Hello Mother Dearest,
This past week was FANTASTIC. Best week of my mission. First we had an awesome breakfast over at the Petersen's. Scones, bacon....SO GOOD!! Tuesday we had Zone Conference. I LOVE zone conference, President Bunker talked to us, pretty much the whole time. We went over some small things first that needed to be addressed. Then we got to the main thing that he wanted to talk about.
He told something has been pressing on his mind. He feels that the work is "slowing down" he doesn't know what it is. But he said something just doesn't feel right. He didn't blame us, he didn't call us lazy. In fact he said he couldn't be more proud and more happy with us. All he said was something just doesn't feel right. So what he talked about was things we can do to get us motivated to just "go and do." He asked to turn to 3rd Nephi 11. When the Savior came and allowed the people to come unto him one by one and feel the prints in his hands and feet, and thrust their hands into his side. Think about it...ONE BY ONE. The savior wasn't impatient, he wasn't putting other people at a higher priority. In short president said "that's what we need to do. We need to allow the people in our assigned areas to come unto us. To invite ALL to come unto Christ. So what he wants us to do is talk to everyone we come across.
I've learned many important and valuable things at zone conference. I've learned to start taking notes. So what do I do? I go out and buy 5 different note books to take notes in. One is for church and mission meetings. Another is for Book of Mormon study. One for Bible study (i've started reading the old testament) One for Preach my Gospel., and one for interviews with President Bunker. Elder Scott
said, "Revelation carefully recorded entitles us to even more knowledge from heaven" something along those lines. You can't quote me on that.
Recently I've been hungering...and thirsting after knowledge...I want MORE. Sometimes I wish I could spend an entire day on my mission just reading the scriptures and writing all the revelation that comes to me. Just so I can receive MORE and write it down MORE and receive and write, receive, write, receive write, receive, write. AHHHHHH!!!!!! SO COOL!! :) moving on......
The day after we had district meeting. Let me tell you...the BEST district meeting we've ever had. The spirit was so strong there. The spirit was teaching us all something. We were all thinking the same things, we all had the same ideas. It was AWESOME. We basically talked about how we can improve the work in Sonoma. We ended up talking about the Savior and the sacrifices that he made for us. So we made the decision to write down EVERYTHING that distracts us from the work that we're supposed to be doing and just be rid of it. We want to sacrifice something for the Savior, He's done so much for us. It's time that we give something back.
We all went to the temple on Thursday. We were in the Celestial room ALL united in our purpose to become better. In short this week was very spiritual. It helped me grow a ton. I'm still working on my list. But I want to make this next year and a half totally dedicated to the Lord. I want to work my hardest. Just being out here isn't good enough. I want to be out here and work my hardest.
On Friday I went on exchanges with Elder Bills. He came to the English area. We did a TON of service for different people today. We helped a man in our ward pack up some things so he could move. We also helped Mary around her house. Mary is doing okay...She hasn't been to church since she's been baptized. So that kind of bothers me. She says she's stressed because she's trying to get her house sold and she's got A TON of work to do on it. She's concentrating so much on reading the scriptures that she's procrastinating getting her home ready (which in turn stresses her out even more because she has a time limit to get it ready) The thing that sucks even more is that she wont hardly let us help her.
Things couldn't have gone better with the exchange though. I learned a lot from Elder Bills. He's EXTREMELY intelligent. He's a good friend. I can see myself becoming really good friends with him after the mission.
Anyway, things are better here. I've grown a lot in the past couple of weeks. I've been able to help Elder Christensen out a lot. I've been praying for charity and patience and everything else that I can think of. Elder Christensen and I actually have unity now. Stress is not nearly as bad as it has been.
I want to let you know that I'm not worried about all of you as nearly as much now. I've learned to trust in the Lord. Just as he says in D&C, "I will do with
your families as seemeth me good" I know the Lord is taking care of you guys and watching over you closely. I still pray for all of you every day and every night. I don't want you to worry about me being unhappy or anything like that.
I am happy :)
Well I'm going to e-mail president real quick-like and get off so we can get some shopping done. I love you all! You are in my prayers.
Elder Graeme Newman
