Hey Everyone!

So time really does seem to be getting short. Everyone is coming off of their missions and I am getting there close. But, I am trying to keep myself going and Elder Carter and I are working way hard. We have been pushing through all of the problems and keeping going forward. We have had some really good experiences this week.

Yesterday we had a really cool investigator come to church. That was a victory since recently we have had some problems with certain members driving some of our investigators away by bad commentary. We are working to try and improve some of those things. We had a really good meeting, well sort of an impromptu meeting, but we talked about some really good things. He is going through hard times with his wife, she is pregnant and almost lost the baby and he is sick so they are kind of out of commission for a bit. We’re going to help them out a lot though. I think we have the support of the majority of the ward now but there is still work to be done. As for our investigators, we have some very good people we are teaching, but they are still letting their problems keep them away from church.

I've been loving my time here so far; perhaps more than any other area. I have learned a ton and I have made improvements here that I have been working to make for a long time, some coming from even long before the mission. Elder Carter and I are getting along fantastically and I would like to think that the other elders are seeing our example. We actually talk with the junior comp a lot and he comments to us how he wants to change and we help him out and all that, it is a hard thing to do when it stems from the both of you. I imagine it is kind of like a marriage, that is if both of you don’t want to make it work, it just probably won’t work. It kind of strikes me as odd the things that I have learned and keep learning in the mission, but I am so grateful for them. I promise to all of you that as you strive more and more every day to do things correctly and strive to have the spirit with you that you will not only have more guidance and all that, but you will just downright feel a heck of a lot better. Ha-ha. It seems so simple, but at the same time, why can’t we realize these things earlier. I am sure I will go through the same process of learning again and again the same things but I hope I have learned it a little better this time.

I was reading a talk this morning and it was talking about the father of one of the general authorities who would always have them sing the same hymn in their family home evenings. This person would always complain and question why. And the father would simply respond that there was a message in the song to be learned and would always say sternly, "I will teach you lesson 2 once you have learned lesson 1! I thought that was cool. We are limited in our gospel progression only to our own diligence. So we should be diligent and gain our salvation long before the due date.

I’m scared about coming back, but I know it has an end. I am doing all I can to be satisfied with the work I have done here and I will continue working hard. Don’t worry about getting me distracted. I won’t let you :) Just take care and don’t forget to keep writing. Now more than ever I appreciate the strength you give me. I love you all. And I will love hearing from you as soon as the mission permits, which is next week :) Enjoy your vacations.

CHAUUUUUUU

Elder Jeff Rose