Email: May 20, 2013

Dear Family!

 

This has been an amazing week full of miracles that are hard to even explain.  I told you that there was a possibility of the Gundersons getting baptized this week and they did!!!!  It was amazing, we went over on Tuesday night and talked with them and Elder Anderson told them that he was leaving and that he loved them and was excited for them to get baptized sometime.  He wasn't trying to put pressure on them to do it before he left but they decided that that is was they wanted.  They made a decision right then and there that they would never smoke again and we came up with a plan how we could help them quit.  So they gave us their cigarettes and we threw away their ashtray that was outside on their porch and they washed all of their clothes that smelled like smoke.  The first two days we called them every hour to make sure they were doing okay and to give them some encouragement and let them know that we were there for them.  They did it!!! They haven't smoked since then and the baptism went amazing!  We had a really good turn out from the ward and they have been super supportive of this little family.  We also have started teaching two of Charlottes kids and they are taking everything really well!  Raphael her 15 year old son has become really attached to us and she texted last night after we left their house and said that he was super excited for church and loves the fact that we show him that we can have fun while still being a part of the church.  He has come a long way, he wouldn't really talk to us when we would come over there in the past.  Miracle! 

Elder Anderson is getting transferred and going to Redmond to be a zone leader still up there.   They released me as a zone leader because I am going home in six weeks and they want to have some down here that will be here longer than that.  My new companion is Elder Perrine.  He came out when I was in Roseburg last year and was trained there so I know him already.  The assignment that they gave me was to train him to be a district leader and we have two brand new zone leaders that are here now so they asked me to train them as well.  I am super relieved that I don't have to have all of those worries anymore!  I get to be a normal missionary again!  These last two transfers have been amazing and I will never forget these missionaries that have been here, they are amazing!  The assistants told me that I am the Grandfather of Wisdom here in Klamath, so everyone is calling me Grandpa or Abuelo ha ha.  I have to get going, Elder Anderson has to leave in a bit and we've got to get his stuff but I love you very much!  Talk to you all later!

Love,

Elder Erickson