Hello Family,

Wow wow wow, what a week it has been for you all.

Thats so exciting to hear the news about Melissa. Shes engaged. Thats so exciting. My sister will be married the next time I see her. Thats so weird to think. I want to hear all about how the preparations go. 

Jacob is now in the mission field. I remember when I first got to the field I got pretty stressed out too. The MTC is very different from life and the field  very different from the MTC, it kinda feels like you are reborn and into a strange world. As time moves forward he will get used to being a missionary and he will love it. I look forward to exchanging stories with him. I saw the pictures of him with his group arriving at the mission home. He looks different... like a missionary... lol

It seems like I have to look forward to a completely new world when I come back home... but I am really excited for it. Everything is really moving forward in our lives and as a family.

Things here have taken an interesting turn. We were dissapointed last week to see a lot of investigators dropped so inevitably we have retuned our eyes to finding. We decided to try something we havent before, something our president reminded us that is in preach my gospel and promises will result in always having people to teach. Ask references from EVERYBODY. I used to think that we would only ask from members but I find that investigators are an even better source of references. We have even been asking for references from random people we talk to in the street... and it works. Theres something about the culture here, they care about their friends and family and neighbors and even if theyre not interested in what we have to say, they feel good referring us to their friends. Sometimes ill talk to someone who I dont think will be receptive just to ask for the names of their friends lol.

The fruits have been amazing. We once again have a handful of investigators. Two of them are golden. We taught the plan of salvation to Karen and she told us she really wants a path of hapiness for her family. She accepted a baptismal date in the first lesson and she took the initiative in asking where our church was. Another is Isabel, she has family members who are members of the church but she had doubts about a living prophet so we taught the restoration and by the end she said she was sure joseph smith was a prophet. Some of our old investigators are actually showing some progress as well. One person whose mother told him that we cant teach him in her house but he has been coming to church for more than two months has been telling his friends in the church that he is almost ready to be baptized. Were going to meet with him today in the house of one of his friends in the church to talk about baptism. Im really excited about the coming weeks, I really hope I dont get transfered out this week. Well see.

I have been coming to understand what people need to recieve that Sincere heart that the scriptures say is esential to recieve a testimony. So many of the people we teach simply dont care. They dont care if Christ established a church or if the heavens are open for us to recieve revelation. Its part of my job to help them understand why its important. I had the opportunity to talk to two women this week who had recently lost children. It was humbling to be in this situation, to be in their homes, to pray for them asking the lord to give them comfort, and then to offer them hope, bearing testimony that the family can be together forever, and bearing testimony that in this life that is full of afflictions, the heavens are open and there is a prophet who can give us guidance to tolerate the things of the world. I certainly feel that I am doing much more with my time than I was before the mission lol.

I hope everyone knows that I love you all very very much.
Until next week take care.

Jeremy