Ben 4/7/14

*** Here is Ben's letter. He writes to us about a picture we sent to him. We went to General Conference on Saturday afternoon  in the Conference Center and the camera caught our family during the rest hymn, The words on the screen were, "Thus onto Eternal perfection, the honest and faithful will go". Too funny. Nate has been growing a beard out while he still can. Ben and Nate are so competitive that they argue about who's beard is better. Too funny. We also picked up two young men who were hitchhiking to Zion National Park. They rode on our car with us for the last 3 hours of our drive home. They listened to 2 full hours of General Conference with us. ;-)  I was admittedly apprehensive, but it ended up being a great thing. (Nate's idea.) He talks about his favorite talks from General Conference. He talks about us getting our screenings because Gary had a mark removed from his face. All is good, we just feel old. I included a letter to his mission President at the end. ENJOY!***

 

Fam!

Thus on to eternal perfection, the honest and faithful will go! Hahaha that picture of you is so awesome!!!!! To be honest I didn't see you then, though I was paying attention and looking!!! I thought I saw Nate on a side profile at a different time, but clearly not, the beard is improving, but you still have a lot of beard to grow young padawon.  Wait til I send you pictures and you think I'm Zac Brown in the flesh. 

Man the conference was great!  Always is.  It went by way too fast!!! My favorite session this time was priesthood!!! You guys are so blessed to have been there.  I had no idea Mom and Matt had never been there!!! We'll have to go again as a fam.  That is such a great story about the hitchhikers! Look at my missionary fam!!!  I bet that had a big impact on them!  You are a great example to me!!!  I wish we could pick up hitchhikers...  Some of my favorite talks were all three of the first presidency's in reverse order Uchtdorf,  Eyering,  Monson. Also Elder Bednar's about the yoke and the load in the truck, it's actually a great way to explain covenants. 

This week the funniest/funnest thing that happened was hands down the mud fight!!! Usually for district p day people plan on playing games or going bowling...... I was just like no we need to do something fun.  We went on this mud hike that made you feel like you were in the amazon. Gators and snakes could have come from anywhere. At first everyone was a little apprehensive, but as we got going we turned it into a really fun mud war including mud wrestling!!! Wait til you see pictures!  It kind of reminded me of the big water fight me and Ben Smith went to in Bunkerville!!! It was fun to have no mercy on sister missionaries and pelt them with mud. (Don't worry mom they wanted to be involved).  It's a big blessing because my whole district gets to stay together this next transfer. It will give us a little stability and continuity. Upward and Onward!!!

Nate  I think you're right on the money with your plans!!!  I have just a introduction of mission advice I'll try to get to ya.  In less than a month I can give you more via Skype!!! (Our Mother's Day Skype is coming!!) Then it's your time big man!!! Even more rewarding than baptisms is missionaries.  In all my wards I've loved working with priest who will soon serve missions. Last night we attended one with a guy named Luis who helps us a ton! He is going to Denver South Mission!!! I hope he is still in the MTC when you get there! I wish I could be there with you, my prayers and letters will have to do. You are going to do great things!  Make sure Mom and Dad get there medical screenings.  Old fogies...  Matt things are going to pick up big time for you.  I keep looking at the pictures of you I've been sent recently! You're getting big man!!! Tall and ready for war! There's a lot of good things coming your way!!!  I'm glad to hear you enjoyed conference!

I can't believe Maddie and Tori and Austin are getting married. I think it's great for them, for me however, I would have been very dumb to try and do something like that without the experience of a mission. I think even with the experience of a mission, I'll still be too dumb to try anything like that!  I'm forever living in that LeBron James/Warrior room and messin around with my bros!!!

Ya dad, I'd like to have Todd Smith give those liberal women who want the priesthood a quote or two!  Just remember when you give hitchhikers a ride mom, their "Mama tried" too (;  I thought of you a ton throughout the conference!!!  Can't for Mothers day (: Keep going strong fam!

Life is such a blessing! We can't wait to get back to work!!! I love you guys tons!!! I'll try to send out a letter today!!!

***Ben's Letter to his mission President (He must have asked what Ben's favorite talk was from Conference.)

 

Can I only pick one?  Please don't reprimand me if I pick two.

1. President Uchtdorf's talk in the Priesthood session.  "DON'T SLEEP THROUGH THE RESTORATION!"   The Restoration is not complete, it is only set in motion!  That talk will do wonders to reset our vision and understand our role in the work.  Faith will bring us miracles! Miracles don't stop after the doctrine and covenants are over!  I believe the Lord is just as willing to give the Waterford, Goldenrod, and University Park wards miracles as he was to give Joseph Smith and Heber C Kimball miracles.  We not only teach about the restoration of the gospel, but need to better exemplify it.

2. Elder Bednar's talk on covenants.  In the famous scripture found in the last verses of Mathew 11, we find a scripture we very often associate with the peace and rest that accompanies the gospel.  Jesus says "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden" and then he asks us to what? Take his 'yoke' upon us?  Yokes require work and responsibility! I thought I was coming to you to receive rest?  If everyone understood that making and keeping covenants is a blessing and that this responsibility helps us find peace, more people would be baptized and go to the temple, and members and missionaries would be more diligent in sharing the gospel and keeping our covenants. We went to a dinner appointment right after conference with a man married to a temple worker who is not a member.  We felt prompted to share this principle with him, his wife, and his returned missionary son.  We invited him to set a date for baptism.  He decided not to, but the spirit bore witness to all our hearts the importance of covenants.

We are grateful to have most of the district together for the next transfer.  Transfers truly are inspired!  We have big plans and we are excited to get to work.