Letter from June 7, 2011

June 7, 2011

I am feeling more settled in, but there is a sense of urgency that I haven't felt before..I think it is because I realized that I have 6 months left and its time to perform. But yeah, I'm more calm now, but we still have a long way to go before we get where I want the area to be

President Clayton comes in at the end of this month. He called Pres Donaldson and told him they were going to drive in the night before and stay in a hotel and President Donaldson said that's fine, as long as he stays out of the mission boundaries. After Pres Clayton is set apart, as soon as he steps foot in the mission boundaries, he is in charge and the keys are past....pretty cool

Well this week was great. We had a lot of success. We had a training meeting with Pres Donaldson and he re-explained the doctrine of baptism. That is the urgency I am feeling now I think. There is no way that the people in my area can truly be saved and receive the help from the atonement without me/missionaries. Its brought a whole new outlook and it makes me want to run to everyone on the street. It has been something that's missing on my mission so far, the urgency, but I have it now and I like it.

We have 3 people with baptismal dates and things are going great. My area is like Tijuana. There are no black people or white people, just Mexicans/Latinos....its awesome. Our branch president wants 2 baptism per month, so that is what he will get. The branch is awesome....story time: So on Sunday night we went to see a less active and we were just talking. I asked him how things were going and he said they are.....ok. I said, "M..., that doesn't sound too convincing. Whats up bro?" He then opened up and laid it all on the table. How things were rough with his family and how after his baptism all these trials came up and how he stopped going to church because he couldn't handle everything. I was thinking about what to say to him and I opened my mouth and told him how the adversary doesn't want him in church because he knows his potential. I told him the God needed him church to be an example for people everywhere that it is possible to turn their lives around. (He used to be in a gang and deal drugs and all this stuff and has been shot at now for what he did in the past). He teared up a little bit and said that he knows he just has to take the step. After I invited him to take the step this week and go back to church. He said he would and we have an appt with him tonight and are going to talk to him and his girlfriend, who is not a member. It was such a powerful experience. I have been focusing a lot lately on the having faith to tell people how it is and to promise them things with my priesthood authority. The spirit testifies to people when we do that and it is a powerful experience. AWESOME


Ross