Things are good here. We taught a bunch of lessons, had a bunch of dinners (the members here are legit), and all in all it was a great week. Plus it was Elder Lakko's birthday! That was fun.
We volunteered at the American Museum of Science and Energy as well, and I'll admit, it was hard to actually work and not wander around reading all the things. There was a bunch of stuff about the Manhattan project and Oak Ridge and random science stuff too. My inner geek totally came out.
And we have two baptismal dates! Pretty sure I already told y'all about Esther, she is still doing really well. Still reading the Book of Mormon, still wants to be baptized, still awesome. She texts us all the time with random questions. She is living the Word of Wisdom and everything. And we also taught a really cool guy named Jonas, he is a senior in high school and is friends with one of the laurels. He wants to be baptized and she told us secretly that he is talking about wanting to go on a mission! This guy is awesome. He's been coming to church since April and has been taught a little already, this was just my first time teaching him. Also we taught a lady we tracted into a couple weeks ago, Marjorie. She is also really cool and accepted a soft baptism invitation (meaning she wants to be baptized if she finds for herself this is true). She really wants her sons to have a relationship with God. Hopefully we can teach them soon too.
Also we had an epic zone conference. President Griffin gave a super powerful training on the purpose of the gospel. I'll include a little of it in my message. And we got two new pamphlets for teaching the fourth and fifth lessons, which is awesome.
Well that's about it for us. Quick message before I go: the whole point of the gospel is for us to become like Christ. If you feel stagnant in your conversion, examine yourself: how can you improve and be more like the Savior? We all have room to improve. Take it one step at a time.
Moroni gives us a pattern for living like Christ as he shares some of his father Mormon's words:
"And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.
"If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
"...Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." (Moroni 7:43-45, 48)
Moroni lists a lot of attributes of Christ as he talks about charity. Use this as a guide. How can you improve?
Gotta run. Had a crazy p day - we went to a trampoline park! I love you all!
Elder Alex Swindler
El Pictures:
1) Van Pelt, Van Pelt, Van Pelt...
2) Haha the stack on the left is Elder Lakko's letters this week and the stack on the right is mine (Thanks Meridith!). #13months!
3) #TractingintheSouth
4-6) Elder Lakko wearing his birthday pin in various embarrassing public places
7) Post-haircut selfie
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