Hey man!
Thanks for the nice email. It's nice to be acknowledged.
To tell you the truth, I've been using part of your letters to help me have study (the companionship study I wanted to have with you before you left). It'll be good for my posterity to see that besides the secular things that I record in my daily journal, there is also a spiritual side of me that isn't reflected in my journal.
Speaking of study, today was interesting because I went to a Priesthood leadership meeting and Saturday night adult session of stake conference. And tomorrow will be the general session where my Rancho Stake President is going to be released.
We had Elder Zwick of the Seventy, his junior companion, the Mission President and his wife, temple president, and Stake presidency address us tonight. The Stake President's message to us was Read the Book of Mormon daily and say consistent, regular prayers. Nothing that we haven't heard before. We also should exercise faith unto repentance. And just like your calling, our calling is not just to bless our own families, but the whole human race; EVERYONE that we come into contact with.
The mission president (and his wife later without knowing it repeated) that when they were newly called as such, President Uchtdorf's counsel to both of them was to take Preach My Gospel and "Dig Deep!" And he repeated it to them 3 times. Must be pretty important. He also brought up Chapter 6 on the Attributes of Jesus Christ. I've been thinking recently, each description of each Christlike attribute listed in chapter 6 is pretty small. So, it must mean that there is a lot that we can bring to the table of stuff we can add to each attribute that we learn. Just like we make each lesson in chapter 3 apart of us, teaching doctrine, but with our own input. Christ is trusting in us to make each lesson count.
Anyways, just a taste of what the spirit taught me through Stake Conference. More tomorrow, I'm sure.
It was funny. You asked for some pictures today. I uploaded the ones you wanted but kept on going until I had finished all of them. Mom was like, why are you doing that? I just told her, because I can, haha. It was pretty funny. I hope you enjoy the pictures and paintings and use them wisely.
BTW, I'm learning the Uke on the practice Uke Sarah got for me 3 years ago. It's only a matter of time before I buy my own. I'm doing good, so far. I printed out a chord chart to study, and believe me, I'm studying it.
I hope you are doing well.
John
