Mother!

I think I might Blatantly ignore your questions. but I think I had it coming for me. just to answer a few... Yukish is cool, we do fairly well, he is from az and wa. The area is really huge, and Akron has a very high population. that is why there are two sets of missionaries, there isn't much work with investigators though, so the walking area could close down, but 99% chance that it wont ha.

The members aren't that great here unfortunately.. we are lucky if we get fed twice a week. missionaries here don't really have the wards trust due to the fact that for the past year or more there have been some pretty apostate missionaries here and the ward complains that we call them too much to come teach with us, but they don't understand how vital it is, especially because most of the members here are converts. but whatever, we are working on gaining it back. The reason why we are teaching more than I have is because we are teaching a lot of Less-actives, just because there are so many of them.

Also, I have been using the melatonin. I still woke up around 3-4 times a night. so yeah, I got a months worth of some sleeping pills, they aren't super strong though so I think I will do alright.

The weather here has been okay, it rained for two days straight and then it snowed again so we have a thin layer of it, but it is still cold. I have been told that it wont warm up until the end of the month... a little. but it's alright, I'm pretty use to it now. That doesn't surprise me too much about Kaleb and Sheri, but that's cool that they will still talk to you. I guess growing up in Utah can make anyone pretty sheltered.



So Gary and Shannon, hmm well yeah once we took the cigarettes we used them.... right, nope definitely not. We just threw them away, I mean they willingly gave them to us with all of the lighters they could find and they haven't smoked since. They have a few things to take care of before they can get married but they are pretty serious about it. Shannon is strides ahead of Gary, mainly because he tells you what you want to hear, and we know it. this last week when we went to teach them we had the spirit bear testimony to us that Shannon is ready and that Gary still has a way to go. but it's alright. They really feel at home at church and if we can help them gain quality friends they will progress a lot faster. Gary has been investigating for four years and Shannon for one or so. They never even tried to stop smoking until we took them away from them. something is different that is making them want to get baptized, they have told us that they don't know why things are different but they are. they are actually keeping commitments and they truly want to do what is right so they can bet baptized and become a member of the church.


that is amazing that Kris is doing great! it has been what two years or more since she was diagnosed? oh goodness, it has been a long time.

You know, you make a good point where Christ tells those men to drop there nets and to follow him. Christ does take care of us. sometimes it is really hard to understand why he has to work in mysterious ways, but you know, it's okay. We know that it is for our benefit. within the last two Months I have not seen any progression with anyone I have taught and I haven't taught over eleven lessons until this last week. Elder Yukish has been getting discouraged already and I just tell him, "listen, I have not taught more than eleven lessons for the last two months, It has been only one week and we have taught almost 20 lessons. and we haven't had 7 lessons to investigators fall through when we had a member and everything lined up. this is nothing." but you know, it can be hard. but you just have to get use to the rejection but not let it lower your standards and your expectations. Not everyone is going to want to listen to us. I would know. but hey we know that the church isn't prosperous because of missionary work but in spite of it we grow. I know that I'm going to be tried and I have been but it's what is expected and at times it is hard to stay motivated. you just gotta do what you gotta do.

We were taught an important principle by President Sorensen this last week and that was; the blessing of obedience is obedience. when you are obedient you can recount your day in front of the Lord and tell him that you were obedient, that you followed all of the commandments and rules with exactness. when you do that you are opening yourself up to knew treasures and knowledge, you can better use those blessings and talents the Lord has given you.
I'm doing well, I'm growing immensely. It may not seem like it, but I sure Feel like I am.

Love ya!

--
Elder Michael Stone.