Georgia Happenings

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been full of sick people. My companion was sick, a bunch of ward members were sick, and they told us all kinds of stories about everyone being sick. It is definitely the flu season around these parts, and I'm grateful I haven't gotten sick yet (knock on wood). We had to postpone our baptism this week. We met with our investigators father for the first time, and of course he'd been exposed to some very farfetched ideas that happen to make sense in our line of Doctrines, but he was very resistant, and rather unopen, so we decided it would be best to postpone the baptism so we didn't cause any problems with the family. I feel terrible about the situation, because as we were sitting there both the kids were with us listening, and when the father told us that he didn't want his son being baptized until he learned more, I saw the exitement drop out his sons face, and when we talked to him later, it was as if the light of the Spirit had left. I felt terrible afterwards, and I prayed long and hard. In my heart I felt like someone had just stuck a dagger right in me, and it strengthened my resolution to never let that happen again. As I pondered the situation, I realized how much I've come to love the family over the course of the time I've been here, and it amazed me. I'm glad the Lord is the one in control, because I doubt I could even attempt to fix what happened. We had Stake Conference this week, and it was funny because we didn't expect President King to come, but as we're standing there waiting for the family to show up, in walks President King. As he was walking by, he asks me: "How does it feel to serve in one area longer that the rest of your mission?" I told him I still wasn't sure. It was a good meeting, and the Spirit was very strong. I've really reflected this week on the importance of the Spirit in our lives, and I want to testify to you all, that it is the key, the very KEY, to the Lord's work being done by his servants here on earth (which is all of us), and we need to strive to do all we can to have it's companionship always. I know the Lord loves us, and will help us if we ask him, and do our best to be obedient to the subtel promptings of the Spirit, I know God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. I know Joseph Smith was God's chosen Prophet who restored the gospel to the earth in this the final dispensation, and I bare you my witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.