1/28/2013

Hey y'all
So i cannot believe how fast the first week of being here has gone by. like seriously it was so werid how fast the time has gone by! The days are long but the weeks go by fast. 99 more weeks to go haha

One thing that i really want to say is how much i love the support from y'all. Family and extended family! when i think about where i am and how it can be a challenge sometimes, i love getting letters from y'all and they always lift my spirirts and help me out for the rest of the week :)

Its a beautiful day here its really humid and like cloudy, but it reminds me of florida. and i got so happy! It put me in a good mood because usually its been really cold! not as cold as utah obviously but still cold.

This week, what ive learned is just GRATITUDE, walking around here and driving around and eating at memebrs home who do not have a lot but they have great faith and spirit that it makes you happy. I hope we can all strive to be a little more grateful in our lives. We really have a lot to be thankful for. I get mad at myself for not being very  grateful back home but ive learned to be more grateful.

What ive loved about the mission so far. I honestly LOVE teaching people. When we have n apointment to go to, and we study and plan a good lesson, and then go teach it by the spirit there is nothing better. Nothing makes me more happy then that. Elder Holland said " Teaching by the spirit means teaching by understanding." Its true, when the spirit is present, i just talk to them, get to know them and then the spirit will tell me what they need to hear and i talk to them about it and i hope it helps them!
Everyone keeps telling me that for the 2 weeks ive been out i do a good job at teaching. Im not saying that to brag or anything but it helps me know that i am ready for this and i need to stop worrying so much about everything and just " open my mouth " to people. My companion was helping me this week learn how to start lessons and teach people. So when we would go to teach a lesson, he wont talk and just look at me to get everything started. Its annoying somtimes but i guess thats how i am going to learn!!

I still am working on tracting and contacting people. I never knew how hard it was going to be for me. I usually like talking to people and getting to know them, but when it comes to talking about the gospel in their life it can be a challenge for me personally. But i remeber my scriputre ether 12:27. And im working on it! I know the Lord will help me if i humble myself, so thats what im working on.

On a funny note, we were walking around a neighborhood ( and a lot of people literally run from us and go into their house ) but we started talking to this girl named Jasmine and her friend stormy ( i like the name ) but shes a baptist and teaches sunday school. So we started talking to her about the restoration. And she seemed interested and we gave her a book of mormon and then asked her if she has any questions. She looked at me and " ya i acutally have a question for you" so i got a little nervous because i had no idea what she was going to ask. She asked me " has anyone told you that you look like jacob black? you look just like him! "
oh gosh... i was like really? thats the question you had for me?
so now my companion calls me Elder black. annoying.

Im learning so much about myself and about this gospel. Its crazy. but im loving it and it makes me want to be a better person!

We have our first baptism this week!!

I love and miss y'all so much!

love,
Elder Jacob Boettcher