By Grapthar's Hammer

This week was real good.  Do I say that every week?  It was, though.

We had Zone Conference on Wednesday, the first real one with President Heap.  It  was AMAZING!  I really really love working with President Heap.  We are starting to focus our work more on the members.  Right now, because of some previous rules, the members really don't like us!  All we ever did was ask them for referrals and nothing else.  Now we were told to make the members our FRIENDS!  President Heap kept referring to the scripture in the Bible where Christ institutes the higher law.  "It has been said by them of old that you should only have 3 meals a week with members, but I say unto you...you shall eat with members whenever invited."  That is just one example of rule changes, haha.  Other changes were that we now have 10 hours a week for service instead of 3, we can play sports with members, and we can go to the Temple once a transfer.  Man, I am so excited for these changes!  Elder Pack and I already went to City Hall and got a list of all the local clubs and organizations so we can find some service and we have a butt ton of lessons set up with the members this week.  I am so happy with it all!  President Heap has made missionary service much more fun since he has been here!

We taught this guy named Chuy (pronounced Chewy) yesterday. Chuy is as bad as they get.  He was cussing up a storm while we talked to him, drinkin a beer, and had a big ol blunt in his hand.  He was telling us all about his time in prison, where to get drugs in town, and some of his bad things in the past.  It was real hard to teach him anything because he wouldn't shut up.  Some other guy came into the yard and elder Pack went to go teach him, so it was just me and Chuy, one on one.  Finally I found a place to cut him off and start to teach him.  The first thing I asked was if he wanted to change, he does, but he doesn't think it's possible.  Then I asked him if he believes in Christ, he does.  Then I told him about how I was a representative of Jesus Christ and that if He was there, He would say the same things as me.  It was powerful, he was blown away and I felt the spirit pretty good.  I ended up promising him that if he read a chapter a night from the Book of Mormon and said 4 prayers a day, that he would no longer have the desire to do all that bad stuff.  He was pumped.  I was pumped!  haha. 

I love love love it when the Spirit manifest itself to us like that ^^^ .  It is the neatest thing to have that kind of guidance and direction!  Being a missionary is the coolest thing because of that.  The Spirit is so important, crucial in our lives!  We can have it forever in every situation, but it's real hard.  I'm sure grateful for the help I get from the Spirit.  In all reality, the spirit is the teacher, us as missionaries are just supposed to invite him there and get out of the way, haha.

Mom sent me pictures from the family reunion.  It looked like so much fun!  I really love all y'all so much!  My favorite picture mom sent is the one with all my sabrinos lined up on that wall.  That is the coolest thing.  I don't know what I did in the Premortal Existence to get to come down here in this family, but it must have been something real good. I am so grateful for y'all's example and love!  I love you lots!

Love,

Elder Caleb