March 16, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was great! well eh kind of in some ways. We have been
struggling to find anyone to teach! Our week had very little lessons
planned and we don't have any investigators. Rough stuff but we have
put a lot of effort in this week and visited members out the wazoo and
built our trust with them, and guess what?! We got 2 investigator
referrals yesterday! :) Yay! So transfers are next week and I will let
you know what is going to happen next Monday. I am so blessed to be here in
this mission at this specific time. I am grateful to have these tools
that God can use for great and wondrous purposes! We are all taking
online courses as to how we can put up safeguards to protect us from
temptation, especially regarding the technology we are using. We are
also taking courses and doing things to learn how we can best use
these tools to God's full advantage and how we can further our purpose
as missionaries. In one of the courses I took I listened to prophets
who are working diligently to make this technology advancement safe
and to do it right the first time. We have many resources to block out
temptation, We have rules, we have companions, we have filters on our
devices, but most importantly and most effectively we have the Holy
Ghost who will always prompt us as to when we are about to do
something wrong, and our own agency, personal moral standards and
virtue which, if nurtured and governed right will be the best
protection from harmful and toxic thoughts and actions. I am working
very diligently and have made plans and "escape routes" that when I am
tempted I will do these things to turn my thoughts to my purpose as a
missionary and to keep clean thoughts always. We made this plan online
and sent it to our Mission President. Mine is when I am tempted to:

-Pray
-Read scripture or sing a hymn
-Talk to my companion
-Read my Patriarchal Blessing
-Count my blessings

so this is my 5 step plan to resist and repel temptations of every
kind, especially when on the internet and on my device. I truly wish I
could share exactly everything I have seen the brethren share with us
missionaries but right now we are the testing grounds for all of these
programs and such. But I really shouldn't call them programs, because
they are a way of life, a change of lifestyle, a mission culture, a
standard I want for my life and the life of my family. I can see so
many applications to these wonderful booklets and trainings in my life
when I return home. I really look forward to the rest of my time as a
missionary. I am having a great time and learning so much! I can't
count my blessings anymore because I lose count and cry. I’m a big baby
now. But my testimony and conversion is stronger than ever!

I can't wait to get home and play with those boys! But until then I am
going to work my hardest so that I have no regrets and no desires to
return to my mission to do a better job. I want to show the Lord the
trust I have in Him by serving Him wholly and knowing that everything
back home will be taken care of by His carefully guided hands.

 I love you all so much! I
am doing my best here for all of you, and most importantly for the
Captain of my soul, my Redeemer and Savior, even the Great King of
Kings, Jesus Christ.

Love Elder Patterson

PS i am going to the Saturday morning session of GC :)