Email: February 20, 2012

Hello Family!

How is everyone doing? The weather here in Roseburg has been great! It rained slightly one day this week but other than that it was very dry and sunny. It is very nice to not have to ride a bike in the rain. So transfer calls were on Saturday night and we did not receive one so we are both staying here in the Newton Creek ward. I don't know if I ever told you that that is what our area is called. We did a lot of tracting this week. It was a lot of bike riding and walking. I slept very well last night. We had a lot of return appointments set up but all of them fell through for one reason or another. We did find one lady though that actually seemed interested in what we had to say. She was the second to last house that we knocked on on one of the streets. She listened and accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon. She told us to come back anytime and so we set up a time to go see her yesterday. When we got there she and some family were heading out the door to go somewhere but she apologized and we set up a time to go back and see her this week. I still struggle with getting potential investigators to progress. People just don't keep commitments! It's very frustrating. We invited probably ten people to Church last week and not a single one was there.

We had a young man from one of the other wards come out with us last night and go to some appointments. We went to see a part member family. The wife isn't very interested but we are trying to get him to come back to Church and be a good example. We got talking about the Book of Mormon and how if everyone would read it, the Church membership would increase dramatically. There are so many misconceptions out there about what it really is. It's insane. We talked to a lady this week who didn't know what it was and then we explained and she said "oh, well now I am more inclined to read it because I didn't realize that's what it was". Just open your mind and heart and you will be able to learn the truth! We met with Marcus and Shannon this week though and he committed to reading the whole thing in 3 weeks. We didn't even ask him to he just said that he wanted to. He is a very logical person and so we need to get him to understand the Spiritual side rather than just the theology. I told him I would give him a copy of the October Ensign all about the Book of Mormon but I forgot to take it this past week so we will take it to him tomorrow when we go back by. I want that family more than any of the other ones we are working with to join. They would be a perfect member family. They are already living the Gospel standards. They need that witness from the Spirit though to feel that it is true.

I cant believe it is already almost the end of February. I say it all the time but time really does go by too fast. I don't like it! Well I love you all very much. Seek missionary opportunities everyday!

Love,

Elder Erickson