A Letter To President Batt

The following is a weekly update to Brayden's Mission President. He hasn't had time to write newsletters lately so he forwarded this on to me:

President Batt,

It has been another eventful and exciting week here in Crownpoint! Last Thursday we had our scripture study class. We normally get about three to four people who show up. It goes pretty well each time, but last Thursday we had nineteen people show up. It was an extremely powerful and spiritual experience for myself and all those who were present. There was a moment where it reminded me of when I first had my own personal conversion experience. The spirit that was there reminded me of the feeling I had when I first knew the church was true. The feeling has been the driving force behind me sharing the gospel with others. It was an amazing opportunity to see that I was helping others have that same experience. 

For the past couple weeks I have gotten a lot better about waking up and getting into the routine of missionary life. I have been waking up right on the dot and getting into the workout to start my day. The days are still pretty exhausting and more often than not, I'm pretty tired from everything. But everything is continuing to look up for the progress of my body.

This past Sunday, where you and Sister Batt attended, was a tough one because of the families that haven't been showing up. Elder Martin and I have been working so hard to help these people see the importance of church attendance and partaking of the sacrament, but they just aren't seeing it. It has been a little emotionally trying to see these people that I love and care about missing out on the absolute greatest thing on the planet that can bless their lives. Truly this is probably how Heavenly Father has felt with mine own personal progress. Kinda funny how that works. 

The refiners fire is a very real thing and I can feel it in bits and pieces every single day. The baptism of fire of the Holy Ghost is a very vital and important part of the path to discipleship. The only really hard part is deciphering between the challenges of the Lord vs the challenges I put on myself. It's hard to distinguish between the Lord guiding me, and myself just getting down. Either way though, I know in whom I put my trust and complete confidence. This path is one that I will never stop striving to follow. The joys and happiness of the fullness of the gospel are far too immense to walk away from. I'm so grateful for my knowledge and testimony that all these things are to be for my benefit and good. It's this kind of knowledge that continues to carry me through even the hardest of times.