7.11.11

Hey awesome family!

Just to start out, I love you all!! Thank you so much to take the time to write to me every week! I look forward to hearing from you every Monday! Your emails are great!

This week was the same old thing. We are working with Jose Maria a little. He was baptized about a month ago. He fell back into his drinking problems, which is sad, but almost normal. We go to check up on him a couple of times a week and leave spiritual messages with him. He knows what is right, but I imagine after 30 years of drinking, it would be hard to stay sober. But he is progressing. He is a great guy. I am excited to see what happens with his family. Everyone was baptized except him. His son went inactive about a year ago and he is coming up to a mission age. His wife and daughter are both active. But I have hopes that he will get his drinking problem under control and that he will become active to get the priesthood and that his example will help out his son get back to church and on a mission. His son is choosing to become a hippie. haha. He is a cool kid, but I dont think the hippie life is the best...haha

I am studying the New Testament in my personal study. It is going well. I found a study guide here that I use to study with. I am learning a lot. I am goin kinda slow cause I study other things too, but I just finished studying about the first year of Christs ministry. I really like the lesson He gave of being born again. It is interesting that first Christ says you have to be born again to SEE the kingdom of God. Then he states, you have to be born again in the water, AND by the spirit, to ENTER the kingdom of God. A lot of times people have spiritual experiences in their lives before baptism that they catch a glympse of an awesome life, but only through baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost can you enjoy ALL the blessings of eternal life. And it is a lifetime process to be born again. Not just a one day deal. So, I learned I have a lot to do still haha. I am greatful for the commandments and prophets to help me out. We really do have a loving Heavenly Father.

Dad, thanks for the advice. I have already emailed President about the problems and he replied to me and said that he is trying to figure something out. He told me to pray for him. I have been. He is a great President and I trust he knows what he is doing. He is a very spiritual man and so I am confident he is following the Spirit. I am trying to help my companion out, but, sometimes its a bummer that others have agency...haha. The next scheduled transfer is on the 24th of July.

Mom, my companions story is this... He was born into the church and all of his imediate family are members and a few of his extended family are members. He grew up in kind of a rough neighborhood. He has a girlfriend who is waiting for him and I think he is here to get a returned missionary status so she will marry him. When he started his mission, for some reason no one knew that he was coming.. like the people at the MTC. He showed up and they werent expecting him. And after the MTC he came here and the mission wasnt expecting him. There was obviously some communication problems, but I think that kind of hurt him. I think he doesnt feel needed sometimes. He is a good kid though and is easy to get a long with. We talk a lot and laugh, but I dont know exactly what I can do to help motivate him.

But anyway... Things are goin alright. I still love my calling! I am learning a lot through all of this and I am coming a lot closer to Heavenly Father. I find myself praying a lot more, more than I ever have in my life. And I am finding comfort in studying the life of the Savior. So, I guess there is a reason I am here in this situation. I cant wait to get back to helping others come unto the Savior though haha.

Oh one more thing, I got letters from Grandma Flash and from Sister Willoughby (i dont know if that is how you spell her name) and from you, with emails from Motes and Taylor Walker. You asked in your letter if I ever got a different letter with the who what where drawings, and I got some a while ago... I dont remember what month... but one of the drawings i remember is that Miranda drew ET and I thought that was hillarious that she got that card because I know she is afraid of ET haha.

I love you guys so much and I hope your week is great!

Love Isaac