Week # 77 & 78

Howdy y’all! Happy New Year! We were having some technical difficulties last week on my email, so I couldn’t get out an email!

So first things first, Pday is now permanently on Tuesday to better facilitate temple trips. Just a heads up! We have had some fun times the last few weeks! Our Christmas Day was very busy. We had 13 meal appointments and on top of that I was able to Skype my family! It was wonderful to see them again, and on top of that I was able to Skype my stud of a brother Elder Tyler Houssian who is on his mission in Fresno! It was a tender mercy to be able to talk with him. He is an inspiration to me and I definitely look up to him!

We met this awesome guy named Jeff this week. He came out from his garage and started talking to us. He loves studying the Bible and cross-referencing things in it, so we talked about the Book of Mormon and how the footnotes have references to the Bible and other verses in the Book of Mormon. He was very excited and wants us to come back after he reads some of it. He’s a great guy!

We were invited over by a nonmember family to play a game and eat lunch, so we went over and spent some time with them. They are great! Their 3 teenage kids were asking a ton of questions about the Church and loved hearing what they had to say. One of them said “I defend you guys, even though I’m not a member, I think y’all are great”. It was a cool moment!

This week I wanted to share this great scripture I came across in my studies. It is Alma 26:35, and it reads;

“35...my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.”

True joy is found in the gospel and in living a Christ-centered life. God is all powerful and loves us all unconditionally. He is literally our Father in Heaven. He is merciful unto us and desires to bless us and give us salvation. Nice order to receive those blessings, we need to repent and have faith. I know that God knows us individually and loves us. All things are possible, if we turn to Him. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week and achieve the goals that you have set for the New Year! Until next week, God speed!

Elder Houssian