Dear Isaac,
I'm haveing some tough times and some good times.
Struguls with techers can you mabey you have some advice? Know that I am
baptized and am older, I understand more I feel more power in the holy
ghost when I was yonger I did not understand my acshins that much now I
do. How is the eyst (I think he meant best) way to not disobay and stuff like that? I mite also ask mom or dad or both. If you have any gwasinge (no idea, perhaps questions)
abuot anything? in you next letter you can tell me. I'm have thotghs
about my futcher, can give me idus? (I'm thinking I mite not make some
relly spesol job or something).
Love, Lincoln
Dearest Lincoln,
Bro,
your letter was the best thing I've gotten in a long time. I love
you so much dude. Don't worry about the struggles, God has His plan for
you! I know He loves you so much and all of the struggles will be there
to help you grow and be a better Lincoln. Here's some advice though - be
a friend. Be as nice as you can be to all your classmates and friends,
and your teachers. Love them. Try to be like Jesus and I'm sure
everything will get better.
I love that you have learned so much about baptism! I
used your letter to explain the wonderful gift that baptism is, because
you explained it so simply. When we get baptized, we receive the Holy
Ghost - He is our constant companion, and helps us make correct choices.
It makes me so happy that you are learning to choose the right thanks
to such a gift. As for some advice on obeying - Lincoln, it all starts
with the desire to obey! I can see so clearly that you want to choose
the right. You want to not disobey, and that's so fantastic. Always ask
yourself if you think you are about to obey, "What would Jesus do?" And
bro, for sure you should ask mom or dad OR both! They love you so much
and will always help you to choose the right and obey.
Now, for your future. Lincoln, you have such a
bright future. You're smart, hilarious, nice, and cool. I know you're
gonna make some special job. You're gonna be a great man. Lincoln, one
of the very best parts about reading emails is when Dad tells me about
your latest adventures and fun - like playing knee hockey all day after
the Olympics, or watching A Football Life and playing catch with dad.
Try to play all the sports you can, but especially football. Eat healthy
and exercise, and one day you'll be even better than me and Brigham
when you play for the Wellesley Raiders and Coach Davis.
I do have some questions - write me and email next
week. How are things going with your friends? How about your scripture
reading and prayers? Are you doing them every day? Are you being a
peacemaker at home?
I hope you know how much I love you, and our family
loves you, and most importantly, God loves you. Never give up hope, even
when you feel sad. You will always have our Heavenly Father available
to talk to. Just keep praying.
Love you so much Lincoln, you're a boss,
Your bro, Isaac.
Alright,
as for some details etc. This week has been sooo long, and honestly a
tough trial, in a different way. I succumbed a bit to the natural man in
me, thinking I'd get transferred. I may have lost focus for a good
majority of the time. I think it all started when I got the two Blake
fam care packages. I got homesick with the first, and I'd say it was
even worse this time. Basically, the Wellesley Football yearbook killed
me. Man. All the pictures, the newspaper articles, everything. Reading
about Thanksgiving. Thinking about Brigham and how much he missed. I
miss football so much. I miss you guys, and I miss the past. I thought a
lot about the success the team had this year and how good it was to see
young guys step up and work together. Idk, it threw me off. Thursday
night, we brought L and A to the English class the other ward
offers. It was mostly so A could have her baptismal interview, but
they learned too. Well, we got a huge answer to prayers in a unexpected
way. I mentioned in passing to L that it was a shame I was gonna
leave before she got baptized. Really didn't think much of it, but she
said basically, "what are we waiting for?" Hahaha so I tell her to talk
to our DL and she had an interview too. Well, Elder Durrant comes in and asks for a
pen, and they emerge 10 mins later with the baptismal form all filled
out and signed, with the date set for Sat 22. Wow. He said she was
willing to live all the commandments. A passed too, but her mom
didn't end up signing her form. Anyways, out of the blue in supposedly
my last week in Limache, I baptized her Saturday morning. We had a hiccup with the font at 7 am,
and at one point it looked like we'd have to postpone for the next
week. I was bummed, but prayed and everything was sorted out. I battled a lot
with personal pride - thinking maybe I was selfishly pushing them
towards Saturday for me, not for them. I prayed and studied to kill my pride, and I think it worked.
Whatever, I'm all over the place and the comp is way
slow so I'll get to the point. It turns out I'm staying - Hermansen
too. We were both way caught off guard and a bit bummed. We thought
Elder Durrant was kidding. Turns out our whole district is staying, at
least for now. I called back, and Elder Durrant told us that President
is planning something with our district, he said something like 4 new
missionaries here or something. Pres comes tomorrow
so next week I'll be able to fill you in. For now, looks like I'll have
almost 8 months in Limache which is insane. Need to get back at it and
keep baptizing in this tough area. I'm grateful. I know that this will
be good for me - gonna work on strengthening my companionship and really
need to maintain the fire I had at the beginning of my mission -
maintain humility and charity.
I miss ya'll so much, keep being awesome. Here are
some of my farewell pics that again, aren't so farewell. It'll be great
fun (sarcastic) to see all the members and investigators etc that I said
goodbye for life to.
Love you so much,
Elder Blake
Found the Sequoia!! So rare - all the cars here are different.
Us and L!
Me
and F C. He's not a member and likes to smoke, drink, and try
to teach me bad words. I always tell him he's gonna get baptized some
day, but he doesn't believe me. I know.
Me killing it with S, A's nephew
Me, A, her niece and nephew
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