April 19, 2010

Hi Mom,
It was good to hear from you...you're the only one who emailed me this week (so far at least)! Haha, but thats alright. Its good to hear things worked out with the van. So is it being repaired or are you gonna try something different? Man I bet you're having a blast with the kiddos, and I'm sure Cam and Julie are relieved to have some help. Their rat babies sound pretty dang cute. I bet Virginia is really pretty this time of the year too!
So is Grandma Louise still planning on moving into the basement? Or is that what she just did when she arrived with Kenny? Is the basement all finished up?
Man I bet that was a really neat stake conference, too bad you didn't get to see all of it. It would be neat to hear from some of those speakers. Elder Ballard seems to have a lot of speaking assignments. About 2 months ago I got a missionary newsletter from President Bangerter and it had an extra sheet that told about 2 missionaries who died (from asphyxiation by a carbon monoxide leak in their apartment, while they were asleep) while serving in Romania I believe (one of which left from our old stake). It was way sad to see because the Elder who died was one of the first kids who befriended me when I just got to Lone Peak. He was awesome. But Elder Ballard talked at their funeral and made a lot of really good remarks. It seems like he does a lot of speaking around the Utah Valley Area.
But the talk who quote reminded me of that a little, thanks for the insight and spiritual boost! Its tough for missionaries to really live the law of sacrifice while we're out here, because there isn't much to sacrifice. We're here and everything is our duty and calling, so it isn't a sacrifice to get up on time or follow all the rules, that's what we're expected (and covenanted) to do. The sacrifice was already when we came out. But we were told the way we can live the law of sacrifice is through a broken heart and contrite spirit continually. But like always, that can be tough and is a life long process of being able to be continually humble and teachable.
In Sacrament meeting our high councilor related a story of a missionary who had the assignment in a central american mission to drive his mission president and wife as well as Elder Spencer W. Kimball (when he was still in the Q of 12) around the mission for a mission tour. Well they were driving on a narrow mountain pass and Elder Kimball tapped the elder on the shoulder and told him to stop the car. The elder looked for a place to pull over but couldn't find one. Elder Kimball a little louder told him to stop the car. The elder looked a little hard and tried to figure out how to do that but still drove on because he couldn't find a logical place to stop. Finally Elder Kimball told him to stop the car right now! The elder slammed on the brakes and a few seconds later a semi came driving down the other side of the road and over turned and tipped, following all over the other lane. Had they kept driving they would've been involved in a very bad wreck.
Well afterwards conversation picked up on why Elder Kimball had the inspiration and the rest didn't. The missionary was living a clean, worthy life and the mission president and his wife were as well, and seemed to be entitled to guidance of that sort. Elder Kimball told them they all received the prompting, but he was the only one who heard it. Making the point that we need to get in the habit of actually trying listen for the Spirit at all times. He's constantly speaking to us but most of the time we have our ears closed unfortunately, at least a lot of us do.
Anyway, I'm just kind of rambling now, but thanks for all that you do mom! I'm excited for the package. I'll see if I have a good birthday...it might be kind of lame because theres a possibility of President Layton closing down Watertown for missionary service so we'd be doing a lot of packing and cleaning and moving stuff out of the apartment next monday. Haha, we'll see.
Anyway, I hope you have a good time in Virginny! Tell Cam and Julie and the babies I say hi and I love them!
Love,
Elder Fitt