Week Three

 [This is a week late --sorry.  the Editor Mom]

Thank you for your letters. I LOVE hearing from you guys.

I went to the doctor because my "strep" came back. Turns out it's tonsilitis, and I thought it went away but I just finished the pills a few days ago and now yesterday and today it's back again. so I'm going to go back today and see what the doctor thinks. Third time it's come back. It's okay. it's not effecting the way I work or my energy levels, which I feel blessed for.

Anyways, they switched my p day to today because we had in field orientation yesterday. I can't wait to get to the field. I'm pumped. I recognize that I have a lot left to learn, but the Lord has ways of using their servants just because of who they are. I'm ready for that. It looks like I lot of hard work. Hopefully my trainer will be as awesome as Elder Schmidt has been, but I love the guy already, whoever he his.

Sorry my thoughts are all jumbled. I'm running on a time limit and trying to send pictures to you at the same time. It's kind of frustrating, but it really doesn't matter that much......

I've really enjoyed my time here at the MTC, and can't wait to go through the temple later today. It might be the last time for the next two years.

Elder Schmidt and I humbled ourselves this week. we set the goals to become as obedient as possible and to call each other out on the mission rules so that we can qualify for the blessings that God wants and needs to give us to teach more effectively. We also humbled ourselves in teaching our investigator this week. We knew that since he would not accept Christ as his Savior then we must help him to gain a testimony of the truth of the BoM and thereby gain a testimony of Him. Since he was a politician earnestly seeking the truth we thought reading with him from Alma 22 about King Lamoni's Father and his process of learning the word could effect our investigator. It did. and we very nearly got him to pray with us for an answer about the BoM, but then we mentioned the Holy Ghost and he started to try and bible bash again. We quickly disarmed his arguments and brought it back to the question at hand. We were able to commit him to coming to church on Sunday!!!!! He's a good man. I love him to death, he just needs to let go of his pride. He reminds me of me from just a year ago. This was the chapter that Glade read with me. And was the turning point in my life when I knew of my Savior's love for me in full. It came in bucket fulls at a time. It is because of that experience that I want others to come unto Christ, so they can feel that love. So they can feel that security. And so they can go forth and be an example of the believers. Thank you Glade for being an exemplary missionary both in the field and as an RM. You have helped my weakness become strong as in Ether 12:27. You started me on a path to fulfill the work that God needs me to do. I testify that he knows each of us in full; past, present, and future. If we "lean not unto [our] own understanding" he will work miracles in our lives. True miracles. I've already seen them. I've already seen the promises and blessings given to me in my setting apart as  a missionary be used. And I praise God for it. Without it, I would be in the depths of sorrow right now.

I have to go. I love you all. I'll try to get this picture thing to work but if not I'll send them next week.

Love, Elder Lloyd