November 23, 2009

Dear Family,

Time for the weekly report! Sorry it is so late again - today was transfer meeting, so I got to say goodbye to the Elders that are leaving from our zone (the whole mission met together to have a big long meeting) and it was really good. I´ll sure miss them, but luckily I´ll be able to see at least one of them at BYU, maybe the other if he decides to transfer! They are great guys and great examples for me.

The work is going good. This week wasn´t as good though - the weather wasn´t very good. Lots of rain, and because there was lots of rain that means that there weren´t lots of people on the streets to talk to. We´re supposed to be doing twenty contacts a day, and we didn’t make it. We´re definitely going to do better.

We had two people come to church this last week - yay! It was another special conference, with Elder Snow from the Seventy and his wife there. Wow! It was powerful. He centered his teachings on the family, and boy it was great! And it was awesome that a couple of our investigators were able to hear that, and they both said that they felt good about the meeting. This is something that applies to my family as well! He emphasized reading the Book of Mormon and praying together daily, having family home evening, and having fun family activities on a regular basis. I hope you´re all doing that! Because I sure miss you all, and family time is always fun! I love my family! It´s the truth though - from your great examples to me, I´m now on a mission! It´s sure an important thing to do - I want to be as good of a parent as you two have been for me for my kids, because all the experiences I have from you guys are the best, and I wouldn´t want to trade those relationships and memories and great teachings for anything! :)

Elder Bednar came last Thursday to talk to us - woohoo! Also very powerful! It was an interesting meeting - it was basically just asking questions to him, and he asked a few to us, and it was really great. There were a few missionaries who answered pretty weird questions, though, about like obscure doctrine and stuff like that - Elder Bednar answered awesomely, though, and basically brought the point across of "who cares?" That´s the truth! Who cares about the fine points of the gospel? The important thing is to have a testimony in Christ and of the basic principles of the gospel, like outlined in the Articles of Faith. If we are strong in these things, everything is going to be taken care of, we´ll be happy, and if we continue to live these things we´ll eventually be led back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. What a great blessing!

The rest of the work is going good - I´m trying my hardest. I´m really trying. To be honest, it´s not easy - this is the first time that I´ve had to be basically 100% independent, and at times I feel really alone and really helpless in all this. I´m sure praying a lot more than I ever have in my life, because I can´t do this on my own. Thanks for your great counsel Dad - I´m using it! Reading my scriptures and praying my heart out, and going to work, are the ways in which I´ll conquer my fears and not feel lots of heartache and homesickness. I´ll continue to work and do my best, because I know it´s what the Lord expects and that you guys and I will be blessed for it.

Hey Grandma Nuttall! This part is for you! I love you so much, and I sure miss you! Man, I loved coming over to your house basically every Sunday to visit with you all and talk about everything...I sure miss those days! I have pictures of when Carson and I were building our Lego guns, some of my birthday pictures that were taken at your house...they really bring back good memories! I´m sorry that you´re not feeling well - know that I´ve been praying for you every day, and that I hope you get feeling better soon! Also, tell Troy and Amy and Grandpa hi for me, and that I miss them and love them very much! It´ll be great to be able to visit with you all lots more when I get home and tell you about everything! I hope life is going great for all of you and that you´re enjoying yourselves :) I sure love you all!

I sure love missionary work! I´m setting goals to work even harder this next transfer - wow! Isn´t that crazy to think that I´ve already been out a transfer? Insane! I´m really going to work my tail off though - I want to work hard for the Lord, because I know if I do that I won´t have any regrets and that I´ll feel great, and that all of you will be blessed for it :) Aren´t we blessed to have this great knowledge of the gospel? I love you all so much, and I know that these things I´ve been taught from you are true, and I am so thankful for your wonderful examples and for all the great things you do for me. I am blessed more than I can comprehend to have such a wonderful family who has done so much for me. I love you all very, very much! Have a great week, continue doing the right thing, thanks for your letters and we´ll be writing again in a week! I love you very much Family!
Love,
Elder Nuttall


PS I´ll be buying a map, backpack, and a cheap wallet this week probably - I could use all three. Tell Carson the Spirit of America (MoTab) cd is pretty cool. I wrote him a nice big letter. Oh and I´m going start saving for our scripture covers, and ask him if he has a favorite scripture.