Tuesday, May 12, 2015

2015-05-12 Cienega de Flores and Davis' 19th Birthday

Happy Birthday Davis, May 14, 1996.

2015-05-12 Cienega de Flores

Hey Mom,

It was really nice to talk to you guys this past weekend. Too bad thanny wasn´t there. Anyway, between then and sunday, not much happened. I´ve been thinking a lot about the book of mormon, and how important it is. I told you guys the story about the lady who gained a testimony of the restoration through the book of mormon, and I told my mission president in my letter as well, and I think it´d be a good experience to share with everyone:

I have learned a lot more about trusting in the spirit, and the power of the book of mormon. Last sunday we had an exerience where we found a lady and we taught her about the restoration and about the book of mormon, inviting her to be baptized. When we came back that saturday, she declared to us that she had read the book and she had prayed...and she had recieved an answer that it was all true. Wow! how incredible. I could never do anything such as that. It´s like what Elder Anderson metioned in his talk this general conference talking to pres. monson years ago: We do all we can to hasten the work of the Lord, but this is the Lord´s work, and he opens doors, and works miracles that we can scarcely imagine. I found myself in the priesthood class this sunday learning about what Pres. Benson said about the book of mormon, it´s holy promise, and how we must concentrate everything on the book and its promise. Then later in the night I re-read "The Challenging and Testifying Missionary" another time. That night, I think I might of had some mixed dream or something, where I was talking at the pulpit, or someone else I don´t know, about the importance of teaching with the spirit, and letting the spirit teach through the power of the Book of Mormon. The person talking said "If we aren´t allowing the spirit to teach through us, and throught the book of mormon, then what are we doing?!" Well I woke up thinking "Well if I didn´t already know how important it is to do everything with the spirit and the book of mormon...I do now!"
Elder H and Davis at the Monterrey Temple

Something else that I have learned about this week has been sacrifice. The mission is a sacrifice, but there are so many opportunities to sacrifice even more mom. To sacrifice all of our efforts, our talents, our smiles. To sacrifice our man-like characteristics by ridding ourselves of pride, disobedience, fear, complaints, and all else. It is not an easy task, but what Elder Ringwood reminds me is that the good news of the gospel is that the desires of our hearts can be transformed. I´ll be honest sometimes you think "have I even made any progress at all in my mission?" but then again, when we see how much we still have to go to make it to the peak of the mountain, we often forget how much we have done to get to the point that we are. As long as we are progressing up that mountain towards perfection, through the gospel and love of Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father is happy with us.

It wasn´t that had to end the call THIS time, but it was still pretty hard mom. It´s also super hard to not open my [birthday] presents yet hahahhaa. In the next package you send me, can you send a packet of college ruled paper(100 sheets) and hi chew of course. And US stamps. That´s about it.

Way to go Nathaniel!! Now do school and get good at spanish!

"¡Andele Thanny!¡ Ya pónte en tus estudios y mejórate en español!"

I love you all so much, thanks for everything,


Elder Davis Garner

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