Hey Fam!!!
How is everybody? This week has been rough! We've been searching everywhere for more people to teach and we've found a ton of cool people but none of them are really ready to change their lives. They all like to talk with us and stuff but none of them want to read the scriptures or come to church or anything and it's getting a little frustrating! But I'm learning a ton everyday so it's ok.
This week we were going through our area book looking for old investigators from companionships that have been in this area in the past. We noticed a few that already had baptismal dates but things just didn't end up happening so we went by to visit them. One lady named Doris I recognized I had talked to once before when I first arrived with Elder Moberg. At that time she told us she just wasn't interested in the church. When we checked with her this time she said we could come back the next day to share a message with her. We came back the next day and she was on her way out the door and asked if we could come back the next day. We went back the next day and she said she was busy babysitting and asked if we could come back the next day and have lunch (she was going to invite her brother and his family to have lunch with us as well, who are members in the other ward that attends church in the same building as us). We went back the next day having decided that it was probably the last time we'd be able to go by since we'd kind of been losing time traveling and stuff without sharing or serving. When we got there she asked if we could come back in about an hour since her brother hadn't arrived still. We said sure and turned to leave to begin contacting on the street. Just after we turned around she said "oh wait I had a question." We turned back around, just as she asked "when can I get baptized?" We were a little stunned, and I just said "Whenever you want." Then she suggested we do it in a month. My companion then said this coming week would be better. She said that would be fine. It was pretty sweet to see that the teachings of the missionaries didn't really bring about any results, but when she was left to search for the truth on her own, she recieved a testimony from the Spirit.
The other day we were contacting in an apartment complex when we came across a little bible discussion group. It turns out they're all just one family that was just raised with a major focus on religion. Two of the kids of the family have studied the bible for so long they literally almost have it memorized. Their father hasn't studied quite as much but he's some sort of philosopher so in their family they have good three hour long discussions on philosophy and religion every day. Pretty crazy! It was pretty fun to talk with them about the church, and they were all willing to read the Book of Mormon and pray, we'll see how it turns out.

So this week I was getting a little frustrated with alot of things that were going on. We had one day when a sister in the ward gave us our food to go, so we went and ate it at the house. We get an hour for lunch but we ate in about five minutes because we were starving, then my companion fell asleep. I'm pretty sure he's not supposed to do that but he was sick that day so I decided to read a couple of dear elders. As I was reading the letters from the fam I started to recognize some blessings I'd forgotten about, and also some things that I could change to be more like Christ. All the letters talked about how proud my family is of me, and I remembered that when Elder Bednar came he said that we should always strive to be the missionaries that our mothers think we are. I started to wonder if I was as great of a missionary as my mother thinks I am, and I started to get a little down. I haven't had any experiences like Ammon, or broken any crazy baptism records or anything, and alot of times that seems like the only set way for me to tell if I'm doing what I'm supposed to as a mssionary. Since my companion was asleep I decided to pray about it and ask Heavenly Father if he was proud of me as a missionary. After my prayer I grabbed the Book of Mormon and opened it up, hoping for one of those little "it was the first scripture I found" type of miracles. But the first scripture I looked at said something about the amount of years that a certain war lasted or something like that. I laughed a little and decided I shouldn't be asking the Lord for miracles but should just continue in the work with faith. Just as I thought that I looked at the next chapter and read the second verse that I found. This time it seemed like it was a direct answer to my prayer. I read Alma 29:1-10,17. I decided that I should stop worrying about being perfect and just keep trying to be the best me I can be. I've definitely still got a ton to work on, but hopefully if I can remember to do the Lord's will and put my life in His hands, my heart can be purified bit by bit through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Dad- Thanks for the e-mail dad! It sounds like you and dig had quite the experience on the river. That's crazy. That's awesome what you told me about what Bro. Anderson said. I'm glad I grew up in a ward with such great examples to look up to. Speaking of the ward I'm getting a letter out to Bro. Lauber asap. I didn't get changed this time once again, so I guess I've still got someone to find and help before I can move on to a different area. Thanks for everything Dad! Love ya.
Denny- That's sweet that you got to go see your old buddys in the old ward! As far as your question about your class, I would decide based on which friends will be in each class, because that can really make a difference in who you hang out with after school and stuff too. Anyway, Love you Denny-o
Nay- I can't believe you threw up eleven times from that flu or whatever! That stinks! I'm glad you got better fast. That's so sweet you went kite surfing!!! That'd be awesome! I haven't gotten any letters from your friends yet but I have noticed that regular letters take forever to get here! I don't know why! I just barely got that one that you sent me like a month ago. But anyway, thanks for your letters! Love you Nay!
Shash- You got your ears pierced!? Crazy! That's sweet all that stuff that was there in Idaho. Sounds like it was a blast! Love you Sloosh!
Dig- I can't believe you had a near death experience on the river! Don't do stuff like that anymore till I get home man! I gotta still have my brothers to hang out with when I get back! But it does sound like you guys had a good time there in lava. haha. Love you dig!
Mom- Thanks for the stuff you said about testimony meetings and the old bishopric. I love that scripture that talks about remembering spiritual experiences we've had in the past to keep strengthening our testimonies. I can't remember where it is but I can tell you next week. It sounds like that's probably a good idea your new way of letting the kids sort out the arguments at home. Just remind them of 3 Ne 11:29 every once in a while! haha. Just kidding. But anyway. Thanks for everything mom. I love you!
Love you all!
Elder Dallas Robert Aguilar