Elder Kyler Berrett: Week 52

February 10, 2014

Hump Day is this week! One year down! I can't believe how fast this first year has gone by!
I understand that the next will even go by faster! :)
....I'm not complaining!

Good Morning Everyone!!

I know its early! sorry! We have a long day planned so we decided it would be better to just do internet time early so that we don't have another short one like last week. Sorry about that too. My time got cut short and it was urgent that I go. I wasn't too happy about it haha. I normally get an hour and half but last week was only 30 minutes! But other than that last Monday was good! Elder Weekes got an emergency change that morning to go to Potosi. And since that's far away we decided to get our group get together that day and go to lunch to celebrate our one year! Its a big day as a missionary! haha We had plans to do it today but we wanted Elder Weekes to be there, so we did it last Monday!! It was fun!! We had a great time! That was the first time we've been together since the MTC and probably the only time we were going to be together until it's time to go home in a year!! So that was fun and great to see how much everyone has grown spiritually since the MTC.

Tuesday and Wednesday were kind of a bummer as I stayed with our sick zone leader, Elder Hawkins, all day long. He was miserably sick and his companion who had surgery the night before was in the hospital still. So my comp was there with him. Elder Hawkins had already spent 48 hours in the hospital between his comp and his own sickness so that's why he went home. haha He hadn't showered or anything so I came and got him and took him home so he could sleep all day haha. It was pretty boring but I had a whole bunch of time to work out and study the scriptures!!! I love those two things! haha So that was good.

Thursday was awesome!!! I had a normal day!!!!! haha After two days in the house without leaving it is difficult when you're so used to being gone all day everyday. The rest was good though. But finally my comp and I got to work on Thursday! We got a new investigator that day named Bryan. He's 12 years old and loves the church!! His dad is a member but has never lived with his dad. He finally decided to live with his dad and when he came his dad came straight to us so that we can teach him. He already has a bunch of friends and loves to learn from us. He's super intelligent and always has good questions for us. There's no doubt he understands what we are teaching. He has a date to be baptized the 22nd. That's a for sure baptism that we will have. So that's good to know!!

Friday was really special! Every Friday since I've come back from being home we've had a FHE with the less active/nonmember Salazar family. They are a huge family that lives together, aunts and uncles, moms and dads, grandma and grandpa too. And a TON of kids haha I love going over there on Fridays to teach and share that time with them. Since the first day only one sister has been coming to church, Teresa. She's the one where I gave her two daughters baby blessings. And I took all the pictures with her kids outside the chapel, remember?? Yeah that family! haha Anyways this Sunday, everyone came to church and not just Teresa!!! It was awesome!!! It was really special! All the members were so excited to see them after many years!! There are two sisters in this family that are not members. They are the in-laws of the family. Their names are Rosa and Claudia. They are hands down the most progressing investigators we have!! The only problem is that they have to get married because they are living with their kids and boyfriend. But they both want to get married!! So that's great!! They want a small wedding and simple so they can quickly have a more united family and more than anything so they can get baptized. They really want to do it!! Their boyfriends (who are brothers) want to get married too, but they want a great big wedding! That's not good! haha because that takes time!! But these girls are ready to get baptized now, so that's our main priority now. We are talking with them and with the bishop so that we can make something happen soon. So be praying for that please!

The Perez family is doing well. They are just struggling with the Word of Wisdom and accepting a date to be baptized. They want to decided for themselves. Which I understand but we need to set a date so they can have a goal to work for. They want to do it, but on their own time. They really just need to pray, specifically for help and with faith, and I really feel that The Lord can pull off a miracle with them. I have a lot of faith and hope in them.

So that was our week! Church was great! We had 7 investigators in total there and they all stayed the whole time. Next week I've been assigned to give a talk in church! It's been a while since I've done that but that's no problem! I love to speak! haha So before I go I'd like to share a couple spiritual thoughts that I gathered this week during my studies. I was focusing on the Book of Mormon and the role it has in our conversion. And it really is the keystone in our religion. If we can gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon we can know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that this is God's kingdom on earth. It's not better than the Bible, it just supports it. It testifies of Christ and his glory and resurrection. I have no doubt the Bible and the Book of Mormon together is the complete gospel. I love to read them and learn from the prophets here in the Americas. Also, another thing I was studying is humility. Humility is the key to success in the mission field and in life. I've never been good with that, so it's my newest goal. To really humble myself before the Lord and follow his will and not mine. Through this I can be more open to the promptings of the spirit and can really let him do his work through me. That's my goal now and for the rest of my life.

Well family and friends. I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week!! Until next time!!

Love

Elder Berrrett

Mom:

Are you still there? :)

Kyler:

Hi! yes!!

Anything from BYU?? :))

Mom:

No, we haven't heard anything from BYU yet. I will log onto your BYU account right now and see what I can find. Also, I haven't even had a chance to read your email, so I'm not too sure how things have been. Reading it now...

Kyler:

haha Oh sorry!! But, yeah, I'm impatient with the BYU thing. I just want to know so I can stop thinking about it.

Mom:

Nothing yet. All the items have been received, but no word if you have been accepted. How are you doing? Can you believe you are at the one year mark?

Kyler:

I really can't believe it. I don't know where the time has gone. I'm literally in shock when I sit back and think about it. There's so little time left and soooo much to do. I have to take advantage of the second half.

Mom:

And if you think the first year went fast, they say the second year even goes faster. I have no doubt that you will take advantage of the time you still have there. I am so impressed with all that you are learning. It is amazing to see every week how you have grown. I love it!

Kyler:

haha thanks!! I love it too! Alrighty!! Well I have to go! But I love you!! I can't wait to talk and hear how everyone is doing next week!! Have a wonderful week!! I love you :) BYE!!

Mom:

I love you so much my dear! Keep up the good work! I know that the Lord is well pleased!
I know I am! :)
Love you - Mom