Soren in Idaho: Justin's Baptism

This week was awesome! So many blessings.

Rigby is Cold, the trees are yellow and red, and i'm still in love with this place! So many good people here. I can't wait for the river to be frozen over and snow piled on the streets! no snow yet but i definitely feel it coming!

This week was awesome! Last week was awesome too.... sorry i didn't email last week... we were so busy with all our responsibilities we only had time to email President. So this one should be good and there will be a ton of pictures!

Justin Neilson was baptized this past weekend!!!! It was awesome i absolutely love the Neilson family. Justin's baptism was great everything went well. After he came out of the water he was laughing his funny laugh it was hilarious! after his baptism they took us out to eat breakfast! such a good day! I am happy to have been able to help Justin make promises to the Lord. He is so happy. He read the whole "Book of Mormon Stories" book we gave him in 3 days! now we challenged him to read the first book of Nephi by next Monday, he said he could do it by Saturday! haha i love him. He's like my little brother.

We are in a finding stage now and there are so many people who are ready to be baptized the lord has blessed us here in Rigby i love it.

Last week we went to swan valley it was beautiful. There was a huge lake and it was so nice with the fall leaves. I'm grateful for all of God's creations. I'm thankful to be in such a beautiful place.

The work is good and i love my mission!!!!

I want to share with you something i learned this week that has helped me so much. I have been struggling with feeling disenfranchised because of the Numbers and Goals we are trying to achieve in the Zone. I started to teach the gospel, and looked at investigators differently because of it. Looking at them as just another number on the board and looking successful. As i have humbled myself and recognized my error i started to change my mindset. I was studying in the Gospel of John chapter 15 and found something that made a difference with the mindset i've been having. Verses 10-16 talk about Keeping the Commandments out of Love. But what caught my attention was in the 14th and 15th verses where it says "ye are my Friends, if ye do whatsoever i command you". Christ calls us Friends. The following verse, Christ explains what He means by this. When I thought about what "Friendship" means to me. Friendship to me is a relationship with one in whom you love and respect. Someone who you will do anything for out of Love, not because you have to, because you want to. You enjoy seeing them happy. As i have applied this with my Relationship with the Savior, my companion, those who i teach, i see them as friends. My motivation to DO comes from the heart.

I miss you all so much and pray for you daily! i hope you are doing good!

till next week

Stoked to Serve

Elder Soren