We have so much we are blessed with. We should be nothing but grateful for all of it.

 

Whaz up Dad,

To answer your question, I had a great week. It's amazing how much finding we have done, that has led to a lot of potential investigators. It's been awesome. This ward area is probably going to have two baptisms in February! It will be super awesome. I just hope I am here to see them. I really don't want to get transferred!

 

C**** is doing awesome. Even though her parents don't want anything to do with the church, she is still able to get baptized. We will need the permission from her parents, but she said they are okay with her getting baptized. I thought that was really cool that they still are going to let her choose what she wants. She really wants to be baptized, and today she even started seminary even though she isn't a member yet. I think that is just awesome!!!! How often do you hear something like that happen! haha

M***** is doing awesome, too. They went out of town this week, so they couldn't come to church, but she has been reading and keeping up on all the commitments we give them. We are meeting with them tonight to get things figured out & when exactly she is going to be baptized. I would imagine it'll sometime in February.

This week we had a super cool tracting story. We were knocking some doors with a 17 year old boy from another ward and he must have been a good luck charm or something. We knocked into a lady who was in her younger 20s. She was really not interested, so we just had some small talk on her door step. She was about to close the door, and I felt like I should ask her how she needs God in her life right now. She then opened up and got emotional. She told us about her grandpa having a terminal disease and his wife, her grandma, had died a couple days before he found out he had the disease. It was a pretty sad story and she was pretty upset about the whole thing. I just told her that I had lost my grandparents too, but I take comfort from the plan of salvation that I can see them again. I gave her a pamphlet and committed her to read it that night. We then went back then next day to follow up, and she was so happy! It was such a change. She told us that immediately when she closed the door, she read the whole pamphlet. She loved it so much she even read a couple chapters in the Book of Mormon. The coolest part about it all was she said, "That plan of salvation thing; I think you guys have it right. That is always how I thought it would be like." Unfortunately, she was moving up to Prosser the next day, so she is only down in Kennewick for the weekends. We are hoping to set her up with missionaries in Prosser, so it should be pretty cool to see where she ends up. That was probably the coolest thing that happened this week.

Church was great for us this week. There was something said that I really liked, so I wrote it down. It was a talk on gratitude and the guy giving it said "What if we woke up tomorrow with only the things we had thanked Heavenly Father for the night before?" I really thought about that and last night I tried to be super thankful in my prayers. I know Heavenly Father does so much for me, and all of you. We have so much we are blessed with. We should be nothing but grateful for all of it. I know Heavenly Father lives. He loves us all so much.

I have heard the words to that primary song about Gethsemane. It is super good. It is one of my faves as well.

I cant believe you are rooting for the Seahawks (haha), but since it's either the Seahawks or the Pats, I would have to choose the Seahawks too, only because they are Washington's team. It's good to hear the Jazz are doing so good haha. At this point they should just stay at the bottom of the pack. They need the draft pick. I had heard the Utes are doing awesome at basketball. I hope they keep it up. It would be so cool to see them win the tournament in March/April.

The weather here has been okay. I haven't seen the sun for I don't even know how long. It's really unusual. It sounds like it still exists though since you guys were so warm haha.

It's already time to put in for hunts??? That came fast. That's super cool that they changed the bear regulation. It's just so much work to keep up the bait station. It would be fun though. If you wanted you could put me in for a deer hunt. Just whatever you feel like doing, I'm good with.

I am soo happy to be serving a mission. I know the gospel is true. God lives. Jesus Christ lives. We can come to know Him through living the Gospel of joy. This life is meant to bring us happiness. It may be hard, but it's worth it. I know the Book of Mormon is true. Read it every day! It's that important!

Love you guys!

-Elder Jake Sedlacek

ps this was a HUGE email hahaha.

There are things that I have learned to like on my mission. Tomatoes just aren't one of them.

Hey Mama,

You were right about the holiday, obviously I couldn't email yesterday, so that's what today is for. 

We had a really good week. It was probably the best week yet since I arrived in this ward. The Lord is blessing us right now! We have 12 people we are teaching who have said they would be baptized. Not all of them are on date, but they have all committed that they will be baptized when they find out the Book of Mormon is true. We found five  new investigators just this week. That was so awesome!

Thanks for applying for the college stuff for me. You're awesome.

I haven't gotten my glasses yet. I didn't think it would be this long to get them in, but I guess not. We will have to see if they come in by the end of this week.

Hopefully email works today with ya.

Mama: Hey Son,

I am happy to hear from you! It works to email. I am in Brigham City with Nicole for her birthday. We had lunch and did a little shopping. Sounds like you had an awesome week! Five new investigators? That is way cool!

Elder Sed: Hey that sounds like fun. We will have to go shopping when I get home haha.

Where did you go to lunch?

Tell Nicole I say hi!

Yep, we found five!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could hardly believe it.

Hey, it's good you have a smart phone then I guess, since you're in Brigham City haha.

Mama: We went to lunch at a place called Idle Isle Cafe. We both had a BLT and shared a shake. It was fun. It's a lot like the Bluebird Cafe in Logan.

Elder Sed: Eww, a BLT. You can have all you want though, just not with me there. I still am not a fan of raw tomatoes. Never will be haha. There are things that I have learned to like while on my mission. Tomatoes just aren't one of them.

Mama: So if you haven't learned to like raw tomatoes, what have you learned to like? Nicole still can't believe you don't like BLTs. Hello....BACON!!!!!

Elder Sed: The tomatoes ruin the whole sandwich. That's all I gotta say.

As far as new stuff I like, I love Caesar salad now for one thing haha. I don't know..I just like good food haha.  {The whole family is shocked by this new love of Caesar salad. He used to flatly refuse to even taste it!} 

Mama: This is so funny!! You like Caesar salad now??!!? Nicole just said, "Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor!" That is still her favorite thing, we just had it the other day for her birthday like always.

Elder Sed: Yeah, I guess I came to realize just what true happiness is all about (wink!). I always remember Nicole saying crap like, "Caesar salad is what true happiness is about" while I refused to eat it as a kid. 

I have to get going now. We have some appointments we need to get to and some stuff we have to do today. It was fun to catch you today. Emailing is always fun. It should be back to the normal time next week, but we may go to Kennewick to do some shopping so it could be later. Just know I will email sometime on Monday. It's good to hear things are going good. Don't be nervous, Nicole. You'll do good.

I love all you guys! Talk to you next Monday! I will be praying for all of you! Have a great birthday Nicole, and the rest of you have a good week.

-Elder Sedlacek

Hey Dad,

This week was AWESOME!

All of our investigators are doing well. I will give you an update on some of them because I don't have time to update you on all of them.

M**** is doing so awesome!!!! I was sooo happy with her this week. We had a great lesson this week when we went over the baptism requirements and helped her realize what was keeping her from getting baptized. It was a miracle. It totally changed her way of thinking. They even came to church this Sunday with J**** having to work, when before they wouldn't have done that. I am just super pumped to see her get baptized. She is so close now. Even closer than before.

L***** is doing great. He is continuing to make small steps to coming to church. It's just something he has not been comfortable with since he was young. But he is making progress, which is great. He committed that he is going to come to church on this Sunday! I was so happy to hear that.

We found five new investigators this week! Their names are S**** and her son D. We had a super good lesson with them, and they committed to be baptized on the first lesson. It was awesome! We also found a family that we are teaching. They are all older, so the kid D** is late teens. We are also teaching his mom and his girlfriend. They are pretty awesome as well. They don't have really any gospel knowledge, so that is going to be fun, but they are really open to it and want to change their lives around. All it takes is the desire or hope in Christ, and we can change our lives around. I have seen that so many times!

All of our investigators who are on date are doing well. Really, all of our investigators are doing awesome. Like I said in my email to mom, the Lord is blessing me and Elder R. It has been awesome to be a part of.

That is awesome that work is going well for you. All the different ways the work hastens--it's pretty amazing to me.

I had heard that the Seahawks won, of course haha. There are some crazy 'hawks fans up here. It must be me coming up to Washington that helped them win and get to the Super Bowl again (wink, wink!). It will be interesting to see how Feb 1st goes with the Super Bowl and stuff. Last year was interesting, I know that haha.

Thanks for all that you do for me Dad! You're awesome! I really am grateful to be serving a mission in the best area of the whole world! The people here are so awesome! I know the gospel is true. I know the atonement is infinite and will heal us of any spiritual wound that can happen to us in this life. Jesus Christ loves all of us and wants us to succeed. He is beside us every step of the way through this life. I know families are forever! I am so happy that I have a loving, supportive family. You guys are awesome!

I love you guys soo much. Hope you know that!

--Elder Jake Sedlacek

A mission is 10% of the life I have lived so far....but the blessings far outweigh the sacrifice.

What's up Mama,

This week was great. The weather has been a lot like Seattle would be. It has been misting, but not raining, like everyday. It feels good. The air is really humid, but it's cold, so it's all good. I like it.

This week was pretty good. We had interviews with President Ware. Those are always so cool. He is pretty dang awesome! I asked if there was any chance of me going to the other mission, and he said he's 99.9% positive that I am going to stay in the WKM. I was happy to hear that! I don't think it would be as cool to have my exit interview with a guy I hardly know at all.

My most fave thing about Kennewick?? I really like the area. It reminds me a lot of Utah except it's not quite as pretty. The people are really nice, and it's mostly Christian so everyone has some good intentions. But yeah, other than that there isn't much to see or do in Kennewick, but I love the people!

 

Our investigators have been doing great. We got another baptism scheduled last night for February 7th, so it's pretty close! I am excited for C***** (that's who we put on date).

I didn't get my glasses yet. I would bet they come this week. If they don't I will be super surprised. Sounds like you should go to the eye doctor too, Mama. You're probably as blind as a bat haha jk.

That's way cool that Sister M has left now. I bet her mom is feeling like the house is empty with just two kids left haha. You're going to be feeling the exact same way here pretty soon haha. That's crazy that Jared already got his suit picked out. He doesn't have it back yet, though, I would presume.

Sounds like you have a busy life right now with school for the kids, and plays and whatnot for everyone else. You're one busy mama!

That's so crazy that Elder _____ got hit by a rock. Is he doing alright? Luckily I haven't had anything like that happen. Satan is real. I have figured that out multiple times. We just need to try that much harder to fight back.

Jared and his ego, thinking he's better at ceramics than I am.....He will quickly realize that he's not as powerful as he thinks he is when I get home and teach him who's really the boss still haha.

What's up big Papa,

I am having a pretty good week. We got a lot done. It went by super fast. All of our on-date investigators are doing really well. Besides C**** who we put on date last night, M***** is doing great too. Sadly, we only had C***** at church on Sunday. That has been THE hardest thing with our investigators. They say they want to be baptized, and we get a sure commitment that they will come, and then something else gets in the way. L*****  has been really busy with work, but he's still reading when he gets the chance. 

T*** has been super busy this week as well. I don't really know what is going on. She has no phone and is never home, so we will see if she stays on date for baptism.

K**** was out of town the beginning of the week and then busy catching up on work the rest of the week. He's been reading though, so that was AWESOME! He and his girlfriend have a lot of potential. They made a deal that they will help each other read every day.

 

We had a super good lesson with C*****. She is a minor, so we had her talk to her parents about being baptized and they gave her permission. She prayed to know if she should be baptized, and she really wants to be baptized on the 7th of February. Guess what????? She is already enrolled in seminary and she isn't even a member yet. How golden is that hahahaha. Anyway, she is awesome!

I know the Lord is blessing this area. We have been finding lots of people who are interested in learning more. We just haven't gotten back to teach them yet because we have been so busy. I will let you know more about them next week.

This week I had my interview with Pres Ware. He is awesomely inspired! I know it! He shared with me that his focus for the mission in 2015 is going to be on faith. He shared a quote from Joseph Smith that says something like, "God requires the sacrifice of all earthly things to be able to build a faith that will be able to withstand." I got thinking about just how much sacrifice a mission takes for me, for you, for the family, for the whole ward. A mission really is a huge sacrifice. It's 10% of my life that I have lived so far. A long time, but really, the blessings far outweigh the sacrifice. I have loved my mission so much. Pres Ware shared another quote with me that I felt really hit me. It was "The Lord prepares each of us for the purposes He placed us on this earth to complete. Moments are set before each of us that if we give all that is within us, will bring us to an ability and power we have not known before" (Brigham Young).  I know that my mission has been one of those experiences for me, and because of it, I have been changed and know just how much I can do.
 

That's way cool they announced the new mission presidents. The mission president of the Utah Logan mission is going to be President Allred, who is from the WKM mission presidency. He is a way cool guy. Whoever goes to that mission will be lucky. I bet Pres. Lewis will do awesome! It's pretty much for sure I stay in the WKM. I was happy to hear that.

Well, thanks so much for all that you do for me Dad. You're awesome! Love ya! I am so happy to be serving a mission. It's such a blessing and so fun as well. I know the church is true!!!!!!! I know it! Thanks for the letter and all that you and mom are doing to help me out with school and stuff.

-Elder Jake Sedlacek

I really want my room to be a mess when I get home...

What's up Mama,

I can't believe it's 2015. Holy holy holy cow. New Year's was really fun. We hung out and played dominoes and stuff with Sister S. I took some pics so I will send those to you in a minute. We can't really stay up all that much without being super tired the next day, so I just laid in my bed till 11, which would have been midnight in Utah, and told Elder R a happy New Year haha. It was fun.

I haven't got my glasses yet. I called the doctor's office and they said they have been slow getting in because of the New Year. I should get them this week though.

 

I am going to get my ring sized today so I will probably send home that ring with my ring size. Do you think it would send in just a regular envelope?

Our week was super good. I was really happy on New Year's Eve when I just thought back on my mission and realized just how much good I have had. I realized that D&C 18:15-16 is really true. I have had so much joy on my mission in just 2014. I love being able to serve the Lord!

We did some service at the food bank in relation to JustServe this week. It was really fun. The people were  amazed to see about 20 missionaries ready to serve and help out. It was really fun being able to help out people who truly did need the help.

Hey that's cool you were able to get the snowman all built up and you were able to help. That's super cool that your knee brace helps you that much. I am glad to hear it. You guys should have taken some water up to pour into the buckets so it would have packed the snow better. Can you still see the snowman on the mountain? I would bet you could. I wonder if anyone else has caught on to our tradition of building a snowman up on the hill every New Year.

What do you mean that the Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't that good????????? I wasn't hoping to hear that hahaha. I still want to watch it when I get home. Watching movies is one thing I want to do when I get home, if I can manage to sit still that long haha.

You guys are on 11 o'clock church now. Lucky! I am on the one o'clock here and it's not too bad. It makes it easier for our investigators to make it to church, that's for sure. 11 is still the best though. I have to say that.

Mama:

Hey son!

I'm glad you had a good New Year! I think your ring should send fine in a regular envelope.

We can see the snowman on the hill still. This week is 40 degree temps so it may melt some, but as for now we can see it. Looks like Kennewick is warm this week too. 

 

Elder Sed: 

It was super cold this last week. Guess what Mom? I got to shovel snow for the first time in all the time I have been on my mission yesterday. It was AWESOME! I didn't relize how much I missed snow haha.

I guess it's supposed to be warm this week though. We stepped outside today and all the snow is gone and it was almost 50 degrees. That's Warshington for you I guess. It's kinda like Utah sometimes. 

Mama:

You got to shovel snow? Fun stuff. Jared has had  fun using the snow blower. Who knows where he'll be the next two winters! 

 

Elder Sed:  I am going to guess that he will go to Yakima Washington. They are going to need some missionaries come July haha. I think that would be cool if he went there or even to the WKM.
I did get to shovel snow. I was so happy. I don't even know why haha. I bet Jared has tons of fun using the snow blower. Does it do good at the end of the driveway?

Mama: Yes, it does great in the snow and he has tons of fun with it. He's been using it to take care of Sister Ks driveway. She has cancer right now, so that's been good that he can help her out. It would be funny if he does go to Yakima, but I think if he does he will probably be Spanish speaking. It will be interesting to see. 

Elder Sed:

There will be plenty of Spanish work in that mission, let me tell ya haha. I could see it happening. It will be cool to see where he is really going to go though.

 

I really want my room to be a mess when I get home, just like I left it, FYI. I want to have something to do when I get home, like clean my room, okay? haha.

I have to get going now. Email was fun today. Thanks for all that you do. You're awesome Mama! I hope you all have a great week. Tell Nicole hi for me if you could. I didn't get  an email from her, and I also didn't have time to email her.

Love ya. Talk to you next week!

-Elder Jake Sedlacek

What's up, Daddio?

I guess I am going to start out by apologizing that I thought you were older than you really are hahahahahahahahaha. Sorry about that ;) Don't you even worry about not having anybody to celebrate with you when you do turn 50. I will be sure to have some surprise for you.

My week was really good. The investigators are really being blessed right now. We were actually able to find some a new one this week. We are going to start teaching K's girlfriend, M***. She is pretty cool, and we had a super good lesson with both of them last night. The spirit was strong and at the end Elder R and I bore our testimonies of the gospel, and she said she was amazed at the amount of conviction I had in my testimony. I had never had anyone say that to me directly before, so it was cool. I really do know the church is right for everyone. Thanks to the mission!

M***** could really use some prayers right now. She is going through a difficult situation with her family and could use the support. We stopped by yesterday morning and gave her a blessing and it was cool. She had made the comment before we started that she was all shaky and really dizzy, but afterwards she said that right when I gave her the blessing she felt totally fine. It was cool to see that come directly from the priesthood blessing. I know the priesthood is on the earth.

We taught our investigator named C***** and that went well. She is a 17yr old Seventh-day Adventist, but super open to the gospel because of her friend who is a member of our ward. Her friend just invited her to come to church, and is there for her when she has questions. C***** made the comment when we taught her the plan of salvation yesterday that "it makes more sense than what I already knew." It was cool to hear that she has been reading and praying and feels like the church is true.

L***** is doing great things as well. He told us that he definitely knows the Book of Mormon is true. He really wants to be baptized and is trying to live the way he feels that God wants him to live. It will be just a matter of time before he is baptized, because he has to get his divorce finalized.

Well, I am so grateful to be serving a mission. It has been totally awesome!

Sounds like you had a good week. I bet you enjoyed having all that time off work. Hopefully work goes good for you this week.

You will have to let me know how the championship goes. Sounds like I am going to be an Ohio fan for this game. I don't want Oregon to win, although it would be good for the Utes and the Pac-12. That's awesome the Utes are doing so good at basketball. Hopefully they can make it to the tournament and win. That would be really awesome.

I know the gospel is true. I know Jesus Christ lives. I know God is there for us in our lives every step of the way. I know the Lord asks us to sacrifice things in this life so our faith can be built. That is the only way sure faith can be built--through sacrifice. God blesses us as we let him bless us. I know the Book of Mormon is true. It's such a privilege to be able to read it every day. Believe me, I do.There isn't a day that goes by that I don't read from the Book of Mormon. It is that important to us in this life. I know we have scriptures in this day and age so we can come to know God. I love Him so much! The atonement is real!!!!!!!

Thanks for all that you do for me, Dad and family. You're all awesome. Love ya!

-Elder Jake Sedlacek