8/19/2015

 could you do me a favor?
Will you please send me an update on all the not so good stuff
happening with the family? It worries me more when I don't know what
is going on. And everything cannot possible be PERFECT back home. So
please tell me all the problems and issues going on too! I promise it
will not distract me! You couldn't get me unfocused from this work if
you tried! . So please tell me what is going
on.

So my journal is mostly just thoughts about God, and His
investigators, so I do not know how useful it would be! So... You
might never believe it, but the work here is intense. We have so much
to do that me and my companion could honestly use like four other
missionaries in our area alone! It is unbelievable! Are days are
completely stuffed full of lessons. We have close to a dozen people
that we plan on baptizing by the end of September. And we would have
more, but there is a few that just WILL NOT give up there substance
addictions and one that is going to get baptized, but refuses to do so
until she has her baby that is due in a few months! OYE! Come on
people! Yeah, I guess I have been slacking on the stories. So the
Spanish Work is BOOMING! Like we can't possible get to all the people
that are ready to here the Gospel! Are schedules are so full that for
the past two days we have had to go on splits in order to cover all
the set lessons we have had. We have a goal to create a Spanish Branch
and I think we will be able to do it! The members are wonderful, and
treat us way better than we deserve. The spirit of missionary work is
truly alive in this town, people are accepting our challenges to go
out and find their lost friends and bring them to the fold of God! Oh
it is wonderful! How long over the two year mark will you let me stay
here mommy?

That is really kinda funny that Kennedy Haskell enjoyed her mission so
much... Because I AM TOO! I honestly never want to go anywhere
different, this mission is perfect. I get to learn a new language, but
I also get to really see and understand how the church really runs and
operates. I, also, get to really learn the Gospel. Here in the states
a lot of people are quite hardened, and have some really good
arguments against the church, and if you aren't deeply in tuned with
the spirit and really studding every day, you won't stand a chance out
here! It is also amazing to see such different aspects and opinions
and struggles and questions and cultures. I work with the the most
real Cowboys that you will ever see in your life one day, and the next
I will be talking to some Indians about their ancestors in the Book of
Mormon, then there are normal well educated individuals, and then the
next I will be eating chillies, that are so hot I literally sweat
until I am soaked, with a Spanish family that tells us how much they
believe the commandment not to worship idols and then prays to the
Virgin Maria every night! Every thing is so different! We have helped
a guy give up smoking and that was probably the most rewarding
experience yet.

We had a really neat experience with a new Spanish investigator
earlier this week. We stopped by and started just getting to know her,
and what she believed. And we found out that she doesn't really know
who God is or Jesus Christ or anything about any religion. We asked
her to pray and afterwards we asked her how she felt and she said: "I
feel just like lighter and I don't know just like something special."
She tried really hard, but she just couldn't explain it. This is
stunning to me, because the first time that I felt that actually
recognized the presence of the Holy Ghost working in my heart was
probably half way through my junior year inHigh School! And this was
someone who minutes before we knocked on her door didn't even know
there was a God that existed! We hadn't even told her about the Holy
Ghost or ANYTHING! SHE JUST KNEW. IT IS AMAZING! We have taught her
daily since then, and I am sure that she will come into the waters of
baptism very soon and finally be free from the guilt that living life
always inflicts!

Miracles really do happen. God is among us. He is concerned with the
details of our lives. I know He is there. And that if we pray the
right way with all the energy of our heart, than we will feel him
close to us daily. This world is Beautiful. You just sometimes have to
look up to see it. I love you all so much. Do not be afraid to share
the wonderful and exciting message of the Gospel. Our fellow brothers
and sisters NEED IT in there lives! If you really love your fellow
brothers and sisters you would share this Gospel of Jesus Christ that
we have been so Mercifully Born into!!! Open your mouth. And change
the lives of those who are around you! This is one of my biggest
regrets! I WISH WITH ALL MY HEART THAT I JUST SHARED WHAT I KNEW WITH
EVERYONE THAT I KNEW! People need that freedom from guilt. That guilt
is awful. It is unbearable, and it makes life depressing and
discouraging, even with those that don't even think they feel guilty
about anything that they have done! Just try it! I love you all and
will see you soon!

Love you!

Elder Flake