Elder Jon Daniel: 6-30-14

What’s up everyone! How's it going this fine sunny day in June!!!

Thank you guys for all the awesome pictures. I bet y’all's trip to Connecticut was a blast. I loved the one of everyone in front of the temple doing the Usain Bolt that made me smile real big, haha!

So this week we weren’t able to meet with any of our investigators, we have two on our radar right now that seem very interested and sincere. We just haven’t been able to meet with them due to their schedules. But like Elder Ballard has stressed you will not be able to teach your message, no matter how good it is, without consistent, persistent follow-up. So we will keep plugging away at them. We were able to meet with just about all of our recent converts and less active members which doesn’t usually happen, so that was great.

Something kind of cool that we were able to do with one of the part members in our ward, the Kroghs, was teach their relatives from Columbia. It was Sister Kroghs cousin, her husband, son and daughter and only the mom spoke fluent English and Spanish. It was fun, there was lots of translating and laughing because of the language barrier, but we made it work. They were very curious about what we do as missionaries and so we told them all about what we do, they said that they’ve seen guys with white shirts and ties back home, but didn’t know who they were. And we were able to teach the first lesson within the conversation we had with them, it was really cool. They’re Catholic and they’re back home now, but the seed of the gospel was planted and they know who we are and what we do now.

We had dinner with an older couple in our ward, the Slagel’s. They live all the way back in the hills of San Marcos so Brother Slagel offered to give us a ride back to the church after dinner. Brother Slagel is a very wise man and a convert to the church when he was a young man, he was a professor at the University of Florida and has been around the block a time or two. While we were driving through the back hills he gave us some really good advice. I'll try to summarize what he told us as best as I can, he said “Fellas, the best piece of advice I can ever give you is to never fall away from the church, no matter what happens. Life will get tough and throw things at you, but never lose sight of the gospel. Trust in the Lord and live a good, righteous life. When you get back home stay strong, be a good husband and father, serve faithfully in the church, and take care of those you love." and then when he shook are hands when he dropped us off he said." I'll see you guys in heaven", haha.
I love this gospel, I love being able to share it with everyone I meet. I love the work and am so blessed to be a part of it. I cannot describe the joy that comes from bringing others to a knowledge of the truth, you need to experience it for yourself.

I love you all,

Stay strong, stay true, and look out for each other while I’m gone, alright?
Your son, friend and big brother,

-Elder Daniel