June 29, 2009

I love you. Being on a mission you get to learn a whole lot of things about life. Especially being in a college town its interesting to see the difference of lifestyle that the students have here, as opposed to the lifestyle that we all had at Utah State. It seems like they stay out about as late as we did, and they 'party' about as much as we did, and they're horribly miserable! The things that they do that 'make them happy' don't do the trick for them at all. We had an exchange this week with Elder Furrows, one of our zone leaders, and he brought this to my understanding with the help of the Spirit. "We're Mormon!" he kept saying that throughout the exchange and I got to thinking about the magnitude that carries. It really makes all the difference in the world. I must confess that I had no intentions of raising a family or permanently living in Utah at all, but after being away from the culture and environment in a community where there's a strong LDS influence is the only place where I do want to raise a family. Because I know that the teaching of the church are what brings true happiness. Its interesting how much easier that is to see when you can compare and contrast the culture here, vs back home.

Anyways I also had a big breakthrough in studies this morning that I want to share. We had a training on Wednesday about how to gain a testimony. According to Alma 32 it starts with having a desire to believe. Then that desire will lead you to pay the price, like King Lamoni's Father did when he offered to give up all his sins to know God. Then you need to apply the principle and nourish it as it tells us to back in Alma 32. So I was pondering upon that for a while and I came up with the question "how does one gain a desire?" if you need a desire to have a testimony how do you get the desire. So I studied about it and thought about it a lot and I came up with this answer at first. You gain a desire by learning! We're told in Romans I believe that one gains a testimony by hearing the testimony of others and reading the words of God. So I figured that once someone learns about a principle then they have a desire and they'll soon be applying it. Then another question came "What about the attitude 'I know what I'm supposed to do (they've learned), I just don't want to do it.'" Then I figured that learning is not enough to cause a desire. The reason that they don't want to 'do it' or apply the principle is because they don't want to pay the price or make the sacrifice, because their desire isn't strong enough. So at this point I was frustrated because I thought that I had the answer and I didn't. Then in studies today I think I figured it out. It starts as with all things by 'collecting data' (sound familiar) I added a sense though to our 5 the promptings of the Holy Ghost and our response to the Light of Christ. Then that data collected will lead to a trust in something, be it the missionaries, the scriptures, a bishop, pastor, whatever it may be it leads to a trust. Then the person will now listen to the teachings of the one whom they trust. Then listening to the teachings leads one to hope that they're true, because they trust the person teaching, they'll hope what they're teaching is true. Of course we know that hope will then lead to a desire, that will lead you to pay the price that leads you to faith that will direct you to apply the principle. So I'm pretty sure that I figured it out

Data-->Trust-->Hope-->Desire-->(particle of) Faith-->Test

then if the test proves the principle true, that will lead to increased trust and hope and desire and faith and your now in an upward spiral! So that was my most recent discovery. Maybe you can apply it somewhere.

It does my heart good to hear that Jake stopped by. I love that kid. I actually wrote him a letter and was going to send it to Nate this afternoon and have Nate forward it to Jake, but now I have his address and I'll just send it straight to him.

The 4th of July is actually our P-day for this week, they told us to e-mail today and then get out and work. So our P-day will be from morning until 6, then we'll have our planning session from 6-9. There's a civil war battlefield in our area and we're thinking about going to that in the morning and checking it out. We might just get together with the other district and do something together too, we don't really know yet what we'll do.

This last week was an interesting one, we were taken out to a Hibachi grill by a member for dinner, that was surprising but fun. Then just the normal teaching and what not. We're again worried about Matt, last time we went over there Christa (his wife and a less active member) had moved back in with her dad and Matt was over there discussing custody rights over their 18 month old daughter. I never understood how they can go from being a seemingly happy couple one week to talking custody rights the next. I guess its because most people see "till death do us part" as a goal instead of a promise. Its sad and we're worried about how that will effect Matts feelings towards the church and going to church. The good side of it is that Tony moved into Matt's house and we had a really good lesson with him and he agreed to be baptized if he gains a testimony. So maybe our working with Matt was just a means to get to teach Tony. With hard work and a lot of divine help we may be able to get Tony, Luke, and Matt baptized this month.
That's really the big news for the week.

I love hearing that Jake and Mitch would stop by the house still and talk with you guys. Mitch has written me and told my how grateful he was to have you there to talk with and council with and that your writing him. It also makes me happy because as I see all the things going on in the world around me I realize how hard it must be when your not surrounded by the spirit, and always with a companion, and living, breathing, thinking, and working gospel things. So its nice to hear that they know that they can just stop by and talk with you guys. I also know that you'll help them out just like you've helped me. Who I am today I owe to you Mom and Dad. To quote Abraham Lincoln "Everything I am, and could ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."
I thank you both for the example you are to me.

Love
Elder Carpenter