Russell's Email 2-26-09

So this week doesn't feel like a lot happened, but looking back a ton has. We have had some awesome lessons and have seen people progess leaps and bounds. We are teaching about 3 less active families and they are all doing so well. The B.s are nearing reactivity and we have the Primary President in helping us and it's such a great environment to teach in. The blessings of teaching with memebers is amazing.
We also had Zone Conference where we got to meet with President Christensen. It was a really neat experience to have his instruction and to talk about the content of the L Tom Perry meeting a few weeks ago. Lucky, we get to apply these programs that he talked about which will help the work so much more now. I'm excited to teach more and contact less. the neat thing about it is, the members are becoming out full time finders and we are becoming full time teachers. Pretty sweeeeet. I got to sing a special musical number with 5 other elders too! We sang "Brightly Beams our Fathers Mercy" and "Come thou fount" all to the tune of come thou fount and it was awesome. The story behind Brightly Beams our Fathers mercy is really neat. It says "Brightly Beams our Fathers mercy, from his lighthouse evermore." the lighthouse is the gospel and his love. It's salvation. It's the Savior. "I am the light of the world." Then it says, "but to use he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore." So the lighthouse is where we want to be, but the lights along the shore were placed between coral reefs that would destroy a boat. A sailor would point his boat directly at the fire and he would be lead safely into the harbor. Such is our duty is to lead those who are "poor fainting struggling sea men" safely to the harbor of the Lord's love.
We saw this lighthouse experience as we taught Nancy. She is struggling with her mother and we were able to teach and testify of the Savior and his atonement, and the strength that he can provide to help us through our trails. While they don't disappear, we have the strength that we stand in need of to face whatever. It's the invitation of the Savior in Matthew "Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
So on a lighter note, Sampson got punched in the face on his mission, so I have to share my story. Elder Davis and I are running late to an appointment and we pass two guys walking who looked less than presentable so we kept riding (we were already late) but one of the guys flagged us down. He said, "You're mormons right?!" "yes...." "Let me tell you a thing or two about Joe Smith!" he said something about visions and then looked at Elder Davis "Do you see visions?!" "I personally.." DO YOU SEE VISIONS? "No." He turns to me, "Do you see visions?" (with my bike between me and him) "I know it's true." He gets in my face and touches his forehead to my helmet, "Do YOU see visions?" I said, "sir, we gota go. Here's a card, visit the website on the back. Have a great day." and we started to leave but he said something else to Elder Davis, so he stopped for a second more. as he starts to leave, the guy says, "Go! Be with God..." Oh, maybe I should have mentioned earlier he had a bag with 3 HUGE cans of beer and that he looked as if those were round two.... hahaha I alsmost peed my pants! but all ended well!
Oh yeah, DAd, I get to teach seminary on Monday. hahaha
That's the highlights of the week I think. I love serving and doing this work. there is not another place I would rather be. I'm glad I still have so much time to serve.

Thanks for stopping by, and stay classy

Elder Hitchcock