People do have questions about our church, and they should because it's the true church of Christ.

Milton-Freewater is known for its frog statues.

What's up Mama,

Sounds like your week was awesome! So was mine! I LOVED conference. I really loved all the talks, but my faves were President Eyring's in the priesthood session. (His was all about how the priesthood and the power of prayer are connected.) I also liked Elder Ballard's talk in the priesthood session. It was about raising the bar on RM's. It kinda applied to me haha, sadly enough, since I will be home before the next session in October. I just liked when he made the comment that RM doesn't stand for "Retired Mormon." We need to stay strong in our studies and focus even when we get home. I am going to stay on track. I have already made that decision. My most favorite talk was Jeffery R Holland's talk! Talk about AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just really felt the Spirit during the whole thing. It was just amazing. I am going to get the audio recording on that talk when it comes out so I can listen to it again and again. It was that good. 

Guess what this week entailed? I got the dreaded trunky call that the old missionaries get from missionary travel when they are getting the info together for your flight home. It was funny, because I got mine on Wednesday when I was on exchanges with Elder Nelson. He's the ZL for the Walla Walla zone and we came out the same time, so we both got our trunky calls on exchanges. It was pretty fun haha.

 

That is awesome that Jared's papers are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is wierd that the calls are coming on weird days like Saturday haha. Makes it unpredicitable.

 

Sounds like you guys had fun on the trip to St. Geezy. That's good. I was assuming you guys would have lots of fun.

 

Easter was fun. This ward struggles with feeding the missionaries, but we did have an Easter dinner. It was some super good hamburgers. Ones like I had with the Hale family. The "juicy Lucys". It was soooooooo good. The miniute I bit into it I said out loud that they were like Juicy Lucys, which is what the Hales call them, and the whole family was like, "what the heck." It was kinda funny. I still remember those things though. They were super good at the Hales' and that was like 2 yrs ago haha. Must have been that good to remember what I ate 2 yrs ago huh? haha.

 

Thanks for the Easter package! I loved it and the shirt! You're the best Mama. Love ya tons!

Talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

 

What's up Dad,

My week this past week was great! I had my first district meeting with the district I am in now. I thought it went really well. I gave a training on how to teach to understanding using the pamphlets that the Brethren have made for us to use. I also focused on teaching to feelings rather than thoughts, because that is a huge help that I have learned in my teaching. At the beginning of my mission when I would teach a lesson, I would find myself asking the investigators questions that were something like "What do you think about that?" The answers were usually nothing inspired and sometimes even went way off in left field, but about a year ago I had an interview with President Ware. He and I were talking about who knows what, but he taught me something that I have never forgotten. He told me "It is always going to be about what they feel, before what they know." He told me the more I focus my questions on feelings rather than thoughts, the better the outcome is going to be. It's really true. I have seen time and time again. I have seen it even in conversation with people on the street who aren't interested, but suddenly you ask a great question and they are talking to you for a while. The power of questions to the feelings of the heart is amazing! When somebody truly ponders on the heart, it always brings the Spirit.

 

Our teaching pool is a bit interesting. This week we dropped basically everyone. We haven't been able to contact most of them and they weren't progressing at all. There are still some that are doing good. We have one on-date for baptism. His name is _____. He is a high schooler who is really cool. He's a Seventh-day Adventist, but is pretty interested in the church. He even came to General Conference and he really liked it. He is on date for the 25th of this month. I can really see him getting baptized that day. It's going to be sweet. 

There are some other people we are working with who are doing pretty good. There was a guy named R*** that we visited this week, and from the looks of the first visit it wasn't going to be much of anything, so when I was sitting in his house I really tried to listen to what the Spirit wanted me to say to him. All of a sudden I had the thought to testify of the Plan of Salvation. It was a complete change of subject at the time, but it was cool what happened. He actually listened. He even said to me "I really believe what you're saying. I really want to believe it, too." This was a guy who didn't want to listen to us and he went from just talking endlessly to really listening to what we had to say. He is reading the Book of Mormon, and he is asking great questions, so I know when he says he is studying, he really is. It's amazing what's happening in his life!

 

I mentioned the girl we had met last week when we got that referral, that turned out to be another referral for a different guy, which really turned out to be us finding the girl. Remember that? Well, we visited her this week and she's doing awesome! She and her boyfriend are looking to get into church. Her boyfriend is a member who hasn't gone in a while, and she is really interested in the message we have to share. She took a Book of Mormon and is reading it too. I hope everything continues to go well with her.

 

Other than those three, we are really trying to find some new investigators at the moment. We are re-vamping the teaching pool. It's going to take some work, but we are going to do it. Just pray for us to be able to find the prepared people in our path.

 

I really enjoyed conference. I shared my fave talks with Mama, so I am sure you're going to hear about it, but we had a lot of the same favorite talks. I really loved Elder Holland's. I loved the visuals he used in the story. I really liked the thought that the Savior is our brother who are the hands hanging down helping us. It's totally true. I also loved President Uchdorf's talk too. He really explained grace in a way that I thought was just perfect. A lot of church members needed that talk. Most don't understand fully how grace works in our lives, so that talk was perfect. I sometimes don't fully understand grace as well, so that's a talk I am going to be reading again soon. Both Elder Holland's and President Uchdorf's. We watched conference from the church building here in town. They like the missionaries to be at the church to watch conference. I like it though because it keeps me focused. It will help Jared to be in a chapel instead of on a couch haha. I guess that when there is a will there is a way with Jared haha. I am sure though that he is going to be too concerned about taking notes that he won't have time to play with toys haha. It's going to be fun to watch conference with you guys in October haha. It will be weird haha.

Hahahaha! Kentucky lost. That is so perfect. I was just waiting for that to happen. Duke made it all the way though. That's crazy. I bet they will win. I hope they do because it will make Utah look better, right?

How are the Jazz playing?

Well good luck with your lesson in primary. I bet you will do good. I bet it's fun being able to teach in there and really simplify the gospel.

 

I know that President Monson is a true prophet. I know the Priesthood is on the earth. The same power Christ used while he was on the earth. It was cool. This morning in Walmart this lady randomly came up to me and asked me if the Melchizedec priesthood was on the earth. I was like "What the heck?" in my mind, but I didn't say that of course. I just know that not everyone knows about that kinda stuff unless they have been really studying something about our church. I just testified right in the middle of Walmart that the priesthood is on the earth and I ended up having a lesson with her while Elder G was printing some pictures off. It was kinda funny. I haven't had that happen to me before but it was good. People do have questions about our church and they should because it's the true church of Christ. As we stand as an example where ever we are, people will be able to recognize that we are members of the church and we will be able to answer their questions. I just love the gospel!!!! I love my mission!!!!!!! Thanks for all that you do to keep this guy out here. I love you guys!!!!

-Elder Sedlacek