mouth of a trail that really just goes into the wilderness. So we went and explored. We had our fun and headed back, on the way back I had my first big cactus run in... I looked down as I was walking and felt a little disturbance on my left foot. A little cholla cactus, or nicknamed "jumping cactus", had jumped a ride on my toe. I didn't really want to take the time to carefully remove it so I tried to kick it off with my right foot. That didn't work. With it now on my right foot I tried to kick it off with my originally affected foot and this time it stabbed into my big toe pretty good. I wasn't too happy. In frustration I grabbed a rock and knocked it off, but in my follow through my hand hit into ANOTHER stinking jumping cactus! It was ridiculous. At this point, with a cactus pretty well stuck into my hand, the other Elders realized I was missing and dashed to my aid. Elder Sweeten tried his best to help but at first all that was accomplished was he got stabbed and it got stabbed into my hand In a different way. Eventually we got the bright idea to pinch it with two rocks and pull it off swiftly. Elder Sweeten was able to do that effectively but as he flung it off my finger (which bled pretty good and has been bruised all week) it found a new resting place on Elder Hoggan's leg! Haha, we were able to get it off pretty quick but it was hilarious. Even after that we want another hike this week with our Elders Quorum President, Brother Osborn, we took the Peralta trail on the backside of the Superstitions. It was good fun. Lanny Owens came with Elder Sweeten and Elder Bennett, that man can move for his age.
J------ and her family moved up north to Arizona, we were able to teach her one more time and help them move. We will miss them and they will definitely be baptized eventually. It's probably the best thing for her and her family though because her mother was recently baptized.
Things are going good with the ward. We are trying to help them the best we can, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. It is such a great season for missionary work, and with the temple so close and the great tradition of Christmas lights there is no shortage of opportunities to invite, invite, invite. What's the harm in inviting your neighbor to the neighborhood Christmas party or to the Christmas lights? The biggest thing I've learned in regards to working with members is that if the Lord knows we are willing to open our mouths and invite he will be more likely to place within our lives people who both need and are prepared to receive the gospel. So, we invite our members to invite and then inevitably there will be people that move into the Ward that are prepared. Even if it is unrelated to an actual invitation extended by a ward member it is still evidence that the Ward has gained the trust of the Lord. J---- and G------ are a great example of that. The message we have been sharing is a Mormon Message about "The Spirit of Thanksgiving" after we take the time to discuss with the family what they are thankful for we talk about showing our thankfulness for the gospel by living it and sharing it! :) It's going well.
B----- is doing great! He came with us to the Joseph Smith movie at the Visitors' Center on Friday and he loved it. He's really receptive. We gave him a Book of Mormon and on Saturday, I was on an exchange with our District Leader Elder Price, we went over and read through the introduction with him and went through the pictures in the front. He says that he already knows the Book of Mormon is true but he is looking at it from a very historical view rather than spiritual so we are working on that. He was supposed to come with us to church on Sunday but he was out too late playing poker because he was doing well, he says that we give him good luck... Hopefully that will help us get him to church soon. He might be taking us out to Globe next week.
I believe I mentioned C----- in my last letter. He is an awesome kid, we got to teach him again on Saturday and he was super receptive. He read the chapter we left him (3 Nephi 11) and we were able to teach him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Using an objective lesson I will have to show you when I get home. :) When we talked about faith he told us that he feels like his faith in Christ is growing, it's awesome how honest and open he is. A little quiet but the more comfortable he gets with us he better it gets. In the end we invited him to be baptized and he said yes! He is preparing for December 6th, I'm very excited for him.
I know this church is true! Peace and happiness follow those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the Savior lives and that He understands me. If we do what He has asked and move forward with faith I know that we can have confidence that the path we are pursuing will be for our good. It might be hard, or painful but if we are obedient to the commandments established by God, the one who knows all things, we truly can be comforted by the fact that our trials are simply refining us to be what God expects us to be. My mission has been the beginning of a long path of "refining fire" I can't wait to see what God can make of an awkward little boy from Riverton, Utah. :) Thank you, once again, for raising me with the truths that I have. They have blessed me and will bless me forever. Mom and Dad, I love you and I will spend the rest of my life thanking you for raising me to believe in Jesus Christ.
Loves.
Elder Alexander
Sent from my iPad
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