New Companion!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

It is always super good to hear about all of you guys and how you are doing:)  Sounds like you guys are always keeping busy. That Family Watch thing that you guys did sounds really cool. (Note from Mary:  we sang at a Family Watch forum where 100 United Nations Ambassadors and local government officials met regarding the family, children's rights, etc.)

Congrats Jenna!!! What chair did you make? I loved Regionals so much. It was a highlight of highschool. Sounds like you are really busy right now. That's awesome.  Just remember to enjoy it all while you are in the moment.

How are Grandma and Grandpa doing right now. Are they still holding strong, or has something happened. Do you think they'll make it through the next year? I really want to see them again.

As for Nauvoo...I would love to do it again.  I loved Nauvoo.  It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I think that if I did it again,  I would have a whole new outlook on it. It would be amazing.  I should probably think more about that towards the end of this year.

As for birthday package....I don't really know. I need to buy some new shirts. and a pair of new pants, but those will be better to buy here. Maybe a watch:) One that I can use on Sundays and for meetings (an inexpensive one though).  I don't really know.

Dad...that event sounds super fun. I hope you enjoy it.

So...this week was super awesome. On Monday...Elder Stoddard got here. He is an amazing companion, and we work very well together. He is obedient, and he doesn't have any emotional problems.  He has 16 months in the mission and it is his first time as Zone Leader.  I find that still I am teaching him a lot of things.

We work really hard together. We have put some really high goals for this transfer and we have the faith and are going to put in the action to accomplish them.  He really helps me. We are both Zone Leaders, so we share the responsibility. He does his part completely even though he is still learning. (I had to do the majority of all the Zone Leader work in the past). Anyways....I think he might be my best companion.

On Wednesday, we had a worldwide missionary broadcast called Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts. It was the first worldwide conference for missionaries that they have had in over a decade. It was really good with talks from Elder Anderson, Elder Bednar, and several others. They talked about how important it is to teach repentance to our investigators. As they understand the Atonement, and repentance, their progress accelerates very fast. It helps them to become truly converted. Everything that they talked to us about, goes exactly along with what we have been doing here in the mission. Everything that President has been teaching us and that we have been applying in these past two months. It was awesome. I learned a ton, and I am already seeing a difference in how we teach, and help our investigators progress.

From Mary:  This may have been from the Devotional Ward Activity mentioned last week

This week we found like 20 new investigators. It was awesome. Everywhere we went people accepted us, and we taught them with the Spirit. It was a really good week. Everyday, we were finding new investigators and setting baptismal dates with them. We found a family of 5, another family of 3, and a bunch of other investigators.

One of the investigators that we found this week is Karla. She is 20 years old, and her boyfriend is a member. We taught her lesson one and she accepted baptism. We talked to her boyfriend Lorenzo afterwards, and he shared with us that they were living together without being married, and that he knew it was wrong. So we planned another lesson with them to teach the law of chastity.

On Saturday we taught them the Law of Chastity. That was such a spiritual lesson. Karla opened up to us and shared her personal story. We talked about the commandment, and about temples and eternal families. Afterwards we discussed with them, their options as a couple in order to live the law of chastity. Obviously they need to stop living together. He wanted to stop living together, but she was not so sure. We both shared our testimony about how living the commandments brings us the blessings of God in our lives, and If she would live it, she would have certain blessings that she needed. They promised to talk about it and let us know what they decide. Leaving that lesson my companion and I knew what they were going to decide. We have a lesson with them tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes.

We also found this girl named Jennifer who told us that she has been to the church before. In our first lesson with her, she told us that she new the church was true, has felt the Spirit, and wants to be baptized. It was awesome. The only thing is that she needs permission from her parents. Her dad said yes, but her mom is against it...so all we have to do in convince the mom.

Today we went to a members ranch with a bunch of people and played volleyball, football, and frisbee. It was so much fun, but now I am super sunburnt. I hardly ever get sunburnt here, but it happened today.

The weather here is really weird. During the day it is hot, but at night it has gotten really cold. By cold I mean 60 degrees....but for here, that is so cold. Everyone here....including me....are using sweaters in the mornings and at night. We can see our breath!!!!! This morning we all four woke up at 5:30 because of the cold. It was freezing. I like it though because now we are not always dying of heat. Showers in the mornings have gotten really interesting though. It's like taking a ice cold bath, and then walking into a refrigerator.

Anyways, I am doing super well. I love the mission and everything that I am doing. I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week.

Love you tons,

Elder Cavenee