Week # 6

Hey family !

 

Once again another week has flown by!  I guess i want to start off and say thanks mom for the little package. I was the envy of the district with my new pillowcase :) The ABC's of missionary work is pretty cool too. I am trying to work one letter each day and focus on improving in that area. Well now I guess I will get to the transfer news! Elder Tienda and I are are staying together !! Yay !  We were both pretty excited about that.  My district leader will be training so we said goodbye to Elder Villegas, and Elder Aranda has completed his mission, ao Elder Okazaki will be getting a new companion as well. There is a really good chance that Elder Tienda and I will be moving to another apartment complex this transfer, so I will keep you all updated about a possible change of address.

   The past week was soo good. It was our district's turn to have interviews with President Martin. Man do i love him! He is such a loving and fun man ! Elder Tienda and I set a baptismal date with Jenny ! It was way cool, before we even finsihed asking her, she said I want to be baptized so we asked her if Sept 11 would be too soon. She said that it would be perfect ! Oh and I heard from Elder Welker. He is back down in teh Vegas valley. he visited Amelia Lopez ( mother of the kids whom we baptized while I was there) and he sadi she was asking about me :) he is going to give me her info :)

  Along with the baptismal dte, we have been teaching a guy from El salvador named Tony. He is an incredible guy.  He is a Catholic, but he has a sincere desire to learn the truth. We met him knocking doors and we gave him a book of Mormon. He promised to start reading it and he said he would call us. He called us on Wednesday and we met him at a park. he had already the first 5 chapters in 1st nephi and is very curious.

  This week while I was studying in the Book of Mormon and I came across something that I thought was really cool. It is in 2nd Nephi 2:6-8. It says :

 6 Wherefore, ^aredemption cometh in and through the ^bHoly ^cMessiah; for he is full of^dgrace and truth.

 7 Behold, he offereth himself a ^asacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto ^bnone else can the^cends of the law be answered.

 8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, ^asave it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who ^blayeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the ^cresurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

I can definitely testify that is true. Our purpose as missionaries to bring others to Christ; in teaching that we testify of the great gift of teh Atonement. That he suffered for everyone who is willing to come with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  But my favorite part is the last verse. Us as members of teh church, not just as full time missionaries have the great priviledge and responisbility to make those things known to the inhabitants of the Earth.  Sometimes as worldly human beings we fel afraid to open our mouths, but every time I feel that way, I am reminded of Lehi's attitude in the Tree of Life dream. He talks about that great DESIRE that everybody partake of the fruit because of how much he enjoyed it. I definitely am soo grateful for teh gospel in my life and I am blessed to have all of my immediate family in the gospel. But everybody is my brothers and sisters. I dont want anyone of them to get lost, to to wander off into strabge paths as it says in the dream.  So I challenge you as I have challenged myself, to take on this great priviledge and responsibility and "make these things known unto the inhabitants of teh Earth, that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits and mercy and grace of our Holy Messiah.."  I promise you that as you do that, your hearts will swell with charity and you will find the great joy that comes with sharing the gospel.

  

   I want you all to know I love you and pray for you everyday!

 

con amor,

- Elder Dutson