Here is Elder Talbot's letter from August 5, 2013. He has been out one year now. I am so proud of him!
Joyce (Travis's mom)
Hello :)
It was super nice to hear from you today. I'm glad that you enjoyed the package! The soda came from a super sweet store in Redmond where I'd been working the past transfer. I thought you might like the CD :) It was recorded at the chapel, actually. The Firpo's arranged for the recording, and then the Thompson family from another ward had the equipment to do it. It was really fun :) I'm super glad you liked it! I gave them BIG thanks for making that possible and I told them you'd be very happy.
It was super nice to hear from you today. I'm glad that you enjoyed the package! The soda came from a super sweet store in Redmond where I'd been working the past transfer. I thought you might like the CD :) It was recorded at the chapel, actually. The Firpo's arranged for the recording, and then the Thompson family from another ward had the equipment to do it. It was really fun :) I'm super glad you liked it! I gave them BIG thanks for making that possible and I told them you'd be very happy.
I'm glad you had a good birthday, dad, and Elote is just the BEST!!! It's good stuff. Oh man, I'll have a handful of awesome food stories to tell and bring back. They have so many awesome cooking tricks and such. Yesterday I had some habaniero salsa that nearly destroyed me. It was unbelievable, but SO good. I'll go all day with hot food, but I'm not sure it's healthy. I try to limit how much of it I have...(*good luck*) ;)
Ryan's schedule sounds great!! He'll have fun :) I am still waiting to hear from Brother Steinart, and the canning sounds GREAT THIS YEAR. Sister Firpo commented on some pictures you had put up, doing canning...? She respects that, because it's a huge and awesome job.
Mom, that's a really cool missionary experience you had, serving someone
else. You'll be so blessed for that! Yesterday we had a cool experience. We have
church at 9am and therefore our study schedule is moved to after
church.
I was sitting on the patio, watching The Lamb of God movie, produced by the
Church. I had planned on watching that and really feeling the Spirit of it to
help my testimony of the Savior. As I did, I thought of how to best apply the
impact of what I was watching into my own life. I watched the Savior serve the
afflicted and preach a gospel of joy and salvation through hope in the Son of
God. I really wanted to know what that was supposed to do to my life, and
I dug deep through my life and blessings and the mercies, as instructed in
Moroni 10:3. I imagined that everything the Savior said, was to me personally,
and that helped.
Naturally in the progression of the film we reach the tender moments of the institution of the sacrament, the blessing of the apostles, and finally the rise of the hour of atonement. I tried to be there. Could I not watch but one hour? Certainly I should. I would be there with Him. I moved close to the Savior in my heart and mind. At about this moment, the ramp of the moving truck downstairs crashed to the pavement. There was a new family, evidently moving into our building.
In what became a critical moment of decision, and genius trial, I concluded that drawing near to the Savior was not to be done in any other way than by serving someone else. So, we got into our work clothes and moved dressers and tables and beds to a second story and met some new friends. They are in divorce. She is our new neighbor. As we finished moving them in he communicated to me that he would have us watch over her, keep an eye out, find friends and help her form a social circle; all this, commissioned into the hands of two guys who offered nothing more than to lift the heavy furniture for a new neighbor.
Could there have been any better way provided by Heavenly Father to try me upon His doctrines but than to give me the choice to choose to watch Jesus, or to follow Jesus? That I will leave to pondering. I give thanks for such an opportunity that as Elder Scott explains, will surely endow us with spiritual power.
"I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God用ower to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace." - Richard G. Scott
I really enjoyed that experience and learning moment and hope it presents itself with such contrast to everybody at some stage of life. Learn early the doctrines of Christ and remember that answers will generally only come during forward motion. God cannot steer a parked car, right mom? So true!!
I've had some thoughts. I really like The Lectures on Faith and suggest that you read it together if possible. It's fantastically insightful and will help anybody's progression in living a christian life. It's wonderful. Also, remember to review the broadcast Hastening the Work of Salvation that we had this summer. That's extremely important and should be explored with AT LEAST as much diligence as is given to the scriptural canon.
Anyhow, I'm just about out of time. It goes faster every week! There's always plenty to say. Thanks for being the best, always. I'm going for boldness this week. I want people to know the truths of God, and there's no need to hesitate.
Love,
Elder Talbot
Naturally in the progression of the film we reach the tender moments of the institution of the sacrament, the blessing of the apostles, and finally the rise of the hour of atonement. I tried to be there. Could I not watch but one hour? Certainly I should. I would be there with Him. I moved close to the Savior in my heart and mind. At about this moment, the ramp of the moving truck downstairs crashed to the pavement. There was a new family, evidently moving into our building.
In what became a critical moment of decision, and genius trial, I concluded that drawing near to the Savior was not to be done in any other way than by serving someone else. So, we got into our work clothes and moved dressers and tables and beds to a second story and met some new friends. They are in divorce. She is our new neighbor. As we finished moving them in he communicated to me that he would have us watch over her, keep an eye out, find friends and help her form a social circle; all this, commissioned into the hands of two guys who offered nothing more than to lift the heavy furniture for a new neighbor.
Could there have been any better way provided by Heavenly Father to try me upon His doctrines but than to give me the choice to choose to watch Jesus, or to follow Jesus? That I will leave to pondering. I give thanks for such an opportunity that as Elder Scott explains, will surely endow us with spiritual power.
"I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God用ower to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace." - Richard G. Scott
I really enjoyed that experience and learning moment and hope it presents itself with such contrast to everybody at some stage of life. Learn early the doctrines of Christ and remember that answers will generally only come during forward motion. God cannot steer a parked car, right mom? So true!!
I've had some thoughts. I really like The Lectures on Faith and suggest that you read it together if possible. It's fantastically insightful and will help anybody's progression in living a christian life. It's wonderful. Also, remember to review the broadcast Hastening the Work of Salvation that we had this summer. That's extremely important and should be explored with AT LEAST as much diligence as is given to the scriptural canon.
Anyhow, I'm just about out of time. It goes faster every week! There's always plenty to say. Thanks for being the best, always. I'm going for boldness this week. I want people to know the truths of God, and there's no need to hesitate.
Love,
Elder Talbot
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