Christlike love

I have had a really good week. We worked hard and we also had our half mission [conference], with Elder Cardon. Man that guy knows how to pack in a powerful punch with the spirit. 

This week has been really life changing for me. I have learned what true love really is. Now before I start, I'm not talking about like...girl to boy love, I'm talking about love for each other as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Our investigator Dorothy is amazing. I have truly been thinking about her and her situation this week. I have taught her since week 1 in Antelope. She is an older lady in her 70's. When I first came to this ward all I wanted for her is baptism. Which is a worthy and righteous desire, no doubt. But over time and many spiritual lessons with her, the same desire for her baptism is still there but with so much added to it. I have really just been imagining her with her Heavenly Father. I can't really describe the feelings I have for her. But true love is wanting what is best for someone else (for Dorothy I want her to receive Salvation) It has hit me really hard this week that I knew nothing about true Christlike love before my mission and for a part of my mission. Christlike love is wanting the very best for someone else and doing everything in our powerful to acheive and sacrifice for that person so they can get it. I'm not explaining myself as I wish but the love that I had for the people I have served in California and for my family when I started my mission has changed, it has grown. It has grown because I can love them deeper and with more sincerity now. And what makes my mind marvel even more is to realize the love our Father in Heaven and His Son have for us. I can't comprehend. I won't ever  be able to. It is amazing. So..hopefully that made sense. But I love you all. That basically what I'm trying to say.

Elder Cardon taught me so much about personal revelation. It's crazy. It is really just want I needed. I love that guy. It was good to see a lot of my buddies at the conference as well. I'm so strengthened by their testimonies and experiences. They are great. I love you all!!

Elder Simons

His angels are with me

That is too bad about Sam [editor's note: our 13-year-old dog, Sam, died this past weekend], I was basically in tears until i read Dad's comment. Typical dad, always trying to bring his sense of humor into serious matters. I love that man though. Speaking of which, Happy Fathers Day,, Dad and all of you other dads out there.

This week has been another good and fast one. I got invited to another meeting this Friday. I swear my mission is like 50% meetings. Its crazy. I do like meetings though, because i get to see my mission buddies.

Anyway Sela, our recent convert, got called to be a ward missionary. I'm pretty excited for that because she has no fear. She will be a really good help in lessons and fellowshipping. But I have a good feeling that I am being transferred. We will get the call Sunday night. I'm so nervous. I really don't want to get transferred! I absolutely love Roseville. I have become obsessed with it. Its getting close to how much I loved Gridley. But I don't think it has topped it yet. But I'm hoping for another six weeks here but who knows what will happen? I feel like i may get transferred to Chico or Auburn. I wouldn't mind Auburn. I guess we will just have to wait and see. 

So all of our lessons with the people we teach this week have fallen through. It was frustrating to say the least. And this next week most of those same people will either be out of town or too busy. I want to leave this area in full swing but it will be hard to if i can't teach anyone! I will put my trust in God though, and know that whatever happens, his hand is in it. I will hopefully be able to come back for our investigator's baptism. I would never miss that one. His family left to go on a cruise yesterday so we had to say early good byes in case I do get transferred. It was pretty sad. My mission has really helped me in hating good byes. They are the worst!! Another reason why i don't want to get transferred. I have built so many good relationships that i don't want to lose. Time doesn't really help either because then the relationships start to fade in my mind. But that's okay its all part of the game. I wish i could tell you that we picked up a new investigator this week. Or set another baptism date. But it was a tough week. It happens though. Again like i said, its all part of the game. You win some weeks and some weeks you lose. As i gain a more eternal prespective on why i'm out here I find it easier to deal with those losing weeks. I know God is with me. By my side. I love this scripture in D&C 88 "...for I will go ^bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my ^cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and mine ^dangels round about you, to bear you up." He is with me. I know that. His angels are with me. Life is not easy. But with the knowledge we have and having modern prophets we can do it. The easiest way i get through tough times in my life is to have fun. Have fun while working. Have fun while tracting. Have fun while suffering! Its possible. I guess I learned that from my parents. Anyway i love this work. Thank you for your prayers of support and love. I feel them daily. I love you all! 

Under the weather

Hey mom!
Its funny cause i am really really sick today. Oh well. I have had some stomach issues but hopefully they will go away. But this letter will be short cause i want to go and lie down. So i am sorry about that.
I love everyone in the ward. I love this work. I love the lord. I love everything, except me being very sick. So i will tell you a quick story then probably head out so i am sorry about that.
So about two months ago a less active family lost their dad while he was traveling to work. And it hit them pretty hard. And everyone has been trying to be able to reach her and get a visit with her. So randomly i thought i would call her on Wednesday night and see if we could come over Thursday and she said sure! (Thursday night we go on exchanges with one guy from the Elders and one from the High Priest group) so it worked perfectly. So studying in the morning was very interesting.  i was like super stressing on what to teach them and got the feeling to quit studying...i was like...wait...what?? nah i have to study, but i stopped studying for her. But anyway later on in the day we go over and we are talking about life with them and then the guy is like okay do you have a message for them? I was like uh yes (that is a new kind of scary, when you have to deal with a family who just lost a father)...and the spirit took over. I can't even remember everything that was said. But i talked a little about the Plan of Salvation and testified that they would see their dad and husband again and also one of the sons does not believe in God so i had that to deal with. I was pretty nervous. But it went great. Everyone was crying at the end.  I hope i helped them remember what they are missing out on, by not going to church and doing the things they are supposed to. I hope i made a tiny difference on their lives. Anyway i better go lie down. I love you guys.
Elder Simons!

Just a thought or two...

[Editor's note: I thought I'd share a few quick lines from one of Elder Simons' handwritten letters.  It turns out, he has been an awesome letter-writer!  Who knew?!]

It is cool being in a group of guys all with one purpose.  Man, I love that I'm on a mission!  It makes me happy.  Sure, sometimes it is hard, but it's great!

Still the same funny kid...

 
Mom, remember when I told you I looked in the mirror and I could see myself looking like Dad more and more?  It happens a lot here.  Even with things I say or do.  It's a cool thing.  I would love to be like him one day.

An unplanned meeting

Okay, I'm just saying.... I was feeling a bad for Bob because he was going to be out of town and wouldn't be here for when Elder Simons was able to call home from the airport.  As luck would have it, their flights were going out at similar times, and they saw each other.  In fact, when our cute missionary did call home, he was using his dad's cell phone!  He said he saw Bob in another line going through security and just about took down the security gate to get to him.  They had a great time catching up for a few minutes, and then they were off on their respective trips.

Last email from the MTC!

{Editor's note: I want to go through and separate his letters into paragraphs, but somehow it wouldn't be the same...  :) }

OH mother! you are the best mom in the world. i love you so much!! i miss you like crazy. keep weeding. i remember my days back on the farm when i used to weed acres of land. so i know exactly how you are feeling. wow.....i am so sorry about last weeks email. i was such a downer. but today i am so happy. and like the whole last week really. i have been getting some awesome mail. i get some like everytime i go there. i love them. they help me remember why i am at the mtc and remind me that i have people who love me and who are supporting me. its such a cool thing to know so many people are behind me.  you guys are so great. really i miss you so much. i took you guys for granted. tell robbie he is probably doing a better job at mowing than i ever did. i wasnt the best. anyway i do need some multivitamins or something. that would be nice. and i have bumped into everyone here. cousins, north, friends. there are ten people from alta i think. my appetite is getting better. i eat more. i did lose thirteen pounds in the first week though. i gained half a pound back so i am feeling pretty confident.  man i have made some serious friends here. some that i am going to miss so much. for example elder friel. he is like a giant and he played basketball at SUU. we are getting pretty close. he is going to romania in like seven weeks! so long. i would die. i want to get out there though! i want to hit the pavement and start tracting. i know when people read that, they will laugh but i do really want to. i want to go find people. people need me. which is crazy to say! anyway i am so proud of lindsay and ryan both. man i want a Baptism so bad! but really they both are really cool for going through that. i sent them a letter today. well...yeah i think i did. anyway our district is seriously the closest district out there. we do our banana phone skit and people love it. because we were so valiant and good some older elders found favor in us and passed down the book of three bills. scripture written by elders on advice for the mtc. it is so much fun. i wrote mine about homesickness, my family, alta, the food here. it is awesome. really that has been so much fun for me. really!!! anyway i totally got dominated by a bird the other day. well i think he thought i was trying to disturb his nest but i wasnt. i was trying to get to class. but he almost got me. but i was protected! time is seriously flying. well i think it has. it sorta has been a huge blur. thanks for the dear elders yesterday! everyone sent one! it was so nice! as the district leader i do nothing except get the mail and decide who prays and what song we sing. it reminds me of dad picking one of us the pray! its crazy. and mom the flowers here remind me of you big time. and robbie everytime i put on my nametag i think of the good example you are/were to me by going on a mission and also when i play basketball. i think about whitney and mike when i am journaling and when i am at the temple! and lindsay i think of you whenever i see an insane elder. it just makes me smile and think of your cats! i really think about you guys all day long. it doesnt distract me though! at all! i promise.

i miss you family!!! so much! i would stop sending letters to the mtc on friday though. send them to the mission home! thanks!

i love you guys

ps. i may be leaving the compound to go to an eye docter to see if elder bowermans eye is alright! i hope we can go out together!!

The MTC Drop-off

What an amazing day!  We all (Bob, Dayna, Robbie, Lindsay, Whitney, Mike, & Wilson) climbed into the car and went to The Training Table for lunch.  We had so much fun just eating together and laughing about funny memories through the years. 

After lunch, we drove down to Provo, and parked across the street from the MTC so that we could take a few last photos.  It was pouring rain, so we did the photos pretty quickly.  We also met up with Bob's brother, Scott, and his family.  Their son, Dallin, was going into the MTC at the same time Wilson was, so we took photos with them, hugged Dallin, and drove over to the MTC.

It is all such a quick process now (much easier than it used to be, I think).  We pulled up to the curb where some darling missionaries gave us umbrellas to stand under as we gave our last hugs and sent Wilson off.  It took all of about 3 minutes, but I'm glad.  No time to get too emotional and sad!  He was smiling about as big as he could, and went off with the missionary.  I KNOW he'll be okay.  Better than okay.  He'll be amazing!

When I think about sending a son on a mission, and why we do it, I remind myself of a quote by Harold G. Hillam, of the Seventy.  It is from the October 1995 General Conference.  He said, ""Why have these great missionaries and others like them been willing to sacrifice the comforts of home, family, loved ones, and sweethearts to answer the call to serve? It's because they have a testimony of Jesus Christ. And when they know Him there is no bed too short or too hard, no climate too hot or too cold, no food too different or language so strange that they are unwilling to serve Him. No sacrifice is too great to serve the Master, who sacrificed His all to provide the way for His brothers and sisters to return home to their Heavenly Father. And because they are faithful to their callings, thousands will revere their names throughout the eternities."