Turns out, I'm pretty busy every day...who knew?

As I was walking out the door to go to work this morning I happened to glance over at the entry table and saw this:

I immediately ran back upstairs to read it...only making me 10 minutes late for work but definitely worth it! Even more surprising was finding not only 1 letter but 2 from Will inside the envelope, as well as a small note from one of the other elders. I considered taking a picture of his letters to save myself from typing them but, wow, his grammar...not so good. So, to spare you all I typed them both up.

Oct 29, 2014

Dearest Family,

           

            It will be a fortnight (what??, soo for those of you who were wondering, just like myself, what a fortnight is...find out here) after I write this that you will probably receive it but anyways I just wanted to write because I thought I would be able to write a lot because I did in the MTC but turns out I’m pretty busy every day, who knew? I also forgot to grab my stationery from my bag and I don’t want to go grab it so I’m gonna write on this. I just want you to know that it’s been great and I’m loving it but it has been hard work and I have a lot to get better at but one that I’ve got down pretty well is sleeping. I have no trouble falling asleep at night. It has been pretty cool teaching our investigators because we do have one baptismal date and two very close to setting one so I have really been blessed to be in Komloops. One thing I was not ready for when I got to the field was knocking on doors and street contacting. Those took some getting used to and I’m still not very comfortable doing them and I know that may surprise you because of how loud and talkative and outgoing I am at home but going up to someone and talking to someone and then having to talk religion with them is very hard but I’m getting better and I can do it. So, don’t worry too much about me. While I have been out in the field for about 2 weeks I have really gained a love for the Book of Mormon and for studying it and that is something that I know I didn’t have before I left; that I looked at reading it as more of a chore than a blessing but since we have an hour of personal study and 30 minutes of that is supposed to be spent studying the Book of Mormon I actually love reading it. I’m not starting over and reading it through but I have been reading Helaman, 2 Nephi 31, Ether 12 and Mosiah 2. I have pretty much just been jumping around and I have been reading Matthew, which is all about Christ. So is the Book of Mormon, but the Book of Mormon is so amazing and I really love the Intro, especially the last two paragraphs that are about that we need to ask if the Book of Mormon is true, that we need to know for ourselves and that we can gain that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I know that this book is true, that it is the word of God and is a testament of Jesus Christ, that it has strengthened my testimony of Christ and how loving and true this gospel is. We must continue to ask if the Book of Mormon is true, that we need the constant assurance and to continually be converted that we can not live off of spiritual experiences we had years ago or even months ago because those won’t stand. We need to continually have the witness that the Book of Mormon is true; that Joseph Smith was called of God; that Jesus is our Savior. I mean just look at Oliver Cowdery. That is one thing I love about being on a mission…always having the spirit because almost everything we do invites the spirit and requires the spirit and I love it. Well, that’s all I got and I have to go plan for this next week, which is something else I did not know was important and how vital it is. Well, now I’m done so bye. Love you guys!

Love,

Elder Slack

P.S. Read Jesus the Christ!!

Ok, now I’m done. Love you bye!

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Nov 4, 2014

Dearest Family,

Sorry, I wrote you a letter and forgot to get stamps til today so I will just put it in this letter. I just wanted to say thank you and I do really miss you guys but I haven’t had much time to think about you, sorry if that offends you, but we have been really busy with the work here in Komloops and luckily it has been really nice weather for this time of year but, sadly, it still means it’s only 5-8° most of the time recently but sometimes it has been getting 12° or even 15° (this is Celsius by the way) and I’m still freezing sometimes. It has been really nice though and it’s so beautiful up here in the Okanagan area (Pictures I saw...Beautiful!!). We have been having some success lately knocking on D’s. Actually we are going on exchanges tomorrow with the Elders from Merrit so I’m going out with Elder Wilds, who’s from Northern California. He is really funny and a little crazy but he is really cool and we are going to teach Colton, who I think I told you about already, but Colton is so awesome, is really interested in the gospel and my first new investigator, which is sweet but in reality it doesn’t matter about that because it doesn’t matter about my “stats”; it about inviting to others to come unto Christ to help them receive eternal salvation to show others the joy I have that comes from this gospel and help them find that joy and how it can bless their lives. Our mission president told us that. He talked to us about how the Lord does not need us to hasten His work but he gives us that opportunity. The Lord, if he wanted, could hasten His work but He gives us this opportunity that we may become more converted, that we may know that what we believe is true. He gives us this opportunity to feel what He went through and really for us to learn, because, I thought I knew my own religion then I came on a mission and feel like I am relearning it again. I feel like I have changed so much and gained a greater appreciation for this gospel and how much of a blessing it is in my life. Our mission president also talked about how much of an honor it is to be persecuted with the Savior. That when someone slams the door or yells at us or calls us devils we get to feel a little of what Christ went through and when we do, it seems that blessings are poured out even more.  The CTR 7 class sent me a letter so could you tell them thank you and it was really cool to get that.

Love,

Elder Slack

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So, here's the sweet note from Elder Wood

Am I surprised...not at all. Will really is a special young man, and awesome of course ;)