HAPPY EASTER

Here is this week's letter.  Below Colton's letter you will see an additional letter that was sent to us from the mission president.  Many of you have asked what is being done to protect the missionaries from the potential conflict with North Korea, this letter addresses those concerns.  Thank you all for your love and support of our missionary!

This week was great! Full of some great things and awesome miracles! We have just been trying to find more people that we can teach.  So we talk to lots of people on the street, or at least try.  

I had an interview with President Barrow on Wednesday were we talked about faith.  One thing he said was that there are days when things click, you are talking with everything, people are listening to you, everything is great.  And there are days when you are hesitant because people don't want to listen.  Those kind of days are were your faith should grow the most.  So I want to share my experience that night that illustrated this principle. 

We got back to our area around one oclock.  We finished our studies and started to jundo on the street at maybe 3 o'clock. We had a good 6 hours of jundo so we started talking to everyone.  After maybe three hours of nobody stopping to listen.  Most people just ignoring us we changed up our tactics, and kept going, but it got even worse.  It was embarrassing how bad these people were denying me.  I really just wanted to stop.  With about 1 hour left I said lets stop, read our faith card (our cards with faith scriptures on them) and pray.  So we went to a quiet'ish place and read the whole card front and back. And then prayed for inspiration and specifically to find one person that would be willing to meet again.  We felt inspired to go down the less busy side of the city and then turn down this one street.  There was a man walking towards us so we said hello and he stopped! First of the night! We found out that he was a less active Jehovah's witness.  He had been through hard times and had gotten through it by praying to God.  He seemed very interested in our message and told us to come to his English Academy any day around 11-3 to meet with him again! We got his number and have been in contact with him, we will be meeting this week and begin teaching him about the Restored Gospel! 

It's amazing that if we just have a little bit of faith what kind of things he can do for us. Matthew 17:20 says "if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." If we only exercise a tiny amount of faith he can remove any "mountains" in our lives.  Anything that may be blocking us from coming closer to him can just be removed by him according to our faith.  I recently restarted the Book of Mormon and I liked the part in 1 Nephi 11 where the angel says to Nephi "Look!" and Nephi says "And I looked, and beheld..." The Lord gives us a simple requirement. Like look.  And if we heed it and look, then we will behold great things just as Nephi did. I know that through our faith Christ will work miracles in our lives, he will bless us so much according to our faith.  

I also had a fun experience going on exchanges with Elder Sandstrom, he went to Timpanogos High School.  He is a year older than me.  I don't know if any of you know him but he's super great.  We talked about some of the people we know, cuz I guess we knew a bunch of the same people.  Kinda cool.  

Anyways have a good week! Remember this quote from a prophet (not sure which one) "God is a God of miracles, Latter-day saints can expect miracles, if it so be that they exercise faith in him"

Love you all!

I forgot my chord for my camera again but I took AMAZING pictures this week, so you'll see them next week.  These are pictures of me and my comp and the sisters and some members.

April 15, 2017

Dear Parents,

We are grateful to serve with your sons and daughters. Our highest priority is their safety. With the recent media attention concerning North Korea, we recognize that many of you are concerned. The purpose of this email is to update you on the current situation and to inform you of what is being done to protect the safety of missionaries.

In the last several days, the Church has made contact with military, government, and individuals in private industry to better determine any threats to missionary safety. Given the longstanding tensions between the United States and North Korea, there is little evidence to suggest that a direct military conflict is likely to occur in the short term. Despite the deployment of the U.S. Navy carrier group and aggressive rhetoric from North Korea, such provocations are considered to be a show of force and are not an indication of an imminent threat of widespread combat.

The Church will continue to monitor the situation and is in contact with several entities – including the U.S. Embassy in Korea and the U.S. Department of State – to identify circumstances that would indicate the need to move missionaries out of the area. Please be assured that the Church will be at the forefront of moving missionaries should the situation require it.

Additionally, we have been asked to review emergency action plans and to help missionaries acquire necessary items such as food and water in case there is an unexpected response by either side of the conflict that would result in the inability to move missionaries in a timely manner.

We are grateful for the sacrifices you are making to allow your sons and daughters to serve our Heavenly Father. We ask for your continued prayers as we work to share the Gospel with the wonderful people of Korea and for the guidance and protection of the missionaries.