May 14, 2012

Dear Mom, (finally  a letter addressed just to me!)

It was great to be able to talk with you, and to be able to see you. I hope you had a wonderful mothers day!.

                This week was pretty excitingly eventful. First of all we had our first "finding" day on Thursday, where we weren`t allowed to have any appointments, we couldn`t do anything but find new investigators. We had a goal as a mission of 1400 new potential investigators, which is 20 per companionship. Elder Sanderson and I found 15 potential investigators, which was awesome! We are going to be SUPER busy this week meeting with them all! But we are excited. But on a sadder note, we found out that S_________ will be transferred to a new camp in St. Gallen on Wednesday. Which is very sad. We are trying to set up connections so that he can still be taught by the St. Gallen missionaries and can hopefully still be baptized on the 3rd of June, so we definitely need some prayer power there. As well R__________ told us on Saturday that she no longer wants to be baptized because she has already been baptized. And unfortunately the appointment didn`t go so well because of factors a little bit outside of our control, so that was also a downer. But I have been studying the Atonement every day, and what I find amazing is that the Atonement can repair and make up for our mistakes and sins, even for our bad appointments, after all that we can do. That is the true reason for hope, the reason we can never give in to despair. Because although our successes cannot compensate for our failures, there is one success that can--the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He has the power to bring "beauty for the ashes" of our mistakes, and to give us the "oil of joy for our mourning" when it seems all is lost. I know that is true, because I have felt it this week. I have been encircled in the arms of his love, and I know that he has room for us all.

 

Liebe,

Elder Terry