Zone Conferences

Well this week was a little odd. It isn't semana santa anymore, so most of the tourists are gone, but it's still break for school, so nobody is here. That made finding people a little difficult, but we still had some good lessons. The real highlight was zone conference on Wednesday. We were in Quèretaro almost literally all day, but it was just so good. We talked the first half about PMG ch. 1 (the missionary purpose) and the second half about using the spirit. That was all just fine and dandy, but the part that really made the difference for me was when we had the zone meeting. One of our zone leaders, Elder Neves (went to Lakeridge, knows Craig) gave an excellent lesson about the Atonement. I feel like there have been few moments in my life where I learn something incredibly spiritually significant, but this was one of those times. There's a quote in PMG pg. 2 that says something along the lines of "the more we understand the Atonement, the greater our desire to share the gospel will be", and I finally understood it for real. Understanding is the source of power in a teacher. As we grow to understand the Atonement, we exercise it or apply it. As we apply it, we become more capable of applying it and thus our understanding increases, giving us more power and causing us to apply it more. I've always loved thinking about how the Atonement is infinite, and this was just one more way. Also, we talked about character, based on Elder Scott's talk from Fall 2010. Read it. It's amazing.

Along those lines, I hope you haven't sent my package yet, because I have one more thing to ask for. There are two books that I'm dying to have: The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister, and The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox. If you could include those, I'll just be so grateful. Also, I don't know if you remember, but I was going to send a package home on Christmas. I left it in the hands of another Elder, and it never happened. After being in Tequixquiac, then the offices, it's back in my hands, and I'll probably send it next week.

I'll be on the lookout for some excellent scenery. Also, Canyon, Happy Birthday!!! When I read that you're turning 5, I didn't even believe it for a minute. You're just growing up so fast, and I hope you have a great birthday. Mom, thanks for updates on everyone's majors and what not. Brigham, that may be the first (and probably the last) time that a date doesn't work out for you. Just don't go getting yourself married before I get back. Unless the Spirit says to, then by all means, go right ahead. Tara, good work on prom royalty and on soccer. I'm glad things are going well. Alyssa, I've gotten letters from Feb. 24, then March 23. Something's missing in there. It might be a good idea to re-send those (assuming you're still copying them before sending them like you told me). Also, by "it might be a good idea", I mean "please send them because I feel like the month between those dates no longer exists". Mom, when I said "we", I was actually referring to the district. Honestly, this companionship isn't going that great, because my companion is quite disobedient, but I'm trying not to focus on it. Thus, I haven't written you much about it. Mitch, excellent work on your Eagle. Scouting was a really important part of my growing up, and I hope it continues to be a good experience for you and that you can learn a lot.

Mom, regarding Sr. Johnson, that's super cool. I wish we found investigators like that. Just remember that if you confide in the Spirit, there's no need to be worried. Read PMG ch. 4 and study the references in there. "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear".

I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that gave His life for us. He truly is the Savior of mankind. I know that every person in every situation can apply His Atonement in their lives to make it better. Repentance is real. As we come unto Christ and lay our burdens at His feet, He will make them disappear. We truly can take His yoke upon us and leave our burdens behind. I know that He lives. Because He lives, we will all live again. I know that Heavenly Father sent Him as the ultimate show of His perfect, eternal love for us. He truly is our Father, and He knows each of us. I know that He hears and answers our prayers when we pray with faith. As we exercise that faith, we grow in hope and charity until that faith becomes truly unbreakable, and we can do all things that the Father asks of us. We can say, as Nephi, "I will go and do".

Elder Facer