email: August 20, 2012

I cannot believe that I turn 6 months in nine days! I get to burn a tie in honor of that so I need to go to the thrift store and buy a crap tie so I can burn it. I did get Dad's letter this week, it just came later that usual. I love getting his letters along with Grandma's. I get at least three letters a week: one from Dad, Grandma and Taylor. Plus all the other ones from family that I get. Getting the mail is the best time of day. I have a love/hate relationship with the mailman; I love when I get something in the mail and I HATE when it is empty! Oh the pathetic life as a missionary.

Speaking of Seminole Missionaries, how are they doing? How is the work going? I am sad to hear about that family and their struggles... I hope that everyone in the branch can fellowship them and show them what it means to be a member of the Church and to be a true Christian. I saw that with Victor when he was on the road to baptism and I saw it with Jessica and Demetrius (who we haven't seen in like a month... we can't get in to see them). Explain to them that the testimony will come when they read the Book of Mormon and pray. Follow the promise is Moroni 10:4 and they will receive an answer. How are the other recent converts doing? How was the girl that I baptized when I was there doing? The key to staying active with the recent converts is helping them fit into the branch but I know that y'all are doing a good job with that!

My week has been a pretty decent week. We taught 16 lessons with 170 OYMs. We would have had more lessons but a lot cancelled on us. A positive thing that we saw was that we found a new investigator. His name is Jordan and we talked to him on the street in his car. He met up with us on Saturday and he seemed like he was very interested in what we were saying. The things we were saying were really sinking in to him. He never thought that there was a falling away and that Christ did set up a Church. He goes to a non-denominational church here in Beaumont so hopefully his Book of Mormon reading and praying will help him to receive an answer.

We really didn't have anything exciting happen this week. I did get to go to a church service at that church I told y'all about last week. The youth pastor invited us to go so we went to see how we are different. It was weird to see the band and the loud singing and everything like that in a chapel. The sermon was good though, Jose did the best that he could with the knowledge and power he has. Their doctrine is a little bit different; it made me appreciate modern revelation and the Book of Mormon to help us understand completely Christ's gospel and his teachings. While we were out tracting on Saturday, we ran into a Jehovah's Witness that we got into a bash with. We talked with him for almost an hour! It is amazing to see how different out doctrine and how happy it is. He told us that little children can sin, that we are here because of Adam and Eve's mistake, blah blah blah. It amazed me at how ignorant he was and how blind he was to the truth. I am so so grateful for the truth that we have. We also found out that Ben has a mental disorder and so I think we are going to drop him. It is upsetting but he cannot comprehend simple things.

I got TWO new pairs of shoes this week as well! I found them at a garage sale. Two black pairs of Dockers slip on shoes. The best part is, I only paid a DOLLAR for both of them! It was super exciting, I have been looking for a pair of those for a while and I got two pairs for a steal of a price. Mom, you will love Seminary this year, the New Testament is AWESOME. I have been reading it and I am almost through the Gospels. It is amazing to see how much Christ made an impact of people when he was on this world. I have learned SO much doctrinal stuff already and I am only 6 months in! I have come to love the scriptures and I feel like I cannot read them long enough.

I love y'all so much and cannot wait to her from y'all again! Stay safe Mom on that scooter!

- Elder Tonini