January 24th Email !!

Hey Everyone,

This week was another great week to work. We spent a lot of time on campus and talked with a lot of people. We haven't had the best of luck but that is just how it is some weeks out here. We are continuing to work with Crystal and helping her gain a testimony of The Book of Mormon. We retaught the 1st lesson with her and we are working strictly basics with her. We had a great experience this past week. We were looking for something to do on Friday and I felt the need that I needed to call up Tim. He answered and said he'd love for us to come by. While talking with him he told us the reason he stopped meeting with us is because he had been in an internship that took all the free time that he had outside of school and had recently quit because he felt it wasn't the most important thing for him at this time and wants to come back to church. So he's coming with us to institute on Friday and will be coming to church this upcoming Sunday. I'm so excited! Tim is a great guy and I felt like he is ready for the gospel and it's great to see him realize it for himself. In September, we were promised that if we would listen attentively to the October Conference talks and write down and then act upon the promptings we would receive, we would find a hidden gem that would bless our lives. One of the better ways to go in the commandment-keeping direction is to follow the latter day prophets. One of the ways we do that is by reading and studying the conference talks. In Elder David A. Bednar’s talk, we learn that the Holy Ghost needs to be our constant companion. He explains that we must first sincerely desire and yearn for and seek the Holy Ghost. We often ask for the spirit to be with us when we pray in our meetings, but do we ask for the spirit to be with us when we offer our personal prayers? Do we appropriately invite the companionship of the Holy Ghost? Do we faithfully strive to obey God’s commandments? Knowing it is essential to receiving the Holy Ghost. Answers to these questions are found in Elder Bednar’s talk. It is one of the hidden gems that is found therein. I ask you to read it and to study it out in your mind. Then ponder that which you have read that you might obtain the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. That will help you stay in the commandment – keeping direction. If you are going in that direction you will be happy and it is my deepest desire that you live happy and productive lives.

I Love You All So Much!!

Elder Salmon