How are you guys? I hope it's been a good week. I've been doing my best and I had good experiences every day. I think the best parts of the week were Saturday, when the other guys' investigator, Thiago, was baptized, and Sunday at church. We were blessed to have a few investigators at church and also have some new members moving in, and our ward is starting to grow more and more!! Super awesome.
Dad I liked that article you talked about. It's good stuff. I've been thinking about that same kinda stuff. You both know I worry a lot, and even with a lot of heavenly assurance I tend to doubt myself and my efforts. I had a really good experience at church this Sunday. I had been thinking a lot about my mission and had been feeling, like I sometimes feel, like everything I've done has been pointless, that there's not even any reason for me to be here. Then at the beginning of sacrament meeting we were singing the hymn "Come, Come, Ye Saints" and I felt the Spirit so strongly. It felt like I was getting a giant hug. In that moment I felt without a doubt that everything that's happened on my mission is not pointless, that God has a purpose and a plan, and that everything is going very well and in the end will be well. That was so comforting to me. God is really merciful. I don't deserve so much reassurance, nor do I deserve these powerful spiritual experiences that I'm blessed with. He's simply kind in a very grand and personal way. You know what I mean. I felt so good for hours after that experience. Up until now my mission has been made up of these little and powerful moments. I thought my mission would be a little different but I know that God's promises will be fulfilled, so I should just do my thing. He wants me to be patient. I'm still tired (uggghhhhh.....) and whatever but at least I can build off of all that.
I'm a little trunky these days. I think it's because the weather's changing and every day when I wake up it smells just like Grandma's house. I'm not joking, it's actually really weird and it's messing with my head!!! Also Mom I had a dream that we were together for the first time in a while, except the dream was really stupid. We were at a career fair and I was talking about physics, but you could see that I was doing a really bad job, and you said, "you know, I really think you should look into cooking. You're a terrible cook and need to learn anyway, so it would be a better career choice anyway." Then I woke up. Thanks for the advice... but it's ok because last night I dreamed that I was with Captain Moroni and he was explaining the war chapters to me, so that was pretty cool. It all evens out...
Love you guys. Can't wait to chat! By the way, happy Labor Day. Time is passing so fast, I can't believe it.
Elder Sederholm