Dear Family,
Well to be perfectly honest this week has been one of ups and downs for me! I have had lots of both to be honest there has not been much time in the middle!
I guess that I will start with my first District Meeting in Redding. My District Leader up here is named Elder Jackson. He is very very short, I love him a lot, and he takes his responsibility very seriously, tell you the truth, I have never had so much homework to do before our meeting tomorrow morning. So last Tuesday our district meeting was the most enjoyable that I have been too. We started off with all bearing our testimonies of the Book of Mormon, and it was a very spiritual meeting.
During the bulk of the week, Elder Brown and I had it a little rough! I was doing things that bothered him, and he got a little chippy with me. It was a good thing, because we talked about it, and learned from the experience. I need to stop being a bossy know it all!
We had a lesson with our awesome investigators the Gardener's on Wednesday, they are super great, but they said they were coming to church yesterday and they were a no show, well it was snowing so I will cut them a break this week. They are pretty close already. Both have family members in the church so they just need a little bit of a push!
Well I am skipping now until Saturday, well Friday night. We drove down to Redding on Friday evening, and spent the night in Shasta Lake. The Elder's stayed up, and kept me up until Midnight, and I was pretty upset since I had to drive to Gridley on Saturday, oh well I as supposed to forgive so I will. So Saturday morning we got up at 4:30, for those of you who are not good at math that is 4.5 hours of sleep, and we drove to the Gridley Stake Center! This was way worth it though. We had a full mission Conference!
Every Elder, all 200+ missionaries were there at the same time! I got to see Elders Thompson, Sommer, McAllister and Call! All the Buds! And we met for a reason too, Elder D Todd Christopherson was there, President Donald L. Halstrom from the Presidency of the Seventy, Bishop McMullin from the Presiding Bishopbric, Elder Waddell from the Seventy, and Elder Trythall our area Seventy were all in attendance!
The meeting started with every Missionary shaking all of their hands! it took like 30 minutes. It was followed by them each in turn speaking to us. Before Elder Christopherson spoke he invited President and Sister Pendleton to stand up and bear their Testimonies! Their final testimony as my mission President and wife! Oh how they love us! With all of their hearts, I teared up just listening to them! They love each other and they love the Lord with all that they are! We then had the privilege of listening to an Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ speak to us! He is a powerful man! If I had any doubt that the Quorum of the Twelve, and the First Presidency were called of God, it was swallowed up by this experience! His word caused my Heart to Burn! The Sprirt was so strong in that room! For most of his talk to us he did a question and answer segment and that was incredible! He know the scriptures so well! Oh it was one of the coolest expiriences of my Mission!
We then turned around and had a 160 mile drive back to banishment in Mount Shasta! Sunday was rough we attended church, and dinner and spent the rest of the day at home... Elder Brown is still feeling pretty lousy!
So all day I read from the book of Mormon, and I read they entire book of Mosiah! It was a cool expirience for me! Right now I am marking all of the Deity, so when it refers to God or Christ in blue, and the Words of Christ and the Father in Yellow so it is really cool to see! And it ends with right now talking to you guys it was a good week, a few rough spots but my Testimonty and Faith have grown this week!
You wanted to hear a little more about the Gardnener's have two kids, they are in their late 20's early 30's. Kiya is 3 , and Roman is like 8 months old. Sister Gardener's mom was Baptized when Sister Gardner was in her teens, and rebellious. so then she did not want anything to do with it. Brother Gardener's Dad joined like 5 years ago, and his Dad baptized Bro G's two young step brothers. They are great.
Our next Mission President will be President...I can see his picture but what is his name...Weston. He is younger than You two! haha He is bringing 3 or 4 young kids out with him! Well, I am sad to see the Pendleton's go, I have grown to love them so much, but it will be cool to meet the Weston's. President Pendleton says that it is not in the man! So it will be cool to see Pres. Weston work!
Man it has really made my day to hear from you guys, I do feel disconnected from the zone but it is a good place to be at especially for the summer. I am so grateful to be a missionary I love having the opportunity to bear my testimony everyday, I love that I just get to devote my time to learning the gospel, It is so great to serve English speaking in California!
I love your guy's guts! Thanks for all you do! Please send more letters!
Elder Ellsworth
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