Sometimes that's just the way the ball rolls!

My Main Fam. 

So good to hear from everyone! I know, I know, Texas is wonderful.  But not going to lie, I do like the Mesa, AZ weather better.  Well I only got 1 headache this last week, and that was on Saturday evening. So I almost made it an entire week without one!  And yeah mom I got the Easter package, so no worries there. 

Where to start though. I'm sure you've noticed, how over the past few weeks I haven't talked much about the work here in the Burkburnett area, and there's a reason for it. Haha theresssss not much going on.  It's been an great opportunity to exercise our faith!  We've got like 10,000 potential investigators, or at least feels like it.  More like 11, and it's been quite the struggle to turn them into new investigators.  We're out working and finding, we're just trying to make that next step to teach them! 

This last week we had 6 solid return appointments fall through on us. Sometimes though that's just the way the ball rolls!  I refuse to get discouraged however, because that's how Satan works.  If he can get us discouraged, then the battle's won for him.  Because discouragement will weaken our faith.  When we have weakened faith, or even no faith, our expectations will be lowered.  With lower expectations, naturally our effectiveness will decrease, and then our desire to do the work will be weakened, and even lost.  As that happens, we'll have greater difficulty following the spirit, which simply discourages us even more!  So this guy's not getting discouraged!!  May I quote my good friend Joseph Smith? (Found the scripture thanks to the other Elder Traasdahl) "Brethren, shall we not go on in such great a cause? Go forward, and not backward. Courage brethren, and on, on to the victory!"  We did though have a member bring a friend to church yesterday.  We went to that members home for dinner and that friend was there so we taught a mini 1st and invited the friend to read and pray about the B.o.M.   So things are happening, we've just gotta show forth our faith first!  

Anyways, other than that, this week was better on the district side of things.  President Taylor came down to our district meeting this Friday.... Youuuu could say I was slightly nervous.  Actually in all honesty I wasn't, because I came in with the mindset "hey, if he called me to serve as the district leader then he's gonna get what he asked for."  I wasn't going to put on a show or try to impress him or anything.  As the meeting started I did get slightly nervous, but as it progressed, and we finished accounting and I went into my training, I was fine, zippo hippo butterflies to quote my bro.  I gave the training on Charity, because that was something that we're lacking big time in the district-- to clue you in on the problems of the district.  And it was super neat, the spirit was really powerful in that discussion.  It softened a lot of hearts.  I wish I could've recorded that meeting and sent it to you, because every comment made tied into the lesson plan I made perfectly, and man, it was sweet.  My testimony of Charity has grown immensely.  

Moroni, when he talks about charity, lays it down in clear and simple terms.  I've realized however that those scriptures, 7:45-48 are merely words until put into action. Once put into action, one can gain a realization of the power behind the pure love of Christ.  I had the opportunity to go on a 2 day exchange with an Elder that was struggling, but didn't know it, if that makes any sense.  Through much much much prayer, or with all the energy of my heart to quote Moroni, I asked to be blessed with charity for this elder... because I'll be honest, I didn't want to try to love him, but I knew i needed to.  As we had this exchange though, my love for him grew, and at the end, because he could see that I loved him, when I asked the tough questions, (what disobedient things are keeping you from being a consecrated missionary?) he knew I wasn't asking them to judge, but was asking the questions because I was concerned for him.  There was no way in heck I would've A.) had the guts to be able to ask those questions and B.) had him understand that he needed to make some changes had it not been for the pure love of Christ.  Sooooo there's my little sermon on charity. I love it.  No pun intended.  Haha well I love you guys, thanks for your enthusiam and constant support!  Keep on living life to it's fullest! 

Hope you have a wonderful Easter!

Elder Traasdahl