Dear family,
You have to realize that I pretty much run into the library every Monday because I'm so excited to read and respond to your emails. It's the best part of preparation day! I feel like a little kid on Christmas day...
I'm glad you got my letters I sent. Every now and then I just feel like writing hand-written letters, even if I sent an email. I just love talking to my family :) I too read and re-read all of the letters I receive because they're just so awesome! They mean everything to me. I could probably print off all of the emails that I receive, but I think I'll worry about it sometime when I don't have as much to say. Besides, they'll stay right in my inbox until I delete them. It has been a little overwhelming to read and type emails within one hour these first few weeks, but I think things will eventually slow down. Oh and by the way, thanks for sending me treats! I gave all three other Elders a taste and they are now hooked. You might have to send some more for Christmas.
Mom, the thought and scriptures you shared with me fit perfectly with what we've been sharing with a couple of investigators lately. I think that when it comes to peoples' views about our church, they often forget or are mistaken about the fact that we believe there is so much truth out there. So many people believe in and love Jesus, but they get caught up in arguing about which religion is right. Before Joseph Smith helped restore Jesus Christ's gospel to the earth, there were amazing, kind-hearted people who also wanted the truth. People like Martin Luther and others seeked after truth and helped lay the foundations of the restoration. We have a fulness of the gospel, but there is so much truth out there! People can feel the spirit, and they can feel good about where they are. But we're here to share the fulness of the gospel. We often tell people that our message improves their lives, even if they're already happy. But something that I've definitely learned out here is that good, happy people will still slam the door on us.
But life still moves on. Especially when we have a baptism :)
Ashley's baptism turned out just AWESOME. The spirit was definitely there, and I know that Ashley felt it and was very happy. She was just beaming the whole time! This whole previous week we focused on getting her excited and pumped for Saturday. We prayed like crazy, and in the end it all fell into place like a perfect puzzle. Some of her family came, and Nichole (her friend who we've been teaching like crazy) and her husband came. Her mother looked very pleased and I'm pretty sure she felt the spirit too. Overall there was a lot of people there supporting her, and it was a day I'll never forget. My first baptism...... Awwwwwwwww yeeeeeeaaaaaahhhh.
Elder Navratil performed the baptism, and I gave a talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Ashley had to be dunked twice because her knee came up, but we just laughed about it later. She's so funny! Yesterday morning I was given the opportunity of confirming her in sacrament meeting. I was a little nervous, as it was my first time, but I said a silent prayer right before we went up to the front. I felt comforted and I was able to say what needed to be said. It was so legit! It was just a happy weekend overall.
This past week we were also able to meet with Nichole twice. She is on fire! To make a long story short: She reads every day. ALL four standard works. She has prayed. She wants to learn as fast as possible. She's willing to not talk to her very anti-Mormon family to follow God. She's pretty much golden and a half, if ya know what I mean. I wish every investigator was like her! She was raised Jehovah's Witness all of her life, but she says she believes this more in the 3 weeks we've visited her. Holy cats she's going to be baptized. She even wanted to move up her date to Sept. 17! She's basically amazing.
Things are just chugging along out here. I don't really know what else to say except that I'm happy. And tired. And just a little overwhelmed at times. But the tender mercies that I've witnessed this week outweigh any frustration we had this week. If I had more time I would tell you about some of the tough times we had this week. But it doesn't matter! Ashley was baptized! Take that Satan!! Haha Satan can't do anything to Elder Navratil and I. We're too awesome :)
So this was kind of a weird letter, but I hope you know that I love you. I'm so excited for your trip! You leave today! Please please please tell me all about it. Take pictures. Send them to me. It would be much appreciated. And Elder Rodriguez would love it too. He LOVES pictures. He kinda wants to write April, but I said no.... That's totally another story.
I love you! Talk to you soon.
-Elder Atkin
P.S. Here's a pic of my sweeeeet license plate on my bike
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