As For Me And My House, We Will Serve The LORD!: March 2, 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week was average I think, It’s flying by that’s for sure! It's already halfway through the transfer and my birthday is tomorrow! Weather has been weird here. Super warm some days and freezing other days, but you look that stuff up anyways so I will tell you about things you do not know that are happening in this awesome valley.

This week was good! I was able to do lots with my new companion and have seen the blessings of bearing my testimony boldly at all times, showing my love for these people, whether in the streets or in their homes we have done our best to contact and find new people. We have set companionship and individual goals to do better as well this upcoming week. We are going to try to place a Book of Mormon each this week, which doesn't sound very hard but not very many people listen to us in this area. Humility levels are low in the rich wards but they are still awesome! I hope to serve here for more than one transfer, because I enjoy building these relationships through the Spirit and through these teaching opportunities. I have really grown to love these two wards we cover already and love serving with our leaders and fellow missionaries. I had a really good experience this week teaching the Law of Chastity to a less active couple who are not married yet. I was more nervous for some reason and we were on splits because we got double booked that night. So it was me and a member who had just very recently had some troubles with his marriage which made me more nervous and I just prayed that I would be able to teach with the Spirit and that I wouldn't say anything that offended or upset the member. I prayed all day long and every free minute during lunch and elsewhere I could while considering the lesson plan I had in mind that would bless them the most. I found some great resources including "The Family; A Proclamation To The World" and many Book of Mormon references. I can honestly say that I was shaking a bit during the lesson I was so nervous. After we talked a bit and got to know how they were doing, we said a prayer, and after I proceeded to tell them that we were going to focus on a commandment that blesses us individually, as a family and as a church. We were going to talk about the Law of Chastity. I began talking and asking questions to see how they felt about commandments as a whole; if they saw them as restricting or freeing? Then after I got their perspective I likened the commandments to a fence. The Commandments are like a fence; separating us (sheep) from the ravenous wolves (Satan and his followers) When we break the commandments (fence) we subject ourselves to the ravenous wolves. Only through the Atonement can those fences be fixed (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, endure to the end) and peace be restored to the pasture. We read a few paragraphs from "The Family" and continued to ask questions to see how they were learning and what was sticking out to them as important for themselves. We then opened up to the story of Captain Moroni in Alma 46, I paraphrased the beginning to catch them up on the story. Then I asked one of them to read the verse where Captain Moroni rent his coat and wrote on it the title of liberty. To help them remember and to symbolize the great importance of this title, I stood up and ripped my sweater in half and revealed to them the "Title of Liberty" that I had written on the inside back of my sweater and worn all day. I explained that Moroni then rode through the cities gathering everyone who believed in those values to stand up and fight for those. I then turned that into the Law of Chastity, that we need to boldly stand up for those values, to stand up and strive to have chaste and virtuous thoughts and actions, and that in doing so we are fighting for our freedom, for our peace, for our wives, husbands and children. I then boldly extended to them to consider getting separate places or get married to preserve the freedoms and blessings God wishes to give them. I promised them blessings of living the Law of Chastity, and gave them a pamphlet, a proclamation to the family, and a little personal title of liberty. I also brought some good Canadian chocolates for them. But they took the lesson very well and the Spirit was so strong! I was led and guided through the whole lesson and we all were blessed and edified by it. I am so grateful to the Spirit and the Law of Chastity which protects us and governs true happiness in our relationships and how we love and show respect for others.

We also had the first and possibly last, Elders luncheon this week which was all the young Elders in the mission and President Swain. He even uninvited his own wife! haha it was strictly for Elders only and we had a super spiritual discussion.

So Elder and Sister Evans of the Seventy also came and joined us after lunch with the second half of the Luncheon. I said the closing prayer and I could hardly speak I felt so full of the Spirit. After we closed Elder Evans asked me to see him for a minute. So we stepped off to the side and he put his arm around me and asked if I was alright (because I was crying a bit from what was said and the Spirit in the room) I told him that I was good and then he said "are you sure?" and I answered yes and thanked him for the words he shared and the special stories he gave of him as a mission president and missionary experiences he's noticed through other missionaries. He then looked me in the eye and said "you'll do great, We need you here." or something really close to that but I was still kind of in shock that he asked me to talk to him. He then gave me a hug and moved on. But that was awesome! This week I also was taken out to eat at chowtime buffet, and ate Chinese food to my heart’s desire! I had like 30 dumplings, boy am I starting to put on the pounds! haha not really, but I feel like I am. I’m only like 5 pounds heavier but these members here feed us well.

Till next week! :)

Love Elder Patterson

These are the houses that we are walking around.