Teaching update

Dear Family,

Another good week is in the books. I got pretty homesick talking to all of you on skype. Sorry you had to watch me break down in tears. I just love you all so much. I've never felt so much love before. I'm very grateful to have you all in my life. I can't believe Ben is getting married this week. That is so weird to think about. I wish I could be there. Oh well. 

Thank you everyone for sending me packages and letters. Thank you Mom & Dad and siblings for the new shaver, sweater, and goodies; Feil Family for the Christmas card; Grandma Lynne and Grandpa Bob for the sweet BYU sweater;  and Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Allen thanks for the awesome tie!

We had a few experiences this week that are worth sharing. On Monday we ate a dinner with Fransisco. He cooked us some kind of mexican soup that was really good. After we talked to him about the importance of reading scriptures everyday. He said that he doesn't read very much because he is pretty illiterate. But we told him that it would help him a lot in his life if he would even just read a verse every day. Fransisco is one of the most faithful members of the ward. He drives us around a lot, too. He doesn't quite understand everything because of the language barrier, but he is doing his best. Plus, we found out that he is 1 of 19 siblings in his family.

On Wednesday Mike F. dropped us. He had been reading anti-mormon literature for the last little while. The thing about anti mormon literature is it's primary goal is to get a person to "look beyond the mark" as Jacob describes. Mike had so many concerns about things that are so unimportant such as, why is it that in the pearl of great price it says nothing about Abram changing his name to Abraham, but in the Old Testament it does. Or, it can trick a person to taking things out of context. Mike told us that in Galatians 1:8 it says "Though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Mike took that to mean that the Angel Moroni ministering the gospel to Joseph Smith was a fulfillment of that scripture. Personally, I don't see any angels from Heaven giving me false information, maybe an angel of the devil from hell (see Alma 30:53). There's a reason why the Book of Mormon is the most correct book on the earth, and the Bible is not. The Bible is still pretty good though :)
It was disappointing to see Mike make this decision especially after he knew the book of mormon was true and wanted to be baptized. At one point, he wanted to be the bishop his own "Mega-mormon" church. Of course we told him he couldn't do that, but that just shows how much he really enjoyed the gospel. But for now he will be a Lutheran. Perhaps one day he'll change his mind. He'll be held accountable.

Also on Wednesday we talked to a guy named Ben. He is a former army guy. He has severe PTSD. He cussed the f word so many times while we were there. He knows the gospel is true, he is just afraid of being around people because of his anger problems and PTSD. He told us while we were there that he tried commited suicide several times but got wouldn't let him. He pulled the trigger to his head with a loaded gun a couple of times and the gun would just click. Also, in the army he told us how God preserved him after being in an explosion. Turns out, in the convoy he was in, his commander had him switch his seat to where he normally sat. The place where he normally sat was his friend, who was killed in the explosion. So Ben has obviously been preserved by God. No  question about that.

On Christmas Eve we had district meeting. We each bore our testimonies. It was a good experience. We all pretty much expressed that missions are super hard, and God's grace is sufficient to magnify our efforts if we surrrender our will to him. Be completely dependent on him.

Yesterday at church was a music program. I was asked to accompany singers on the piano 4 different songs (O little town of bethlehem, beautiful savior, the first noel, and He sent his son). In one of the songs, the Bishop sang O Holy Night since he has a really good voice. His daughter got up there at pretended like she was playing a hard piano piece, but really it was just a cd playing the song. It was pretty funny. I don't know about that one though. 

AFter church yesterday all of our plans fell through, and so we walked around in the rain for a while. The wind broke my umbrella. We did find a guy in his 20s who said he was going to come to church. He was pretty interested. We didn't drive our car to church that day to save on miles, and so we tried to figure out how to get back home. While walking in the rain I was dreaming of eating a delicious honey baked ham. A few hours later we got a call from one of the members of the ward inviting us to their late-Christmas dinner since their father worked christmas. So, we got a ride back to their house by Lehland and got to eat one of the best christmas dinners I've ever had. They had goose, smoked turkey, and ham. Remember how I was dreaming of eating a honey baked ham? The Lord answers prayers. The food was delciious and I really want to eat some right now. After dinner we shared a message about hastening the work of salvation. We seriously need help from the members to find us people to teach. There's know way the work will hasten on our efforts alone. Tracting is super unaffective. Elder McMullan finally realized that yesterday. He looooves tracting. It's okay I think. There is a much better way of doing missionary work though and that is through the members. The members here don't like coming out with us that much though. Our new ward mission leader, Brother Cox, is determined to change that though.

Well I better wrap this up. I know that Jesus Christ is at the head of this church. The Book of Mormon is definitely the word of God. Any person who reads it with an open heart will know that it is true. It is impossible to find the Book of Mormon to be false if your heart is open. It's okay to have doctrinal questions, but they can be resolved through prayer and study, not looking at Anti-mormon literature. Elder Andersen said, "Studying the Church … through the eyes of its defectors,” Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, is 'like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus. Defectors always tell us more about themselves than about that from which they have departed.'” This week I have also come to know how important it is to write down spiritual impressions that we get so we know how God is involved in our life. i've been keeping a little notebook in my pocket to do that.

Also, since it's almost New Years, take a look at this video when you get a chance.
http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/new-years-look-not-behind-thee?cid=HP_MO_12-28-2015_dPFD_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

Love,

Elder Soutas