Transcription: 13 February 2012

Good morning, this is Monday the 13^th of February, and this is my update. This week was probably my favorite week so far. Just because, I probably taught more people this week with Elder Throne … well I've almost taught more people this week than I ever have before. It feels good to just get out and share the gospel with a lot of people. What is really neat too is that a lot of less active people we've been visiting, they are starting to get their testimonies back, they are starting to come to Church more, starting to do better and become happier (haha); it's so cool to see. We have another guy we are visiting with. He seems pretty cool, and he's hopefully going to be baptized soon. We have him on date to be baptized. He's excited about it (haha). The members he's staying with or that he visits a lot, I don't know if he is actually staying there or not, but the members came up to us on Sunday.

Member: “We heard that he is getting baptized in March!” (haha)

Elders: “Yeah, yeah he is.”

She hinted to us: “You know, Daniel can baptize him.”

And then she quickly covered up and said, “Oh no, but you guys worked hard, you can baptize him.” (haha)

Elders: “No, no, we want Daniel to be able to baptize him” (because Daniel is his friend)

Things are going great! It feels so good to help people. I kind of want to stay in this area, just … forever; just because how well we are teaching and how many people are progressing and the potential that is here, and all the work we can do.

Some other things we did this week. We helped out with the Iditarod. We were helping to bag and stack and wrap bails of hay onto palates. Those will be shipped out to different check points in Alaska for the Iditarod race. That was on Thursday. This coming Thursday we are going to help out with the Iditarod again, but we are going to help out with food and stuff. So, that will be fun. They gave us a little hat (haha) that's got Iditarod 2012 on it. We have had a great week, and things are going good. I am very happy. We are visiting a lot of people and getting to know everybody. We are able to work really well with the ward now, and things are just going great. Little miracles are happening everywhere (haha)! I am so thankful to be a missionary. It's so much fun, and it feels so good.

I know the gospel's true, and I am thankful for all the things I'm learning in the scriptures. I am having such and easy time with my language study right now. As I read in the books and stuff, I am starting to really comprehend. As I listen to people, I'm starting to understand sentences. So, I'm pretty sure if I have a little bit of time here, now that I kind of gotten really into studying, I'll have an easier time.

That's what has been going on this week. I'm excited for next week.

Happy Birthday, Annie! Today is your birthday – the 13^th. (haha) You're seventeen! That's really weird. I can't really comprehend that right now (haha). Good luck with driving and dating and everything. Be safe. Everybody take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Love, Elder Record