Week 11 - Thursday Hot Lunch

Hello All!

    How are all you wonderful people!  I hope you're doing great and being righteous and all that good stuff.  ;)  It sounds like things are just great back at home, and, again, it's kinda strange not to be there for all of these things that are happening!

    This week was a really good one!  It started out pretty typically.  We had a Zone Training Meeting on Tuesday, which was a lot of fun; I really love my zone, and can't wait to see what we can accomplish!  We taught the Olsens again this week, this time about the how much family means to us.  They are typical teenage and preteen kids, so they terrorize each other pretty regularly, but if they can really gain a greater love for one another, I'm sure they'll be able to be strong and diligent in doing what they're supposed to during this trial in their life.

    We also met with Jonathan again early in the week.  He still wasn't quite sure on his baptism, so we really concentrated on the Book of Mormon.  He's been reading diligently, but we really wanted him to realize that once he gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon, he'd know that this was something he needed to do.  (Full credit to Elder Musselman on that.)  It was a really powerful lesson, and Jonathan's dad, who is less-active, was even there to take part in it!

    Thursday was pretty flippin' great!  We started out by going to lunch at the high school.  The Home Ec class does a big lunch every Thursday for the school and community and, it being Raymond, we get to eat for free.  It's a really great opportunity to work with the youth and follow up on commitments and appointments, considering most of our investigators are under the age of 18!  We did a little bit of service then, and headed over to the Stake Center to do our weekly planning.  Just as we were starting, Elder Musselman really wanted to check with Jonathan to see if he was ready to commit to the 21st for baptism.  We texted him, then met him at the high school.  We asked him, and he said, "Let's do it."  HUZZAH!  Elder Musselman and I had to wait until he was back inside to start flipping out too much.  Jonathan is such a great guy, and I can't wait for Saturday!  He has been prepared so well for this, and I'm so grateful the Lord has seen it fit to make us a part of this wonderful event!  

    After school that day, we also met with one of our potential investigators for the first time.  His name is Joe, and he's awesome.  He moved here from London recently to live with his mom.  He comes from a pretty rough situation there, but he has such a sincere desire to do good and be good.  He really wants to do what our Heavenly Father wants him to.  Anyway, he's in high school now, and decided that it would be cool to take seminary!  He loves it!  He loves his teacher, he loves the town, he loves the church, he reads about 10 pages of the Book of Mormon everyday, he's amazing!  He's also just a really nice guy.  We'll be meeting with him again this week, and I can't wait to see where this all goes.

    Saturday I was in Magrath on exchanges, so I missed Raymond quite a bit, and was glad to get back yesterday.  It was a great Sabbath, with a couple of our investigators coming to church as well as some non-members who just showed up out of the blue!  Good stuff!

    Sunday was also really great because it seemed like all of the talks were really directed at me!  A lot of what was said really emphasized charity and how to better exercise it.  Something that really stood out to me was a quote from President Monson, "Charity is the opposite of judgment and criticism."  Man.  As a missionary, and as a person, it is so essential to have charity.  We're told in the scripture that "if ye have not charity, ye are nothing," (Moroni 7:46)  Sometimes, it's a hard thing to have, but that's the wonderful thing about grace, we can have help!  Just like with every other Christlike attribute, it is essential to exercise the Atonement in developing charity.  So "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ;"  It's hard sometimes, but it's more than worth it!
    Well, I hope you're all having a great week and that the rest of it will treat you well!  Be good, and love each other!  We're all brothers and sisters who, without the Atonement, would all be equally without hope.  I'll try harder to do that, too! :)  I love you all!  Good luck!  Have fun!
Love,
        Elder Hafen