February 17, 2009

My dear family:

Congratulations, Ethan!! I'm so proud of you! You're gonna love BYU! I just can't believe you're going to desert me so soon after I get back from my mission.

This week we visited several less-active families and I would just like to tell you guys that you should NEVER EVER EVER fall away from the church. Ever. Never let anything else all of the sudden be more important than your salvation and exaltation. Because it isn't. Nothing is.The saddest thing in the mission is when somebody knows that it's true and doesn't act. This happens occasionally with investigators, but it's quite rare. Most investigators that give up don't ever really get the vision of the gospel. But there a lot of less actives that know. And when you visit someone who has a testimony of the gospel, but has decided to not go to church for some reason or other (usually pride-related) it breaks my heart. So just remember, please, that it doesn't matter who you don't like or what everyone says about you, or that you just have to work on Sunday. Don't let anything become more important--Thou shalt have no other gods before me. And if your pride gets hurt and you don't want to show your face in church, remember that this is your opportunity to lean humility or forgiveness or charity or repentance, and that God will help you. And if you don't seize this chance you're losing your chance to prepare for your exaltation.

Love you guys,
Sister Todd