The sick week

I have been sick for most of the week so I have done a lot of sleeping these past four days. We still did missionary work but it's been really tough. We mostly went to Elsie's and re-taught them (Joanna, Janet and Elsie) so that they were ready for their baptismal interviews this past Sunday. They have become like a second family to me. I love them so much and would do anything for them. It's so sweet that I got to know them. If the only reason I came out here on this mission was to meet these three people and share the gospel with them that would be alright with me. I have seen this family come so far since I have been here. I have seen a night and day change with Janet. When I first met her she was very negative about everything and was a heavy smoker. Now over the course of the past few months she is more positive about life, she has stopped smoking and has a new light about her. When I sit back and think about it, it's been all one huge miracle the change in this family. It's very humbling to see that this family has changed even though I have so many short comings. The fact that they have come this far proves to me that it's not me or my companion that is making this change in their lives.
Anyways, other then being sick and meeting with this family everyday there is not much else to say. It's gotten very cold lately and it's not helping me get any better. It's to cold to ride a bike so we have been on foot.
I feel a lot better about myself and where I'm at with things; this past week has been tough because we didn't do much because I have been sick. But I'm feeling more confident in my planning skills and have learned a lot from this experience. I'm learning how to plan to investigators needs and plan to progress them towards baptism. I have focused on Elsie and her family, but there are others that we are teaching that we have kind of lost track of because I've been sick and my Companion Elder Harrison baptized our cell phone while washing dishes last Wednesday. Speaking of Elder Harrison, we get the call this coming Saturday on wither or not one of us gets moved. He's been here for four and a half months and is due to be moved and I'm not looking forward to it at all. We get along with each other so well; he's like another brother to me! We are going to get matching hats and ties today for preparation day, its going to be way sweet!
About the suits, Elsie's sister has a sowing business and will do the suits and pants for free, but from what she tells me is that the suit top will still be to small for me, so some time this week I'm going to go over there with them and get a professional opinion on wither or not they can be fitted to me, and if they cant I'll send them home for Will t use. They are way classy suits, you just got to make sure that you give him a lot of blue socks if he does use them. I think my blue suit is 44 inches long, I'm not to sure, I will go back to the apartment and write you a hand letter with that info in it. Don't worry about getting me a cord for my Alpha Smart, I'll be getting one today if everything works out, we will be going to some electronic stores that hopefully will have what I need.
Yeah I hear from Clarissa every week! She's doing real well from what I hear. She's been telling me how she is making plans to go to Africa or China and teach English to children over there, which sounds like a sweet deal to me!
So life is good for this missionary, things are getting better and I'm learning more and more, I started to read Jesus the Christ the other day and to my amazement I actually understand it! I have been feeling like I have learned all that I can lately and that's what got me reading this book. The other day in church, while I was thinking of why I was feeling this way, I figured that I didn't really understand the role Jesus Christ plays in my life and to those around me, and I have been told that this book really helps you understand what His role is, so I'm reading it for deeper understanding.
So that's what's going on with me and what I'm learning, I hope all is well with the family( I didn't here from them this past week because you weren't there to twist arms and get them to write, which is alright) I love you all and pray that you all grow and learn.

Elder David Kelly Conrad

P.S I did get the second sweater, it came a week after the other one, sorry I forget to mention it :P Love you!

Investigators

the best week!

This past week has been one of the best weeks I have had so far in my mission; I've been learning how to plan effectively and how to study more effectively as well. I'm still not the best art it but it's a continual process of learning and progression. I went on exchanges with my zone leader this last Thursday and had a blast; we went tracting around some apartments and met a lot of people. We found several people who are inactive members that we didn't know about, or they have family members that are members. The only bad thing about it is that all of them were either Mexican, or Marshallese, so we gave the Spanish and Marshallese Elders a whole list of referrals at the end of the day. At first I was a little scared to knock on some of the doors, but after I had gotten a couple under my belt I was way excited about it. It was so sweet to go around and tell people what I believed in and bear testimony to them.
that night we met with Janet Henderson, she is Elsie's 50 year old daughter who is going to be baptized on the 29. Well she is being put through that "refiner's fire" you can say, satan is doing his best to stop her and her family from making the commitments that will progress them towards the savior. When we went over to her house the plan was to teach her the third lesson, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We walk in and she is almost in tears, you could just fill that something was wrong. She told us a little bit about what she is going through and mentioned how she is having second thoughts about going to church and be baptized. She said she was lacking faith and that she feels weak. The first principle of the third lesson is faith in Jesus Christ, so I flip to the scriptures and tell her how she has faith. We taught her that because she has faith in what we as missionaries tell her she has repented and stopped smoking. I could feel the Spirit so strong the whole time! It was so awesome! Then our exchange, Brother Athorton bearded his testimony about when he was converted and how he knows what she is going through. He told her that just before he was baptized that his world was falling apart and that satan tried his all to stop it from happening. I knew Brother Athorton that he came with us for a reason, normally he would have called and cancelled on us because he really busy, he's the first counselor in the Bishopric, but he called and came with us. It's so sweet to have members who go out with us and have them tell of their experiences and what they have gone through. Janet had a rough couple of days after this, but she came to church this past Sunday and is completely over her smoking addiction. It's so sweet to see how others change and the progress that they make.
Now tonight I get to go to a part member's home all by myself and tell someone with boldness that he needs to stop chewing. I get to tell him that he needs to act on the testimony that he has and follow what he knows to be true and let him know that he will be help accountable if he doesn't.
Mom I'm sorry to say that these suits aren't going to be able to fit me I'll send them home so that you can turn them back in or what ever you want to do with them. Don't worry about getting me any other suits, the two that I have will be just fine.
Remember how my Christmas present is going to be a camera? Well, I've been thinking about what kind I would like to get and I think the best would be a cannon power shot, they have editing tools on them that make it easier to fix and doctor pictures up so that I don't have to use a computer. I can edited them on the camera and send them to you over the internet. So what I was thinking was that if I let you know now you could get a deal on one on the day after thanksgiving, I think its called black Friday. If you take Tyler with you he could show you which one would be best to get. And if you get it at best buy it comes with a one year warranty that you can extend to two years. If you have already got one, or have one that's ok, I'll be happy with what ever, I just want something that can hold more then 512mb of memory and doesn't take forever to load and take pictures. Just thought I would give you some ideas. Sorry if it sounds like I'm asking for more thing, I don't mean it that way, I know how much of a sacrifice it is to keep me out here, so do what you can do and don't stretch yourselves for me.
That's all I have for you all today, I'm going to try and get the cord I need for my Alpha smart this next Monday, so my next email will be my journal hopefully.
I love you all and hope all is well with Erin and her new baby, and that Mom had a safe trip.

Love Elder David Kelly Conrad