"You Call It Joggin' "

It sounds like everything is pretty settled down, and not too much going on, except for Sawyer(did I mention I loved the name?). So it sounds like the ward is doing awesome. I'm glad to hear that no one else has died.... it really is an old ward... and everyone is just getting home from missions which is weird. I have bad news, and I say it because you said you were excited about all the stories missionaries have, but I have a terrible memory. It seems that I can't remember further than a week back ever haha ...that's why they tell us to keep journals though.
So, Philipsburg is good. There are such great people here; people who are so kind and humble. So we are in the middle of teaching a lot of men right now who are sincerely searching for the truth and who have a great spirit of understanding, however, many of whom we are teaching have a chastity problem. The traditions here in St Maarten are defiling to God. These men have children and are not too far from marriage, luckily. We are working on helping them repent and get married so they can enter the waters of baptism. Even though I have no marriage experience at all, I do get to share from what I have learned from your and dad's great marriage. Kevin knows this church is true and is really trying and wanting to marry his girlfriend, but is scared. We are continuing to counsel with him. Samuel has been coming to church for a while and I took some time to get to know him on Sunday. He, too, needs to be married. His girlfriend is a member and they should be getting married this month.
Philipsburg is doing really well. With 4 elders here I believe its potential is becoming more clear. We meet so many potential investigators everyday who are sincerely searching for the gospel. As the weeks continue I pray that the results of these contacts will be manifest in church attendance and baptisms. The people here are ready, and I'm trying my best to be ready for them. Elder Larson is an animal; I have never met anyone who knows his scriptures like he does, a very smart individual. He is fun too. I feel we work well together, and am excited to continue to serve. My testimony is solid. This week has had its up and downs but as soon as I have hit an obstacle I have prayed for patience and did my best to keep on. I know with all my heart that if we are patient with our lack of success or misfortunes, if we continue on with faith and diligence that we will have success. I thought it was interesting what you shared with Enos. I love that story, and I actually put a picture of Enos on my Preach My Gospel cover. Enos is the best example of prayer, and how it should be. All should be done in faith, because of his faith and prayer not only were the Nephites blessed, but also the Lamanites. Its by his prayer that we have the Book of Mormon today(he prayed that one day the record might be read by the Lamanites and it was given him because of his faith). What an example for us.
Elder Catherine and I get up at 6 to go running across the street at the baseball field and we do stairs too. (Elders Catherine, Larson, Julian and I share an apartment... the other two don't like working, but because it's kind of a melting pot of nationalities, many of the people cook foods from where they are from. SO I still get creole food and some Guyanese(which is different. This week I am going to be buying some new shoes, and a new pair of pants and perhaps a belt(both my shoes are about done and two of my pants are done; that's just what walking everyday will do).

Go jazz!!!!! I love to hear that they are tearing it up!!!It does the soul good.


PHILIPSBURG