An Amazing Week

Sent: Mon 8/30/10 3:49 PM

Hey everyone,

I have had an amazing week this week. Let me tell you all about it.

"We were able to meet with S a couple times this week. On the first occasion, we ended up teaching his girlfriend. S invited her over for pizza and didn't tell her that we were going to be coming over to teach him, ha ha. So she explained her personal beliefs (which were a little different and not scripturally based) to us. She's not really interested in changing but it was worth a shot. He wasn't at stake conference because he was swamped with homework, but it sounded like he did make a genuine effort to get it done before Sunday so that he would be free. On Sunday night he went over to have dinner with the family of a member of the bishopric, Bro. Storms. After that S asked a few questions, and then we had a family home evening. It was wonderful. The Storms family is awesome! School is keeping S pretty busy, but he has quit smoking for over two weeks and gave up coffee a couple days ago. S is progressing very well and should be prepared for his baptism on the 11th.

We saw Bro. M once this week. He's still excited for his baptism on the 18th. We resolved his concern about baptism by immersion (he wanted to make sure he would be safe), and found out that we need to explain the doctrine of Christ better to him. We're also going to teach him the importance of the Sacrament. He wasn't at stake conference either, and I'm not sure why.

We had an appointment with C this week that was cancelled. For some reason it's very difficult to work around his schedule. He needs to help his family understand that it's a very high priority for him to be at church. We did get up with him yesterday, but we aren't going to be able to meet with him for more than a week. We'll keep trying though.

We had dinner and a lesson with Z this week. He didn't read like he committed to. We expressed our concern for him, and he committed to do better...He wasn't at stake conference either.

We weren't able to meet up with E this week, but he came to both sessions of stake conference and had a good experience. He's feeling good about things, but he's going to need to cut his ties with the Seventh-Day Adventist church first...

I wasn't there for the lesson, but Elder Tibbitts and Elder Thatcher had dinner and a lesson with a part-member family, the A's. They had a really good lesson and she accepted the invitation to be baptized, but wouldn't accept a baptismal date... But we have very high hopes for the both of them.
We had a couple of appointments with Sis. M that were cancelled. We're going to try again this week.

We had a teaching appointment sceduled with I, but somehow things got confused so he wasn't there. Apparently he was going to come to church, but the change in time for stake conference threw him off.

We had two pretty good lesssons with C. He really needs the gospel. He wants to do what is right, and he committed to come to stake conference on Sunday. He was sick on the morning of, though, so he didn't show. But we have another appointment with him tonight.

We went to see a less-active family that we helped move recently, the V's. We had a really good visit with them and taught them the doctrine of Christ. We invited their son P, who's about 11, to hear the lessons. He's excited and his parents are fine with it. We should be teaching them later on this week.

I wasn't there for this lesson either, but Elder Tibbitts, Elder Condie, and Elder Johnson got up with a part-member family, the O's and taught the doctrine of Christ. Bro. O said he's been searching for his purpose but doesn't want to change. Go figure...

We also got up with another part-member family, the S's, and we have an appointment with them tonight. Hopefully that goes well."

This week we also received three solid days of "leadership training". It was amazing. They taught us these new lessons that have just come down from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve that emphasize portions of Preach My Gospel and are designed to help us become better teachers. I can't wait to continue to apply them.

Guess what happened yesterday? After stake conference, I went outside and Pres. and Sister Hancock were in the parking lot! It was wonderful to see them again. It's been a while!

Mom, it was really good to get your e-mail! It sounds like a lot of exciting things have been going on.

Michael, you're going to have a great time at BYU. Don't have too much fun, though. Please, please, please, PLEASE take your preparation for your mission seriously. You will be a much happier and more effective missionary if you do.

NO!!!!!!!!! I knew Max was going to forget who I was. That really stinks. Holy smokes, he's 4 years old now! That's crazy. Tell him happy birthday for me (not that he remembers me anyway).

So Elder Gandolph from the Smithfield Ward is serving in Hauni's ward? That's pretty cool, his picture is actually hanging up in the building that I am writing this e-mail from. He would definitely know where Goldsboro is. Smithfield's in my district and I've been there once on exchanges. Hauni, you should definitely try to invite him over for dinner sometime and get the scoop on NC!

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't have a very good experience feeding the missionaries, Meg. It doesn't sound like they are living their purpose. It's too bad when missionaries don't act in such a way as to gain the trust of the members. Don't give up on having future missionaries over. I will admit if I were in your situation I probably wouldn't ask them to teach my friends and family.

Uncle Brian's a stake president?! That's pretty awesome. There's a missionary who went home just about a week or two ago to the Portland area. His father works at Intel. Ask Pres. Casper if he happened to release Robert McCullough as a missionary.

Chandler, NC? I haven't been able to locate it on a map. Asheville is in the Charlotte mission, over by the mountains.

We finally closed our apartment and moved in with the Jacksons. They are great people. They're in their 60s and just wonderful. We live in a little apartment thingy on the side of their huge house. I'll include a picture of the house.

Thanks for the addresses. I have another request, Mom. I need an address where I can write Amy. Haven't talked to her since Priest Lake a couple years ago. That would be great.

Well, I hope you enjoy this letter. You're the greatest! I have a testimony that the gospel is true. Have a good week!

Love,
Elder Casper