P-day email

January 26, 2015

Dear Mom and Dad, and all others who come in contact with this email,

Although Elder Cook was sick the first half of last week we were able to get back to work on Thursday and do a lot of good and stay super busy! We are experimenting with new ways to plan more effectively and use the Lords time and resources given to us more efficiently. Elder Cook is better now and I am still pressing forward and staying healthy, except for this morning and last night were the worst! I woke up at 3 am with a fever and chills and could not even go back to sleep, so I put on a sweater and laid in bed till our alarms went off. I got up to turn it off and almost passed out because my head hurt so much! So I asked Elder Cook to include me in his morning prayers and I also prayed that I may get better. I couldn't get out of bed till 8:00 and then showered, took some medication, and ate some food. I kept praying that I may remain healthy because we have already lost a lot of opportunities to teach through Elder Cook's sickness that I didn't want to get sick. And so I had a 4 minute personal study and we then had companion study where we did our routine. We also discussed our lessons tonight and planned them all out, including a FHE on the Atonement and the why of Sacrament. I then got a call from Florence Cook, who we just got married and are working with them to stop drinking. She called and broke down that she drank again last night and so did her husband. So I talked with her on the phone for a minute, helped calm her down and told her to read her scriptures and Elder Cook and I will pray and then be right over. So thats what we did! (she lives down the street form us) We left the door open while we talked with her because her husband was not home. She wanted to be better, to be an anchor for her family but fell again into temptation. Addiction is a slippery slope and has serious consequences, but I can testify and did testify to Florence that the Atonement is real and that I have seen it work miracles in my life. We shared a few scriptures that we are planning to share tonight about the Atonement and invited her and her family to come. She accepted and we said a kneeling prayer. That is why I don't have much time to write anything else because I spent email time doing that, which is fine by me. We are going bowling today for a Pday activity! Im very excited especially since I am feeling better now, I still feel weak but I can push through and do the things the Lord has asked me because I know He will help me, He has in the past and will continue to do so as I live obediently to His commandments. I love this Gospel and will serve my Savior for eternity! He has offered to me uncountable and inexpressible blessings in this life and the life to come. I am growing to a greater degree of disciple here and wish to give my all here and even more after my mission. I am tired of relying on myself because I have made many mistake doing so. I will give everything to the Lord and he will make so much more out of me and my life than I ever could! 

Love Elder Patterson