Hello friends and family:

 

I am enjoying missionary service, and learning endurance... still. haha :P

That's just how it is! One of the other companionships in our ward had a baptism last night, and it was very nice. We are conducting a fast, starting tonight, that the wife of one recent convert in our ward will be able to have a change in her schedule to attend church. If she does, she'll be baptized in about 3 weeks! She is in our area, and I am really wanting to baptize someone. Someone here is ready to make a keep covenants.

Well, the change is for sure about the Seattle Mission. There will be no transfers this July, and we have to synchronize with the schedule of the Seattle Mission, so Elder Kimber and I will be staying together in this area for a while! President Wilson is almost done with his missionary service, and he is at a great spiritual high. I'd basically say that on a regular basis he just reaches up and parts the veil for the whole mission, pouring out revelation for our goal setting, our methods, and our conversion. We have been doing incredible things. I may have already explained, but one of the main "key indicators" of our success is how many progressing investigators we have on a weekly basis. Like I told you a few weeks ago, the new goal is 300 for the month of June, and that's over double what the average was three months ago. It's amazing what faithful works can do.

President Wilson has arranged for a special conference this Friday with our zone, and we will have the privilege of hearing his parting testimony. It will certainly be an incredible experience. We also anticipate the special fireside this coming Sunday! The missionaries have some ideas and wishes about what it will entail, but I won't mention, rather wait and see :) I can tell you, it WILL be a life changing experience to see. This broadcast is a view into one of the most incredible conferences that happens in the church. This is the calling of new mission presidents, and special discourses by all 15 of the Apostles about the direction of missionary service for the coming three years. We'll see a small portion of it, but it's going to be incredible.

I always overlook or forget to mention how great the food here is! Last night we had fantastic carne asada, and grilled Serrano's and Jalapenos. They were SO good, but SOOOO SPICY!!! I was dying, and usually I can take spicy pretty well. All four of us missionaries that went were "enchilados" or all-chillied-out, basically. Sweating, DYING. I learned a new trick though. You don't use water, nor milk, nor anything like that. For getting rid of the burn, eat a handful of SALT. It works great! Follow that with bread and you're set. I really need to get on it and send some of these recipes home. They're amazing. We also frequently have Teriyaki, because there are TONS of them here. Lots of Indians, Asians, and South Americans here. It's great. Such a mixing pot. For Spanish that means that I can't really form a distinct accent because I pick up on the accent of whoever I'm talking to! It's fun, though.

I taught Gospel Principles on Sunday, all about the Organization of the Priesthood. It was a super long lesson, so I had to cram it, but I managed to explain it simply enough to the man who was baptized that same night. I think he understood most of it. Teaching about that gets me so excited about Quorum's. The Apostles have taught that the most important group to which a man should pertain must be his Priesthood Quorum. They are INCREDIBLE for what good they can do among men. We're really focusing on strengthening our quorums in the Aaronic Priesthood here in our ward.

I'm really happy to hear about your trek experience. It's EXHAUSTING!! I remember, for SURE. But wasn't it just an amazing spirituality that was felt? There's a great connection there with a real effect on the soul.

Anyhow, everything is going good here. I'm going to get a stronger testimony of fasting, by fasting that this lady frees up her weekend schedule to attend church! I'll report on that next week :)

Love,

Elder Talbot