Week of June 1

This week has been really remarkable. We didn't get a whole lot of finding hours in, but we had some other big successes. In a lot of ways, the work we have been doing for weeks is finally paying off. This week we had 4 Member present lessons, more than we had the last two weeks combined!
Yesterday especially was an amazing day. We had a pretty full day of appointments, and every single one of them happened. Nobody canceled, nobody juked us, it was amazing. We also had 2 member presents yesterday. Lat night the youth in our ward had an activity where the priests came out on splits with the missionaries. Only 3 youth came, so Elder Duncan and Elder Memmott went on splits and took 2 of the youth knocking with them. Elder Boyer and I took Brent Pinkerton out with us to an appointment with Jeff Rascoe. We taught the first half of the Plan of Salvation and spent a good bit of time talking about the Atonement, especially how we can apply the atonement in our lives to give us strength.
As we were driving back we had a good conversation with Brent. He is 17, and he's a really cool guy. Last night was the first time he had gone out with the missionaries. He said that usually he found a way to get out of it. It made me think about before my mission. I remember only once having the opportunity offered to me to go out with the missionaries, and I turned it down. That is one regret I have from before my mission. It probably would have helped me prepare a little more...
Also Yesterday we had a return appointment with Carla, a lady who we met last week. We had given her a first pamphlet to read at our first meeting, and she told us she would read it. When we got there yesterday, we weren't able to get a team-up, so we had to meet on her back patio, and it was threatening to rain, so I said a prayer in my heart that the rain would not fall, at least give us an hour, I said. when we asker her if she had read the pamphlet she said she had, twice, and had also answered the questions in the "additional study" section. She said it took her almost 2 hours. We were amazed, we hadn't even asked her to do the questions! She had learned a lot, and we had a really good lesson. We are meeting with her again next tuesday. She is really prepared to hear the gospel, I think.
I was very excited to hear that Nick graduated. Way to go!!! Also, quick side note, Dad looks weird without his beard. I guess I got so used to it, I think that is the first time I've seen dad without his beard in quite a while.
I hope that Mom is having a good time in Washington DC. I remember that was the day we got the ticket because of the highly confusing sign. Out here in New Jersey the parking signs are really confusing. There is even one here in our area that says "One way, monday through friday from 8-5, november-June" or something like that. I think out in the east the signs are confusing on purpose.
I'm always glad to hear that everything is going well at home. I hope that you guys have a great summer. It's crazy to think that this summer I turn 20, hit my year mark, Nick turns 18, and at the end of the summer Nick is going off to College!
A few months ago Great Grandpa Smith sent me a copy of Don Carlos Smith's mission experience tape, and I've read it a few times, it is really cool. I was noticing on there the day that Don Carlos Smith went on his mission. Tomorrow is 100 years from that day. Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the first missionary in our family. It is really cool to think that I am carrying on that legacy. The mission has been an awesome experience. We have a missionary in our apartment that is going home in 6 days, and seeing his determination to work is inspiring. You can tell that he has served his mission well. I want to make the best of these two years, and I know that the Lord will bless m to do so.

Love you guys, and miss you tons, as always.
Love, Elder Isaac Ellsworth.