Email: June 3, 2013

Dear Family,

 

Time is going extremely fast and it scares me to death.  I am sooooooo grateful for the opportunity I have to serve these two years and look for people who need help in their lives, and watch the Gospel bless them incredibly.  Thank you for always being there for me and supporting me, I could not have done this without you all.  I just want to share my testimony of the gospel with you all.  This has been an emotional few weeks for me and I have been trying to figure out why I am so emotional about it.  I love this gospel and my savior with all my heart and I know that without his sacrifice that I would be nothing.  I have come to understand better lately that the gospel is a message of hope.  It is not there to condemn and tell people that they are wrong and that they can't do anything right, it is there to help everyone and anyone to overcome the world and be better than they were before.  We all mess up no matter what.  It may be big and it may be something insignificant, but no matter what we have done or who we are, we always have the hope of our savior Jesus Christ in our lives.  The gospel is a message of HOPE.  I love that I have learned that.  Growing up I always thought that it was just to make me do things different and to tell me what to do, but this knowledge has blessed me a lot.  I have seen people who felt like they couldn't do anything right and asked why would god love me after everything I have done?  I have asked that same question myself, but the truth is, God, our Heavenly Father, LOVES us no matter what.  He is always there for us and wants the best for us. 

 

We have had a really good week, we got cut a ton of miles because they want everyone outside more during the week so we have been riding our bikes and walking a lot and it has really helped!  We were able to find 5 new investigators this week and they were in both the ward and the branch!  The work in the branch has been picking up a lot and we have had a lot more people to teach lately.  My goal now is to have it stacked with people for the next transfer for Elder Perrine and whoever his new companion is,so they can baptize like crazy.  The Gundersens and Charlotte are doing awesome, we are teaching two of Charlotte's kids, I think I told you.  Gary got interviewed to get the Priesthood this past week and is going to get it this upcoming week!  I am super excited for him and the funny thing is that he is very excited to start doing home teaching!  He said "I get to be a missionary like you guys??" ha ha.  I love that family so much, I am grateful that we were led to them.  I love you all very much.  Remember to have HOPE! 

Love,

Elder Erickson