Week Eighty Eight - Miracles, Diligence, Faith and Patience!

Missionary basketball!  Elder Keller and David!

David and Elder Keller looking for a rat!

Wait a minute.....I can't see!

David getting a boost from Elder Keller!

The Casa Linda District and Mini Me!

Hi!

Well, we had a good week.  We talked to lots of peeps, had some success and some good things happen.  We went on another exchange, and I went with Elder Ezzell to his area, doing English work.  Elder Ezzell is from Layton and has been out for a year and a half.  He is a really cool kid and is going to teach me how to do a standing backflip today!  Unfortunately, it was a very miserable exchange because I had to ride his companions tiny, uncomfortable, walmart bike up and down some serious hills all day.  But I survived!  There was a pretty cool miracle that took place on the exchange though.  So about a year ago, when in Lakewood, I lost my most favorite watch in the chapel where I now attend every Sunday.  Not soon after, I left to McKinney, and I bugged Elder Sheffer about it for a while, trying to get him to track it down for me.  No luck, and I had to give up on it.  On this exchange, however, as I was showering in the shower of this apartment, to my pleasant surprise and amazement, I saw my long lost watch connected to the towel rack.  These missionaries have been using my watch as a shower clock for the year! The bishop of their ward found it and gave it to them.  And it is still in perfect condition, just the way I left it!   It just amazes me that nearly everything that I have lost on my mission has eventually turned up, except for another name tag that I just lost last week, but I do not lack faith!  God loves me and it will turn up in time!   #MIRACLE     

I believe I have already mentioned this, but for the entire month of January we have been working on an initiative with the Book of Mormon.  We eat, sleep, study, teach and preach nothing but the Book of Mormon.  The goal is to flood the TDM  with the Book of Mormon!  We set the goal to invite 40,000 people to learn more about the Book of Mormon and our church.  As of Thursday, we were super far from that goal and definitely not on track, so we have been making a big push to just contact people like crazy.  It has been exhausting, but we have had some good things come from it.  As part of the initiative, we have also set the goal to read the entire Book of Mormon in 40 days.  That has been really neat and I have felt the power of the Book of Mormon stronger than ever!  We are also focusing on studying Preach My Gospel, chapter 5, which teaches all about the Book of Mormon.  The more I read It, the more I study It and learn of It, the more It amazes me.  AMO EL LIBRO DE MORMON!

We witnessed the power of the Book of Mormon this week with a young recent convert that was baptized about a year and a half ago.  He is mas o menos active, and is quite far from really being converted. When we visited him two weeks ago, he was struggling with his testimony and doubts, and regretted being baptized so quick.  He wasn't reading or praying, and had no desires to do so.  He was struggling to find a job and just wasn't feeling too good.  We strongly invited him to read the Book of Mormon every day, especially when he didn't want to.  When we went back a week later, he told us that he had read every day of that week, reading the entire book of Mosiah!  He was excited to tell us what he had understood and learned from the stories, and he seemed to know them better than I do!  It was amazing to see the change that took place in him.  He was happy, really happy, he was interviewed and hired on the spot for a new job, he had a real desire to read more of the Book of Mormon, and he had made the decision to prepare for, and serve a mission!  Elder Keller and I were ecstatic when we heard this news.  Now, it is up to him if that desire to serve will stay, but I know that if he continues to read and pray regularly, that desire will grow and become stronger with time.  To see this was a huge testimony builder for me.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the key!  It has POWER to change and inspire us.  This quote from President Hinckley found in PMG chapter 5 really stuck out to me this week:  

   “Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power. … Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts … the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God” (“The Power of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, June 1988, 6).

   The Book of Mormon can fill our lives with the Spirit of God, inspire us to be more obedient, and bring us closer to Jesus Christ.  I remember recently hearing a talk from President Hinckley where he said that the Gospel of Jesus Christ refines us as people.  I have a testimony that the Book of Mormon can trigger this refinement in us through the Gospel to be better people.  It's really sad because too many people don't give the Book of Mormon a chance.  They give up on it before anything can be done.  It's kind of like eating healthy or unhealthy.  You're not going to get fat from one unhealthy meal, just like you're not going to get fit from one healthy meal.  I love to share the following verses from the Book of Mormon that illustrate this point:  

   ALMA 32:  41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. 42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.                  DILIGENCE.  FAITH.  PATIENCE.    So pretty much, just read the Book of Mormon, and stick with it!  Diligently, Faithfully, Patiently.  The power will be felt, and the blessings will come!  

-I'm not sure what I would like to do right when I get home, but I would love to have job options when I get home.  It would be awesome if I could start working right when I get home.  So I would love it if you could ask around and pull some strings.  You can find me some "referrals" while you are at it too ;)  

-I got the drawings and they could not be better!  Thank you so much fro taking the time to do that, Mom and Em!  Love you!

-We go on one or two exchanges a week, but it has been difficult without a car.  

-My hair has gotten quite long in the past month!  It's not bad, but I must be looking clean cut for Elder Nelson!  

-I currently do not need anything specific from home.  

-The sword and gun were at a members house.  They are ward missionaries and they help us out a lot.  

I think that's all I have for you this week.  This week coming up is going to be a big week!  I'll have lots to share next next Monday.  Keep taking care of the missionaries, you will be blessed!  I love the pictures!  Have the best week of your life and know that I love you all to Kolob and back!

Elder Williams