Mother's Day

[NOTE] We had a great visit with Elder Record yesterday. He was able to talk with his Mom who was traveling back to Utah from Arizona. The rest of the family followed up with a call on speaker phone.

Since I talked to most everyone, I'll just write about a couple experiences I've been having. We went to go contact a referral this week in the Brayton area. We had one of the Priests from the Rabbit Creek ward with us. It was kind of funny because we thought we went to the right place but we ended up going to the wrong address. The people there weren't the people we were trying to contact so we asked if we could share what we had with them. They said no, so we asked if they knew anyone who would. They told us to go see the people downstairs. So we went to go see them. A little girl answered the door so we asked if her mom was there. The mom came and invited us in and we taught her the message of the restoration. She invited us back to teach her with her husband how that message will bless our families. It was really neat to see. It's the first time I can remember being invited in from the doorstep and then being able to come back. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share the gospel and it's an amazing feeling to be able to talk with someone about it who wants to know.

We also had the opportunity to be a part of [Name withheld]'s baptism. He was baptized and confirmed by a young man in the ward who is about to go on a mission. Wes also received the priesthood from his little brother who ordained him to the office of a priest. Wes bore a powerful testimony. You could tell how much he loves the Lord.

Love you all =) Happy Mothers Day again to all the wonderful mothers! Thanks for all you do in helping us to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love, Elder Record

Masi Samoa

This is a video of Elder Matthew Wright and Elder Record (on the right) while in the Samoan ward. They are singing a song called Masi Samoa. Masi Samoa is the name of a coconut cookie the Samoans make. Regardless, this is a fun video. Before his mission, Elder Record would never have consented to performing something like this. He has come a long way. He also taught himself how to play the ukulele.

Email: 4 June 2012

I encourage anyone who hasn't gone to the temple or hasn't been in a while to go, and if you can't yet, prepare.  There isn't a better place on earth.  There isn't another place where you will feel more love and at home than perhaps with the ones you love in your home because that is the purpose.  To have a family like our Father in Heaven has forever, and then to help others to do the same.  If you haven't read the Book of Mormon please read it.  It has the power to change your lives.  It was written for our day.  The bible can tell you what Christ did, but the Book of Mormon can tell you why.

I love you all, sorry I didn't prepare an audio update.  I've been kind of busy with transfers and everything.  I found out that I'll be training again, but this time in Fairbanks 3rd ward.  I don't know what my companion's name is yet.  Apparently I'll live in a very nice apartment with members.  I'll miss everyone here in my area especially my companion, who is going to be the senior companion to another trainee just finishing training.

Here is something I studied this week I thought you guys might enjoy.

I love the story in Acts 19 I think where it gives a story about 7 exorcist Jews.  Paul was going around teaching people about Christ and the exorcists go to someone possessed with an evil spirit.  They say in the name of Jesus, who Paul is preaching about, come out.  Then the evil spirit says, Jesus I know, and Paul I know but who the heck are you!  haha! I love that story.  It cracks me up every time.  And it’s a good example of how having the proper authority is necessary.  I love the gospel.  I’m thankful that we have such a merciful Savior.  I know that our Heavenly Father leads and guides us and his church through his authorized representatives.  I never have to wonder about where to turn to.  It is always very clear.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 29 May 2012

Hello Everybody! Today is Sunday the 27th.

This week was amazing. We had a lot of good things happen. We got invited to a birthday party by some of our potential members. We went and it was really cool. (haha) Like we walk in and -- our potential members really like us; there's two of them, one of them is in her late 20's and the other is like 20. They are pretty open and comfortable with us talking about the gospel. They family is still a little closed off because they go to another church. But anyway -- we walk into the party (haha) and everybody like just stares at us! (haha) Like in shock, (haha) because we are missionaries from another church. But we walk in and just start talking to people. We actually found a guy who is a member, who hopefully we can follow up here soon. He was a member up in Samoa and moved to Hawaii and then he moved up here. Since his parents were of a different Church, when he went to Hawaii, when they brought him to their Church, he kind of just went along with it. Anyway as we were talking with everybody, we look over in the band that was playing some music there (haha) for their birthday party, and we see in the band this guy named [name withheld].

We saw him playing in the band and he saw us too. We had gone to visit him before. He is a member, and was actually brought into the Church by his girlfriend. His dad is a minister in another Church, he's a faifeo. We are faifeotalai (haha). He's just a faifeo, because we are preaching missionaries or ministers on foot. He was always friendly to us and everything because he had softened up a lot after he went to his son's baptism and saw how members acted. But he was super against it before. I looked over at Church (haha) in the middle of Sacrament meeting and I'm like, "that's [name withheld]'s dad!!!" I never would have expected him to come, but he was there and ooh it was such a good Sacrament meeting! We had a returned missionary speak and bear his testimony about how serving each other just helps, and how we need to step up and do our duties in the Church so we can help other people and help it grow. That totally brought the Spirit. And then the [name withheld]s, oh, a super solid family. I love them. But they get up and just start bearing their testimony about eternal families and about the temple. (I love the temple! There isn't a place I'd rather be than the temple. When I get back, I'm going to spend as much time as I can in the temple. It's an amazing place. I can't even begin to describe how much I love the temple. I felt it especially after not being able to go as often as I did before. It's a place of such peace and love. You know the Church is true when you go there. There is nothing that can change that. It's such a wonderful experience.) Anyway, they just started bearing their testimonies about families.

We went over to [name withheld]'s house for dinner and she asked us what one thing that we noticed that families; really faithful members with strong families, strong unity; do to keep their families together. We said well they pray together, they read their scriptures together, they spend time together; and then she asked us what have you noticed that is different about families who aren't, that don't come and have a lot of discord in the family and a lot of struggles. We've noticed, and we said, they don't do those things. I mean it's as simple as that, they don't pray together, they don't spend time together, and the family suffers the effects. Those are just things that bind us together and help us grow; especially prayer, especially praying together, but she (haha) actually used that in her talk.

I was just like crying the whole time. I felt the Spirit so strong. Even from the beginning, I knew it was going to be a special day as soon as I walked inside the chapel. I don't know how anybody who was in that Sacrament meeting could not have felt the Spirit. The bishop was talking about [name withheld]'s dad, when he looked over at him, he could start to see a change in his face. He totally felt the Spirit. He actually announced in the Elder's quorum that we were welcome to come over whenever we wanted. We were welcome to come to his house (haha). I was just like, "oh man! this is amazing!" Because if he comes, his family will come, and chances are a lot of members of his congregation will come too. I'm just so happy to have served in the Samoan ward. We have really been able to gain the trust of the members. They are really starting to get excited, and active in missionary work, and just helping each other out and spreading the gospel. It's spreading like wild fire. (haha) It's just so exciting to see, and we don't always see the difference we make. Thankfully, I've been able to see some of the difference that I've been able to make, particularly with my companions. Elder Wright -- an awesome guy! Elder Thorne -- awesome guy! It's been with their help we have been able to move the work forward. I love the people here.

There is a family we really like that is getting excited about the temple. We have a lot of people who we have been teaching that are taking the temple prep class now, and are getting ready to go. It's just so much fun to (haha) help people, and spend all your time doing it, and be anxiously engaged in a good cause. I love spending ALL my time doing that, being very driven. Yea, and people are starting to go and share the gospel with their friends, and they are getting ready to have us go over to those people. As we go out and do stuff, we are able to find people who we didn't know were there before, who we need to help and who need our help. And so, we help them. It's very fun to be a missionary. It's hard at first, but (haha) then it gets easier because then you start to lose yourself after you get the hang of things. You are able to work and able to help people, and you get so wrapped up in things it's hard to think about much of anything else. That's when it's fun. If you are not doing anything, if you are being lazy, if you are not being obedient to the mission rules, if you are not being obedient to the commandments, then it's no fun; but when you are, miracles start to happen and it's amazing. I have totally seen that so far.

I know the Church is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that it is in the temple that we can make the rest of those covenants to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I love the temple. I am thankful for the opportunity I've had to be a member of the Church and to be a missionary. I am thankful for you guys, my family, and all the help you have given me to build my testimony. I can't wait to just move forward with life. I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything. I'm not even out a year yet! I've grown so much. It's given me such direction in my life that I'm going to work hard, and I am always going to work hard. I am never going to leave anybody behind. If there is someone who is struggling that needs my help, I'm going to help them. If there is somebody who is weak in their faith and their testimony, I'm going to help them. If there is somebody who is having a down day, I'm going to go help them.

I hope you all have a good time back in Utah (haha). Let me know as soon as you find the address for the house or as soon as you move in, so I can have that because I will have to change that card that I give to people. Talk you later, bye.

Love, Elder Record

Questions: 21 May 2012

Dad: What was your door approach to non-members when talking about family history work?

We ask them about their family and that we wanted to help them find more. We told them about all the resources the church has and invited them to a family history center.

Dad: What is your door approach for less active members?

How are you... We are just always very friendly when we talk to people to show them we care because we do. And they can see it. Then again I have mostly only been with Samoans who are very social.

Dad: What did you think about the video "Jesus Teaches About Being Born Again?" I love the way Christ is portrayed in such a loving and inviting nature.

Wow, it was really good. I really like how he taught like you said. I also like how the savior goes right to the root of his concern, and resolves it. He's not going to understand these other things unless he first understands Christ's purpose and believes on him. This one is my favorite.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 21 May 2012

So, guess who got sick? Elder Wright (haha). He got my wind. He doesn't have it quite as bad, I don't think, but I'm not sure. He hasn't had a fever yet, so I guess it's not that bad. He's been pretty sick, but we got him to the doctor pretty quick, so he seems to be feeling better. He's been pretty sick this week, but in spite of that we were actually still able to get quite a bit done.

We were able to visit some people and help them out. We are working on trying not to stay so long and have the lesson be just a visit. So, we are trying to teach more, and we did. It was really neat what happened. The Spirit was there a lot stronger when we weren't just there for like an hour. We were there for like 45 minutes or even less. We just taught... and the Spirit was there. It felt really cool. It made a difference to people, and they felt uplifted and so did we. It still happened before, but it happened a lot more. When we were focused on teaching more that just talking with them, that was a pretty neat experience. Yesterday was awesome! We were able to do a lot.

We had some more training (haha). Elder Call and Elder Donaldson came, from the Seventy did our stake conference. We had a few meetings on Saturday and had to work with the ward council, and there's a lot of cool things that are going to happen. We are starting to work better with them, and get more work done.

We ran into these two people who we began teaching. We hope to really get them fellowshipped in. looks like things are good because we are working closer with the ward council. We are excited about that.

It's really fun to go out and help people. We were able to really feel the Spirit, especially on Sunday, but it makes you pretty tired too (haha). There is this really cool lady we know that works at the book store that says I need to get a tan (haha). But, I can't do that (haha) unless I'm, outside. And if I'm in the truck or somebody's house all day, it's kind of hard to get a tan. But, that's okay, it can wait.

I just want to bear my testimony that I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know it has a power to change our lives and to help us get closer to our Heavenly Father more than any other book. I know that the Church is true. I am thankful for the guidance and direction we get from the prophet and from the general authorities. I am thankful to be serving a mission because it's helping me grow a lot, especially in planning. We are becoming quite the masters of our time. It's pretty cool. It will help me a lot for when I get back.

I hope all is well. Everything is good here. I'll do my best to send letters to various people who send me letters (haha). Talk to you next week, bye.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 14 May 2012

This week was a fun week. We had a lot of training meetings though. We were super busy, but surprisingly we were able to use the time that we did have really effectively and get quite a bit done. We had an excellent week, and we were able to help out a lot of people.

On Thursday we had some people from the missionary department come and give us some training. Brother Lee Donaldson and Roger Web came to speak with us. That was really fun, but it was really long though (haha). It went from like nine in the morning to four. It was a really nice meeting, and helped me to focus a lot.

On Friday we had our specialized training. We have one of those every other transfer. It was nice.

On Saturday we got to do some service. We got to help out the post office with their service food drive, "Stamp Out Hunger," I think it was called. All the mail carrier trucks would go out and pick up the food from the mail boxes. They bring it back and we helped them sort everything out and unload all the cans and boxes. It was fun.

We were also able to Skype you guys. It was a nice highlight and nice Mother's Day.

We pretty much play basketball every P-day. I need to start taking pictures -- my bad (haha). I will make sure I get some pictures before I leave Anchorage. Exercise is nice.

We were able to start teaching this little nine year old girl. It's kind of fun. It's like being back in Primary. She is very nice and very quiet. She is very smart and it's fun to teach her. She is the niece to one of the members in the ward. We had a lot of people to Church on Sunday. It was really nice. Sunday was packed, because in the Samoan culture, Mother's Day apparently is a really big deal. I'm guessing that's why we had a ton of people. They also changed the bishopric a little bit. Not entirely, but a little bit. We had some people there for the first time, who had never been there before.

Studying... I've been reading the Book of Mormon. I have been going over that training because I recorded it. I've been listening to it over and over again. Oh!! I really liked D&C section 19, because that is the only first hand account of the atonement. There is a particular part in their that I like. In D&C section 19 verse 20 it says:

"Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit."

So when we feel that suffering, you know that punishment for sins or whatever, that only happens because he withdraws his spirit because the Spirit cannot be with us when we are being wicked. So he says, "in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit." I reference that to Mormon chapter 2 verse 13 where the people are crying out. Mormon gets happy for a sec because he thinks they are repenting, but they're really not. They are just miserable because of their wrong choices, because God is not going to always allow them to take happiness in sin. Since he withdrew the Spirit from the people because they were so wicked, they became really, really miserable. That's just what happens when you sin, it makes you miserable even if you don't realize it. And that's only because God withdraws his Spirit because he can't be there. It's not because he is punishing you or anything, it is just because he can't protect you anymore because you won't let him.

Brother Donaldson gave a little insight on verse 18. When the Savior, talking about the atonement, says:

"Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—"

Regarding the ending dash "—", he said, the Savior was either going to say more and didn't -- because it just ends -- or after eighteen hundred years it's still too painful to talk about. I thought that was kind of neat. The words on the page are from someone with feeling talking.

Anchorage is starting to get really pretty, so I will start to take more pictures. It's starting to get kind of green. The trees are starting to blossom.

I want to bear my testimony that I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know the Church is true. I am thankful to be a missionary. It's helping me out a lot, especially with my focus (haha). Although I'm still not very focused because I'm still really tired. But it's really nice, and I enjoy it. I know that as we do our best, the Lord is there for us and will help us out. When we do sin, and he withdraws his Spirit, we can repent and do better. Mostly through not doing that thing again and going to Church and partaking of the sacrament and reading your scriptures -- that helps a lot too.

Love, Elder Record

Questions: 7 May 2012

Mom: How are you feeling?

Fine now, just a little runny nose.

Dad: Are you the truck driver since you are senior companion?

Yes

Dad: What are Elder Wright's greatest qualities?

He's very concerned about the individual people, and he has strong desire to serve and to please God.

Dad: I posted a YouTube video on your blog of Andrew Zimmerman on Bizzare Foods eating sea. Yeah it was gross! I read another description online, "Sea is truly disgusting, looks like snot according to Andrew Z and stinks like day old puke." You definitely have bragging rights.

=) yup I sure do. lol

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 7 May 2012

I'm feeling better! (haha) I'm not sick anymore. I've got a little bit of a stuffy nose, but it's all good. Thankfully it's not a problem anymore. I had a fever on Monday, I guess, because there was no pressure to do anything because it was P-day. My body just took the time to recover I guess (haha).

We had a fun week. We had to get our oil changed, and that took up a little time. But, we were also able to do service at the library. We helped them move around books for this book sale they were going to have. That was fun. Me, Elder Wright and the four Samoan elders from the other Samoan wards sang a song at a baptism that the Lake Otis ward was having. It's "When I am Baptized", the primary song. We sang one verse in English and the other two in Samoan. Sunday was probably the busiest day of my mission so far. We were all over the place, visiting a ton of people. It was nice, because we were able to help out a lot of people. There was this one lady who was having a really rough time. We kind of showed up at the right time. She was smoking and feeling pretty depressed because of some things that have been going on. We kind of helped her get out of her funk and shared a little scripture with her and encouraged her and smiled. She didn't want to smoke anymore, so that was nice (haha). It was just kind of neat to see that the Lord takes us to where we need to go.

I read a really cool verse in Doctrine and Covenants 93 verse one. It lists five things that we can do in order to see and know God, so in order to see and know that He is. The first is to forsake our sins. The second is to come unto Him. The third is to call on His name. The Fourth is to obey His voice, and the fifth is to keep His commandments. So if we do those five things, then we can have the privilege of seeing God and knowing that He is. And of course, if we read in Doctrine and Covenants section 88 version 68, it says that will come in the Lord's time and in His own way. I thought that was a really neat scripture, because the other ones just say like, "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" or you know, other promises. None of them quite say what we need to do to be pure in heart and to see God. I like that version [D&C 93:1] because it lists out those five things as something I can do to work towards that.

We have been visiting these one people who (haha) are actually going to be moving down to Utah and get married soon. I like them a lot. It's nice to see them getting excited about the temple and about the Church and everything. I will probably end up seeing them when I get back to Utah. We'll see. That would be really cool because they are really fun. They are planning on going through the Salt Lake Temple. I'm really happy for them.

Yeah, that's kind of been this week. It wasn't fun being sick, but it's fun being better (haha). It was a fun week, and we helped out a lot of people.

I just want to bear my testimony that I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that this is Christ's church on the earth. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve my Heavenly Father in any way He wants me to because I've notice that as we do that, it provides a lot of strength to the Church if we will just work at doing our duty and being ourselves. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 30 April 2012

Good morning everybody. Today is April 30th and I am sick. So, I probably won't say too much. I'm sorry.

This week was for the most part pretty good. (Haha) and you will have to forgive my pessimism too (haha). I'm not in the best mood right now. It seems now that the week of over and that it's P-day, my body is like, "all right, rest time."

Earlier in the week we had our transfers. Me and Elder Wright are staying. We have a truck now so, we were using it to cart missionaries around Tuesday and in the morning on Wednesday. It took up a lot of time, but we were still able to get a lot done. I got sick on Friday. Even though I had to rest a lot, we still got quite a bit done in our week, which was pretty good; but now my body is ready for a break (haha).

Probably one of the most exciting things to happen to me this week was... I got to try a Samoan dish called "sea". Sea is the edible internal organs of the sea cucumber (haha). I had to try it. They offered it, so I tried a little bit of it. Let me tell you, that is the hardest to get down out of anything I've tried to eat. Yeah, it was pretty nasty. So I suggest to anybody who is offered "sea" (unless you want bragging rights), I would say, smile, laugh a little bit, and then say "lai fa'fatai" or no thank you. They will chuckle because they will know (haha). It just has a terrible stench, but it not too powerful. You can only really taste the stench. It's weird. It is not the yummiest thing I've ever tried. It made the oka and the boiled banana pretty much a piece of cake to eat now. I didn't have any problems with them in the first place, but it was quite the experience (haha), but I'm glad I did it. You might want to go online and check out what "sea" looks like (haha). It is pretty nasty looking. That was probably the funnest and funniest thing that happened this week.

Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmerman

The "sea" segment starts at minute 05:29 and ends at 07:40

We are excited to keep working with the ward and finding people. We had a really good experience where we found out this one house had Samoans living there. We were able to just park the car and walk up to the house because the people were standing outside, and we just started talking to them, laughing, joking around about stuff. We then started talking about the gospel. They invited us back. So we are going to come over to their house later today. It was fun to see, and Elder Wright was able to see how much more effective it is to just converse for a little bit first, and then relate whatever you are talking about to the gospel. They can kind of see the application and kind of be a little more comfortable with us so we are not so imposing.

A lot of the snow is melting and the weather is changing, so that is why everybody says everyone is getting sick. Apparently everybody is getting sick. Yeah, and I threw up on Friday. So that wasn't fun. So I just have a super stuffy nose and sinus irritation, but I'll get over it.

Anyway, life is good (haha). Take care, and I will talk to you more next week, and hopefully be a little more enthusiastic. Take care, bye.

Love, Elder Record

No Update: 23 April 2012

Elder Record did not send us an update for this week.

Transcription: 19 March 2012

Hey everybody, this is Elder Record and today is the 19^th of March. This week has been insanely crazy. We have been running around busy, or at least we were at the beginning of the week, because we had the transfers. On Monday I was with Elder Thorne. We had our P-day, and he packed to get ready. (Haha) We had dinner with this one guy, the bishop's son. He is just so funny. He has stories that are just having us laugh and laugh. We had a really good time with them (haha). On Tuesday was our transfer meeting. We went and picked up Elder Butler and Elder Bentmul from the airport in the morning, and they were with us until one o'clock, which was when the transfer meeting started. We were in the transfer meeting and the departing missionaries bore their testimonies and stuff. We had some musical presentations from the missionaries and a little thought from President Beesley and the assistants – things like that. After that we dropped Elder Bentmul off at the airport, went straight back to the office and picked up Elder Pool and Elder Bell and dropped them off. We then went to teach a lesson, so by then it was like six or six thirty. It was fun and kind of crazy. Since we are one of the only elders with a truck, the next day we ended up helping move people with bed frames into apartments because some of the apartments needed an extra bed frame, or didn't have one, or something like that. That took up most of our afternoon on Wednesday.

We were able to see some of our investigators who are planning to get baptized. One of them is eighteen. He is just such a humble guy. He wants to be a missionary, and he's excited (haha). We have his baptism this coming Saturday [24 March 2012]. We are excited about the baptism and to help him.

I am training Elder Wright, and we have this twelve week training plan that is really nice and helps us out. We just kept running into situations that helped us do the training. Like he is supposed to lead out in inviting people to be baptized this week, and he's done that. We had people that are planning to be baptized and are now going to be baptized. They have a date set. We are having a good time. It's not as stressful or as hard as I thought it would be to train. The ward loves us (haha). We keep visiting people and they are like, “oh, Elders!” It feels kind of nice, like a family away from home.

We ended up giving a couple of people blessings on Sunday. One was at a lesson with a less-active. She wanted us to bless her baby girl because she was feeling sick.

Our investigator is getting baptized. He had his baptismal interview yesterday.

Then (haha) we went over to he Nafua family and shared a thought with them, and setup some stuff because they have some non-members in their house and some recent converts. So we setup some lessons we are going to teach because [name withheld] has been a member but doesn't feel like she understands what the missionaries taught. So we are going to review it with her again. After that, we found out that their sister's son has RSV, and is in the hospital. So we went over to the hospital and gave him a blessing and talked with her sister for a little bit.

We had a pretty good day yesterday. We feel really busy, which is good. We are just hoping from one place to the next, seeing how we can help. It's fun to be able to do that. Especially now, I feel like I'm starting to care more about the people we visit, instead of just visiting people.

I am just so thankful for the gospel and how much it blesses our lives, and the comfort it brings us in our times of need. A lot of times we feel like we've been forgotten, that we're alone, or just down and struggling with whatever. With the gospel, we can come out on top and have that peace and confidence in our hearts always. We don't have to go through this alone. We have the Savior with us. We have the scriptures. We have the prophets and apostles. We've got members of the Church. It's fun to teach people about families too, and see their families. In our families is where we can find the most happiness, and we see that a lot. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and the opportunity I have to be a missionary. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love, Elder Record

Email: 12 March 2012

haha! =D I was so happy to hear the news on Arthur Rogers I almost started to cry [family history progress we have made]. I have an hour every other week to work on family history. Could you send me the information too dad? We just might try that idea [a ward missionary open house] out with our ward.

FYI Transfers are tomorrow, and I found out that Elder Thorne is leaving to go to the Spanish Branch but will still be in my district. I'm staying in the Northern Lights Samoan Ward =) and will be training Elder Matthew Wright. He was called to Alaska Samoan speaking, and he's the first white guy I've seen or heard of who was called to do so. Elder Thorne and I had an amazing transfer and were able to teach and help more people than in any other. It felt amazing. These next few transfers won't be any different =) in fact, it should be even better.

I didn't get a chance to do an audio because I was so tired and so busy this weekend that I just didn't have the time. So, I'm sending a modified version of my letter to president that has the names of people taken out.

Letter to the President

Haha, ya I know I’ll have to leave eventually. I’m just so happy that things are going so well here. I feel so blessed to be in this area with the Samoan people. They are so humble and easy to be entreated. Thank you so much for letting me be with Elder Thorne for as long as I was. He is a very hard worker and blessed my life. We worked hard and made this last week the best one of our entire transfer. We taught 22 lessons this week =)

[name withheld] is on date for the 24^th of March, and [name withheld] is on date for the 7^th of April. Things are progressing very well with them. We’ve found a lot of new investigators through the O’Brien family, the ones we gave the blessing to. We’ve also started taking youth out with us a lot in the evenings from like 6pm on. They love it and get so excited. We were with [name withheld], who has already made significant changes in his life, when we put [name withheld] on date. Our ward mission leader came up to us on Sunday and told us how much he enjoyed the experience. We have a lot of good future missionaries who are becoming missionaries right now. They are helping us continue to find people to teach and are excellent fellowshippers.

We are going to continue to work with the Ward and Ward Council to help the work move forward. They really like us and were sad to see Elder Thorne go. We had dinner at the bishop’s house on Sunday and he told us how much he appreciated us and noticed how well we worked together to move the work of the Lord forward.

There are a few recent converts who know very little about the gospel who we plan to teach. We hope to get their eyes set on the temple. Ward conference was really good, and I noticed how much President Fisher is focusing on Temple work for the Stake. We plan to do our best to help out. In the Samoan ward it is really easy to find when we teach and teach when we find because almost everywhere we go there are non-members with our members, so I’ve noticed that probably the best way to find those that the Lord has prepared is by visiting the members and talking frequently with everyone.

In my studies I’ve been continuing to read in 3 Nephi, and I really enjoy it. I also got one of the new For the Strength of Youth pamphlets from the office and started reading it. I loved it! As I read I felt like the Prophet or my Father in Heaven was speaking directly to me. In every page I read I felt the influence of the spirit. I know that those will help the youth find direction in the world today. I’m going to get one for [name withheld] and [name withheld]. I think they will really enjoy it. I also have been studying the importance of being active because I was invited to give the YSA lesson on Tuesday on that topic. I’m still thinking about things, but my thoughts are continually drawn to the temple and the covenants and blessings associated. And also how the temple fits in with our Father’s plan of happiness for his children. I like D&C 58:26-28 and D&C 121:45.

I’m excited for the next few transfers and hope to see things improve even more. Thanks for all your love and support.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 5 March 2012

This week was awesome! (haha) We had a blast. Initially it started off kind of slow. We had a lot of stuff fall through, and then other things take up more time than they probably needed to, but we have been soo busy (haha). It's so much fun. We have been helping a lot of people, and a lot of people are really starting to progress, and to move forward and do better. It's so much fun to see the happiness that is coming into their lives because of the gospel.

We had a baptism on Saturday, and he was confirmed this Sunday. It went really well, and everything was really good. He is seventeen. He was so excited to be baptized. He had made a lot of changes – like he had stopped smoking, and then we taught him about the Word of Wisdom (haha), and how our Heavenly Father doesn't want us to smoke because he wants us to keep our bodies healthy and strong so we can be sensitive to the Spirit and become more like him. We had taught him that, he had actually stopped smoking before (haha), so he was right on target. He is such a good kid.

We have another person who is going to be baptized on April 7^th. So we are excited for them too. The Lord has just been blessing us with people who are ready to hear the gospel. I think it's partly because of the faith of the people in the ward. It seems like it's nothing we do. It is just a testimony builder to me that this isn't my work, this isn't anything that I'm doing, this is the Lord that is preparing all these people. Since we are ready to teach them, he is bringing them to us, and we are able to help them out and introduce the gospel into their lives so they can make those covenants and ordinances that are necessary for us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.

I am thankful for our Heavenly Father's mercy and how the gates of heaven are open to all. While there are certain things we need to do to return to live with our Heavenly Father, the opportunity is going to provided for everyone who's ever lived or who will ever live. I don't see how it could be any other way. I love the gospel, and it has made such a difference in my life.

It makes me so happy to be out here. Initially it's kind of stressful being on a mission because you're learning everything new. When you start to get the hang of things, things start to turn out really well. And, I am with an awesome companion who just loves to work hard. So we are able to get out and do a lot of good work and help a lot of people. I am thankful for that – probably more than anything (haha). Ah! I have changed so much this last transfer, these last few weeks. I think I have become a whole lot more humble and patient and calm and just overall happy too (haha). I just love serving with all these missionaries. This is starting to become the funnest thing I've ever done (haha). I am really thankful for this opportunity I have.

Oh, I learned a new song in Samoan. It's called (something in Samoan).

Elder Record Singing a Samoan Song (Length: 00:00:31)

Yeah, it's so much fun when you sing it with like, the whole ward (haha), because they all sing really loud. They love to harmonize, so it sounds really good. We have our ward conference coming up. We are going to be singing it with the priesthood. At the baptism we sang “Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy.” Me, Elder Thorne and Brother Siana (the ward mission leader) all harmonized, and I sang the base part. That was really fun (haha).

There was a ward party on Friday. We got to go and meet a lot of people there. We ate some good dinner. Taro and fish is the BEST combination it tastes soo good (haha). It was funny. I was asking Elder Collins and this lady from the Diamond Ward what happens if you eat taro raw? Elder Collins just laughs, and he's like “you don't do that, you're mouth will get all itchy” – like he thought that was just the funniest thing ever (haha). The only place I know you can buy taro, they actually precook it. There isn't any risk of anybody doing that. I love boiled banana, it's fun to eat too. There is a lot of good food up here, and they treat us soo well.

We also had the opportunity to meet with this less active family. His wife, actually I think she's his girlfriend, we got to meet with them. She is not a member, and she wants to start learning more about the gospel. So we are excited to teach her and see how much the Lord can bless her life and the life of her family.

There is a whole lot more that is going to happen this week, and there is a lot more to talk about, but it's so much fun to go out and do and see the progress of everything that is going on – and how much I'm learning and how much more confident I'm becoming. It becomes easier and easier. It was hard, but after the first little bit of my mission, it wasn't as much of a problem anymore. Things would be hard, but it is like any other kind of hard – like to win at a soccer game. We are always so busy keeping up with the demands of everything. But now that I know kind of what's going on (haha), it's hard, but it's easy for me to do it because it's so much fun to do it because we're helping people.

I know the gospel is true. I am thankful for it and how much it's blessed my life. I am thankful for the wonderful opportunities our Heavenly Father is blessing us with to help even more people. Actually, just yesterday it was so neat, we were going to visit some people after church and it seemed like every where we were stopping and helping people out (haha). There a couple of guys who were trying to push a car off to the side of the road, because it was dug into a little ice rut. So we jumped out and pushed the car out. They were like, “oh, thank you so much” (haha). That was fun. After that we went over to the house of less active members, and they were like, “just in time!!” We said, “what?!” She said, “I just asked my daughter if she knew your number because we have a baby who is sick that we had to take to the hospital and needs a blessing.” Apparently, right as she asked her daughter about seeing if she could call the missionaries, she said, “oh, no, that's okay they are right there,” as she pointed to us out the window. So we got there when they needed us.

The other lady I was talking about who is the girlfriend of the less active member, wants to start learning more about the gospel. We had actually met with her about a month ago when I was with Elder Leota. She had been sick for about a week or two, she just had a bad fever. We were having dinner at the less active man's father's house. They asked if we could give her a blessing. We said, “absolutely.” We gave her a blessing and after we had left the dinner, she said she immediately felt better, and she was just crying and laughing. I think that really made a difference and helped her to see those witnesses our Heavenly Father gives us that he is there, and that he loves us, and that he has a plan for us.

I know that is true. I'm thankful for the gospel. I know the priesthood is real, and that we have that authority once again established on the earth like we had in Christ's time. I know it was restored through the prophet, Joseph Smith, and has been handed down to the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, today. I love the Lord, and I am thankful to serve him.

I love my family. If I ever have a rough day or a rough week, it's always wonderful and nice to hear from all of you to kind of brighten up my day and get me smiling again so I can go about my week a lot stronger. It always nice to hear from everybody to find out what's new and what's going on and things I didn't know about. It always brightens up my day. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know the gospel is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Transcription: 27 February 2012

Elder Record and Elder Thorne have a baptism schedule for this Saturday!

Good morning everybody. This week has been awesome. We've got this guy, his name is Boi (only his nickname). He's pretty cool. He always keeps the commitments we give him. He's learning so much, and he is so excited to get baptized (haha). We just had his interview yesterday. Everything went well. We were kind of asking him about logistics and stuff, like who he wanted to do certain things, he's like “aah, I don't care, I just want to get baptized” (haha). I'm so happy for him too, because I know it's going to bless his life. He is going to be a lot happier because of it. We are excited because that's coming up this coming Saturday. His baptism is going to be in the morning. He is golden. He has just progressed so well. He stopped smoking, and a bunch of things like that. He is just willing to give so much for the gospel. I mean because it is. It is like the best gift we can give, and it blesses our lives so much more than we can give back in return. Heavenly Father loves us so much, and I am thankful for that.

We were also able to visit a guy named Persi. Everybody is related to everybody – it's kind of fun because I'm starting to know everybody in the ward. Persi in the ward is excited because he is going to be going to the temple soon. We are excited for he and his wife. We gave them one of those pamphlets, “Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple.”

Language study has been going good. I am starting to get the hang of Samoan a lot more. When people say stuff, I'm starting to understand it (haha). So when people are talking about things, or when someone asks me a question, I almost always will be able to tell what question they are asking me. I don't know all the little words, but I know what they are asking me.

We have been visiting a lot of people and been helping a lot of the less active members in the ward. They have been coming back to Church (haha), and that makes us so happy – seeing people excited to get going. Hopefully the Elder's Quorum will be able to start home teaching. We have noticed that with a lot of these people, all they need to do is be visited, and have a friend – to have somebody let them know they are thinking about them. They get excited again and come back to Church, and then they feel the strength from that. Usually that is all it takes. We have a lot of people we hope to start teaching. It's exciting.

We are excited about the youth, because the youth are getting really excited about missionary work. We had one guy come up to us, and he was like, “so Elders, can we call you to setup lessons, like a lesson with you guys?” We're like, “yah”, and wanted him to tell us a little more about what he meant. He said, “Like, can we invite non-members to our house and then call you and come over to teach them?” We were like, “YES, Please do that! (haha). That's what we want to hear.” If we can teach them in their friends home, they have their friend to support them, and help them along the way so it's not just us. We are not going to be there forever. So if they have a friend that can help them when we are not there, then they can stay strong in the Church even when hard times come. We have a lot of good people in the ward. I am very impressed with our youth because they are very well behaved. They have clean mouths. They play nice in basketball. They are just great kids. Our ward seems to be the most temperate out of all the Samoan wards.

Life is good. Things are going great. I love serving with Elder Thorne. We are able to go out and do a lot of work. (haha) I'm always tired. As soon as I get any kind of down time, I'm taking a nap on my desk or wherever. I am excited about how the work is progressing. I am thankful to be out here serving the people in the Samoan ward. Hopefully I get my Samoan down even better. We are excited about this next week because we are going to be busy, especially with Boi's baptism. That's just his nickname. I hope all is well at home. Things are going better than they have my whole mission.

I just want to bear my testimony that I know this Church is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet on the earth. I am thankful for temples. I am thankful for the gospel. I am thankful for all the commandments we have to help us become more like our Heavenly Father. I am thankful for the freedom they give us. I am thankful for the direction the gospel gives to my life, because I'm never wondering what going on, or worried about what's going to happen. Nothing really matters by way of things that happen because I know that our Heavenly Father is there for us. I know that as long as we are keeping the commandments, He will deliver us out of our trials. Whatever that means, I'll leave that up to our Heavenly Father. I know that He will be with us. I am thankful for all the good people in this ward and the wonderful work that they do. I love them so much. I am thankful for you guys back home, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love, Elder Record

Email: 22 February 2012

Here's my update. I need to get better at writing in my journal and not procrastinating my audio update =). Thankfully though this last week was probably my busiest week yet on my mission. Things are going great. We were able to have some training in our district this last week from President and Sister Beesley. We had interviews after that. I always love those =). I am thankful for the Gospel. I know it is true. I know now more than ever that things maybe hard at times, but the Lord always helps us get through it. Here in Alaska where there aren't too many people and the winters are dark it's easy to get a little discouraged at times. I have to admit there have been times when I've have gotten a little discouraged and been pretty stressed out. Here are some things I've found that help me to get out on top when things get hard.

1. Start pray fervently, with all your heart
2. Follow President Uchtdorf's advise to slow down and focus on the basics ex. reading, praying, prioritizing. Just figure out the most important things that need to be done and go from there.
3. SMILE!!! haha. It actually works, and laugh too.
4. As you can, surround yourself with good examples, and when your alone, the savior has promised to be there for you and you have good example in the scriptures.
5. DON'T GIVE UP! The Lord doesn't ever give us anything we can't handle without his help. If you remember, when the Lord wants to humble his people, he sends them into the wilderness.

I am thankful for the opportunities I've had to grow. It makes me smile to see how fast things are moving for Lorielle. I remember how crazy busy I was in the MTC. =) I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know our Savior lives and loves us. I know he is mighty to save. I know that often the Lord answers our prayers through other people, and that may be why it is so important to serve others. What a blessing it is to live on the earth at this time where the Lord is blessing us so abundantly. We have the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth today and it blesses my life and fills me with peace and comfort, so it doesn't matter what happens because through the savior I can feel peace in any trail. Thanks for all the support. Have a good week. I can't wait for the amazing Alaskan summers. =)

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 22 February 2012

Hello, this is Elder Record and today is the 22^nd, Wednesday. We were too busy yesterday to do any email, so I didn't email – so that's why (haha). It was a holiday on Monday, so we didn't get to them. This last week was a blessing. It was a blessed week. Me and Elder Thorne are having so much fun. We are being able to do a lot of work, and we are able to see a lot of people and help a lot of people. It's so much fun to see people progress.

There is this one guy who is about seventeen, and he is just the humblest guy I've ever met. He is easily accepting all the changes that we commit him to make. He loves the gospel, and he's so excited to read (haha). Sister Tuiloma is the Relief Society President, and she is helping him out a lot. She will call him, and ask him if he has read, and she will get him to read a little bit more, too. She is just keeping him on track (haha), so things are great. He's a great guy.

We have this other guy too, who we are helping out, and he's progressing well. Just a lot of work is being done – just this last week has been the busiest week of my mission. We got to do a lot of service, and have a lot of fun stuff going on.

There is a Samoan who is deaf that I end up getting to teach. I get to switch with Elder Wereg, who is another elder in the Spanish district, but he knows ASL. So, we were able to go in and teach. He is progressing well. He is a very humble guy. Hopefully we can continue to help him.

Things are going great. All is well. I'm eating plenty of food (haha). I'm staying fairly healthy. I'm getting exercise, so all is well. I'll talk to you all next week.

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 6 February 2012

Good morning everybody, this is Elder Record and today is February 6^th, and it's P-day. I'm pretty excited about that.

This week was AWESOME!!! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK!!!! I LOVE THE SAMOAN PEOPLE!!! I LOVE THE SAMOAN LANGUAGE!!! I LOVE THE SAMOAN FOOD!!! I love everything about life and the great plan of happiness that our Heavenly Father has laid out for us. I'm grateful for His tender mercies and for the opportunity I have to make a difference in peoples lives.

It has probably been one of my favorite weeks so far, just because I have an awesome companion and we are doing a lot of good work. This last week we had a day where we got snowed in, so we had to stay and were not able to do any work. It was also transfers, so we weren't able to do anything for the first couple of days.

On Wednesday I took Elder Thorne out to meet with the bishop and a couple of the active members in the ward to kind of introduce him. So really we kind of started on Thursday, but we had an awesome week. We taught a lot of lessons, and we set up a ton of stuff for next week. We have like four investigators who are planning on putting on date for baptism, and they are just progressing awesome. We are excited to be teaching more people in this coming week. Yeah, it's been very exciting (haha). We have been able to do a lot. I am pretty sure every mission has what they call standards of excellence. It's just goals for the whole mission to help the missionaries be able to work toward something, so they can make sure they are working their hardest. With our standards of excellence, there are a certain number of lessons that we should be able to be teaching a week. Pretty soon, hopefully, we will be able to get to that. So I'm pretty excited. We are starting to use a lot of the members; a lot of the youth too, in taking them out with us. So we are excited about that. We might be getting a treadmill (haha) from one of the members who isn't using it. Yeah, we are just meeting a lot of people and getting a lot of potential.

In my studies this week, I was reading in Alma chapter 43 verse 19. It is kind of talking about how Moroni had prepared the people with breastplates, arm shields, shields to defend their heads, thick clothing, and all these things to kind of prepare them individually. Later in the story after they go through the whole ordeal with Zerahemna and surrounding them in the valley, they go back and Moroni prepares the people kind of as groups and cities. He fortifies the cities. So I just kind of took that and applied it to families. In the gospel we need to prepare ourselves individually and work from the inside out. It is most important for us to be prepared individually with armor, you know for the temptations and the hard things that are out there in the world. Then we can prepare and fortify our families so that we have a place of refuge from the storm there. I think it's kind of neat how Moroni goes through the same thing. It says while he's fortifying the cities, in chapter 48 or something, he is also preparing them spiritually. So to be able to not only physically meet the demands of the war and the battles that are going on, but also to spiritually meet them.

So, I'm thankful for my family, and the strength all of you have provided for me. It has made things definitely a lot easier. I'm thankful for the gospel. I'm thankful that when we go and teach people, that it's so easy because it's something that I care about and something that has blessed my life. It's very easy to share that with somebody. It makes it so much fun because a lot of times they have a lot of questions, but the gospel has a lot of answers (haha); so there's never a question that can't be answered. I love that about the gospel. People find a lot of comfort in that, and they are able to go and seek an answer from their Heavenly Father for themselves and know that it is true. We just invite them to make that choice to look for the answer. It's not really up to us (haha), we just provide the people with the opportunity. I am thankful to be serving in this area with Elder Thorne. I'm starting to get a hang of Samoan more. I'm starting to learn more about the structure of everything. I am starting to be able to understand a lot of what's going on. I am excited for this next week! It will be fun!

In the Spanish district that we have, things are going pretty good. It's fun. We had district meeting in Spanish, and I recorded some of it. We went and played some games with them when we were snowed in. I think we are going to start going on exchanges. Elder Thorne will go with people into the Spanish Branch, and I will bring somebody in here and we will work here. It's been pretty fun to associate with everybody speaking Spanish (haha).

Everybody, have a good week. Make sure you all go to Church (haha), and read your scriptures and pray. I love you so much, and I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

See you later.

Love, Elder Record

Questions: 30 January 2012

Everyone: How was the baptism and did you get pictures?

It went great! Everyone felt the spirit there, and everything went smoothly. While they were changing we watched the ending clip of the testaments where the savior appears. I testified of the savior afterwards and I think it went well. Yes I got pictures.

Dad: If Lorielle starts sending weekly audio updates, will you be able to listen to the MP3? Can you copy them to your voice record to listen to them later instead of using your one hour computer time?

That should work, I don't see why it wouldn't.

Dad, in answer to those chapters you gave me. Here is an excerpt from my weekly to president Beesley about what I studied.

'I was studying in Alma 48 and 49. My dad referenced those to me because he knows I like Ether 12:27. I was reading and discovered that Captain Moroni exemplifies Ether 12:27. In chapter 48 it says that Moroni had been “preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God.” And in verse 12 it shows his humility, “Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.” Not only was he humble, but he also had charity and spent all his time thinking about and working for his people, not himself. And in verse 16 it says, “And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies… and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it;” They were humble and sought after righteousness, and they were guided and protected by the Lord. I am thankful to have the Lord on my side. I know he is always there for me. Whenever I need help I know where to turn and can say like Nephi, “Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.” What a blessing it is to be serving the Lord and our Heavenly Father’s children here in Alaska.'

Love, Elder Record

Transcription: 30 January 2012

Malo! Today is Sunday the 29^th and this is my update for the week. Probably the most exciting thing that happened this week was the baptism for the little nine year old girl we were teaching. She is sooo smart (haha). She is so nice. She is so happy all the time. She remembers a lot of what we teach her, and she was so excited to be baptized. She was a good example for her family. We had her uncle doing the baptism and confirmations, because her baptism was combined with her cousin who was turning eight. They were able to get a lot of family there, a lot of less active members of the family. There were some other elders who brought an investigator. They said she was crying and during the talk about baptism she knew she was ready to be baptized. Definitely the Spirit is there. I read it somewhere in Preach My Gospel where it says the Spirit is strongly manifest in a baptism, because that is like your first step in covenant making – through ordinances with your Heavenly Father. It is a powerful Spirit that accompanies it.

I know I have felt it as I do baptisms in the temple, I mean not anymore, but when I have and when I will. I always am touched a little more than really anywhere else. I don't know – it's because it's that first step I guess, and that people are waiting. Through taking that first step people are able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and have Him as their constant companion as long as they are righteous. It has definitely been a blessing in my life since I've had it. I don't really like to think of what life would be without it, because I have received so much help and strength, especially on my mission, through the Holy Ghost. It really is that Comforter that Christ talked about. I know that our Heavenly Father is there for us and answers our prayers. I know that He loves us. I know that we're never alone. I am thankful I don't have to rely on my own strength (haha), because being honest, we as people make a lot of mistakes. I make a lot of mistakes, and a lot of times it is hard. It is very comforting to know we have a Heavenly Father there who loves us and can provide us with strength. We just need to ask, and then do our best to make it through.

I love you all. Thanks for all your support and prayers. I'm excited for the transfer that is coming up. I found out that Elder Leota will be going to Fairbanks to be serving with a pretty cool elder named, Elder Butler. I will be staying here. I will be getting an elder named Elder Thorne. I have heard a lot about him, and he seems like a pretty cool guy. I think I met him once. Everybody I've talked to really likes him. He was apparently a cross country runner at Stanford (haha), but he's not a very big guy. He doesn't look too old, but apparently he's pretty smart and pretty quick. So I'm excited to be running in the mornings (haha). I have kind of miss that, so it will be nice. He is actually one of the missionaries who was called to be Spanish speaking in this mission. So, we will be part of the Spanish district, and I will probably be learning some Spanish with him, and him Samoan. So I'm excited to hopefully be in some Spanish lessons (haha). So we'll see how that goes. I have definitely found that after trying to learn Samoan, I mean I'm picking it up slowly, but after learning about Samoan I found that Spanish is a relatively easy language. It's a lot easier to learn than Samoan (haha). If I were to come back from my mission or anytime else, I would probably pick Spanish, just because learning a language is not easy. I'm excited! It will be a fun experience, and we'll see how everything goes.

I looked at the picture of the Palmers on the new arrivals board at the mission office, and I will be excited when they come up (haha). I will be sending my SD card in the mail after I take some pictures of my new companion. I love you all. Fasafua!

Elder Record