Elder Howard Takes the Cake

Hello family, Its very good to have a chance to email you today. Though today is a very gloomy day where we will not get the chance to play any sports (sad face). It is raining very hard today and we were going to 1. have a horse-shoe tournament today and 2. play football. and to make things worse 3. the gym is occupied today. SO we don't get to do anything. Which is very unfortunate.

Well this week was just an amazing week. I would have to say that Saturday was among my top 3 favorite days of my mission. It was just incredible. President Killpack gave Elder Howard and I permission to drive to the Gila Valley and see Tommy and Adrianna Gates go through the temple and be Sealed for Time and all Eternity. What an amazing experience this was. I woke up on Sunday just feeling spiritually exhausted because of how great the day was. My jaw and cheek bones hurt from smiling and laughing to much. And i got to go with my favorite companion as well. (sorry other companions, elder Howard takes the cake). It was just such a blast. And being able to hug Adrianna in the temple was just overwhelming. Her and Tommy were both so appreciative to Elder Howard and I. Adrianna whispered in my ear and told me how thankful she was to "her boys" for helping her and Tommy start this great journey. It was hard trying to not get all emotional. But i am just so thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the chance to even meet them let alone see them in the Temple. Adrianna i know you read these and i just want to say how much i love you and your family. Thank you for being so awesome.

Elder Howard and i reminisced as we were driving home and to remember the story of how we met Adrianna and Tommy. How she didn't want anything to do with us. But Oh how the Lord knows his children. Because she did want this, but she just didn't know it at the time. And look where she is now, Following Christ with full purpose of Heart, nothing wavering. He is who is faithful to the commandments of God shall be blessed and prosper in the land.

Besides that just incredible experience, this week was very cool in general. We were able to meet with Cindy again, and have a very nice lesson with her. She is a great lady who is just going through so much in her life right now. And maybe that is the reason for her seeking out the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am not sure. But what i do know is that it will help. And Cindy knows it to. As we were meeting with her, she looked at us as we were talking and she paused. Understanding what we were saying but we clearly could tell that she had something to say. She looked at us and exclaimed again how grateful she was for the church and for us, but that she was going through a lot and proceeded to say "man, i picked a rough couple of weeks to be a Mormon!" Which sometimes can be such a real problem. Everyone faces hard times in their life but especially when learning more about the gospel. The gospel is here to help people with life and the crazy commotion in which we all face. Jesus Christ is very real and with his help all things are possible.

Especially in the craziness of the season we are currently in, we can get caught up in "what should i get this person?" or "what should i wear to this party?" (all valid questions), but the purpose of this season is to remember our Savior and what he sacrificed so we even had the ability to wonder what we should wear to so and so's party. He is the reason for the season. I love you all and i hope your joy is full as we embrace some Happy Holidays.

Elder Pierce