Keep pressing forward with hope

Thank you so much for your prayers. I know the power of prayer is real.

Real quick. Recipes for cream of mushroom and recipes for chicken breast.

We had a zone conference this week which was greatly needed. They had a leadership training at 8. They talked about how there's so many missionaries that have been out less than 6 months and district meetings are greatly needed to help these inexperienced missionaries. Gee, Thanks bucko! What am I supposed to do then if I'm that inexperienced missionary that needs extra training but am supposed to be giving that extra training! But the whole thing was very inspirational and uplifting. Elder Dean and I talked all the way back on how we want to be better and worker harder and have a greater desire.

Things are hard. Hope can easily get swallowed up in fear and doubt. We must all press forward though and see the good in everything. The Savior is just very glad that we chose His plan before this life and because of that we don't have to be eternally miserable. On the other hand He so greatly would like us to be even happier than we are now. And we do so by keeping His commandments and pressing forward.

Our ward gets 50 members in the ward (not counting visitors) on a good day. This past week we had about 20. It was slim. BUT some new converts came which was amazing! Everytime we have a lesson with them it's so powerful. I love them so much. I told them how much they remind me of Jacob and Rachel and their kids of Easton and Teagon. I love that they're doing so well and want to go to the temple.

We also took Fransisco out with us, the new convert and we saw Jacob, a member from Mexico that hasn't been to church yet. He was very excited to come and even more excited to meet Fransisco that also spoke Spanish. The Sisters started a Gospel Principles class in Spanish so many more people can start coming and understanding it in their language. Elder Dean and I set a goal to get so much work going that we can afford to go on Splits and cover more ground at least once a week. That's been very exciting.

I know things would be way easier and I could be way less fearful as a junior companion with someone that knows what he's doing, but I know it'll be so worth it when I work up to being that capable on my own not leaning on anyone else at all. I'm so excited to become who my Father in Heaven wants me to become and completely forgetting myself and my fears.

Speaking of how he wants us to share. I discovered 2 Nephi 26:24-27. It talks about how much he loves us and does nothing unless it benefits us. The only thing He asks of us in return is to "persuade all men to repentance" I'm learning how to love so much more so that the Spirit can work through me more. To trust in those around me. I'm feeling the Spirit so much more this past week and feeling so much more motivated. Our ward mission leader is the greatest. He usually goes to California this time of year (usually in November) without ANY exceptions EVERY year but he says that he feels that he is needed here and feels it's for us the missionaries. People in the ward are talking about how strange it is that he's still here.

I love you all. Keep pressing forward with hope. Keep looking for hope and it will come. Please please please make the effort. For your own good and happiness.

-Elder Edgel