What up fam,

Logistics and responses 1st:

Mom, can you try and send the Pentel twist erase pencils in a thin bubble wrap envelope that you could smother with stamps? we cant get packages, but I think it'd work if you use stamps. Worth the risk in my opinion. I imagine something along the lines of the letter Harry Potter got or something. 

Can you send me the home addresses of my cousins? All of them

Love the Callister and Monson talks. Great job Anna! Atta pep, Brig, get those papers in ASAP. Mom, do you remember the exact date I got my call? can you find out? 

Yes, it makes me sad that you don't send letters. Especially now that we can't get packages, I'd love it if you send them often, preferably with printed photos

Love hearing about Lincoln's love for football. Keep the love Lincoln! Everyone, cherish your time to play in the yard and the playground. Don't take it for granted.

Dad, hahahah I wish i could take a 2 hour nap, even if it was just once ever 6 weeks or so. Not allowed in my mission. Love the Green Hill song.

Alright, so for my week:

Ald's neice (basically a sister, she's 13 and Adl's 17) got baptized Saturday! It's crazy how much she changed, solely because of the Spirit working in her heart. I got to confirm her a member and give her the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It was my 1st confirmation, and hahahah I was SOO nervous, not sure why. Killed the Spanish and the words, but I was shaking uncontrollably. Oh well, it was a great experience. 

 

 

The experiences that tend to drive these letters are my Sundays, perhaps because they're freshest. Yesterday was pretty good - Sac Meeting the highlight. 

As we started the Sacrament, I was feeling really relieved. I felt prompted to open up 2 Nephi 4, and turns out Nephi describes exactly how i was feeling:

 17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great ^agoodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O ^bwretched man that I am! Yea, my heart ^csorrowethbecause of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily ^abeset me.

 19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have ^atrusted.

 20 My God hath been my ^asupport; he hath led me through mine^bafflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

 21 He hath filled me with his ^alove, even unto the ^bconsuming of my flesh.

 22 He hath confounded mine ^aenemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

 23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me^aknowledge by ^bvisions in the night-time.

 24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty ^aprayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

 25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been ^acarried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath ^avisited men in so much ^bmercy, ^cwhy should my ^dheart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

 27 And why should I ^ayield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to ^btemptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my ^cpeace and afflict my soul? Why am I^dangry because of mine enemy?

 28 Awake, my soul! No longer ^adroop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the ^benemy of my soul.

I felt like this week I had fallen into a routine a bit, and perhaps I just need a change of scenery. I'm taking some council from Pres to try and finish strong with potentially 1 week left in Limache. He told me if you cant withstand 7 months in the same place in your mission and you slack off towards the end, what are you gonna do when you have to sit in the same cubicle for 40 years? you gonna slack off? 

Thus, the mission is indeed a mini proving ground for life. Pretty grateful for that, but it can put a lot of pressure on the rest of the mission. I feel like I still have so much to learn and maintain these 16 months left. 

I love the humility of Nephi, he's obviously a boss, and over-reacting. I hope I'm a little like him, and for now, I'll just quote him and Mumford and Sons: "Awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkeee, my soul."

Had another dope experience reading the Book of Mormon with the Cor's. Rom has her baptismal date for Sat. the 3rd, and we read 3 Nephi 11 with her and the fam. Her boyfriend (a very stubborn Catholic) tagged along and read with us. I was on my toes because he loves to throw weird questions at us. Basically, instead of prepping the defense, I decided to arm my offense. Nothing direct, but I was striving to find the Spirit in the reading so that I could testify to all (him) with conviction. These verses hit me hard: 

 14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may ^athrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may ^bfeel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the ^cGod of Israel, and the God of the whole ^dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.

 15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and ^adid feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

I felt much love from my Savior, and Danny even shared a tender testimony of the His love as well. I can't really describe how I felt: love, peace, knowledge, the absence of any evil or doubt. I'm grateful for the Spirit and the Book of Mormon. 

The week was slower than usual, and we had so many people commit to come to church only to disappear or be asleep. We're trying to focus on what we can control, which is inviting the Spirit. I love a quote from Joseph B Wirthlin's mom, I think from "Come What May and Love It:"

"Don't be a scrub"

This week, I'm gonna revisit diligence, as well as a bit of humility. Awake my soul! Awake our souls! And yeah, let's not be scrubs this week. 

I love you all so much. I believe with all my heart that the Church is true. I might even know without a doubt. What I do know is how I feel: I feel my Savior's love, and I feel the warmth of the Spirit as I try and serve Him. 

Elder Blake