DEAR home!
Hellllo! How are all you this week?! Hahaha I loved the picture of Connor all tied up in the car- and at Woodstock too! So cool! Tell him he's so awesome!
I hear Dad is going to Israel again? So cool. I'm reading Jesus the Christ- and I have this INCREDIBLE desire to go there and WALK where Christ Walked and SEE what he saw! So epic. OH and don't cancel fun trips just cuz I'm gone- cuz even when I'm back and Connor's gone on HIS mission, we ain't no way gonna halt the explorations! hehehe
It's SO HOT today. The Weather service on our cell phone said it was going to be up to 90 degrees with 90% humidity! BLEH! You walk outside and BLAM you're already sweating like crazy!
This past Sunday we had Stake Conference- it was incredible. Elder Michael T. Ringwood of the 70 came and spoke to the Westchester Stake. I loved the Saturday night session- Elder Ringwood says it's the best kept secret of the Church- I might actually agree on that. Usually I'm pretty good at controlling my emotions during things like that- (that's a lie) but I was bawlin' ALL over the place. Hahaha one of the members came up to me and asked me afterwards if I was okay! My favorite part was when President Taylor in the Stake Presidency talked about King Lamoni's father in the Book of Mormon. I have always loved that story, but now I look at it in an entirely new way. Ammon and King Lamoni are on their way to free Ammon's brothers from prison in Middoni (correct me if I'm wrong)- and they run into King Lamoni's father, King of ALL the Land, who was waiting for them to show up at a feast, but they decided to travel to Middoni instead (whoops!). King Lamoni's father asks his son why he's running around with this Nephite instead of coming to the feast of the King- nobody turns down the feast of the King. King Lamoni's father, in short tells his son to kill Ammon- and upon his son's refusal is about to slay his own son- disobedience to the King of all the Land! Some crazy thing happens and suddenly Ammon has the advantage (where were the King's guards at this point?) and at swordpoint has King Lamoni's father's life in his hands. King Lamoni's father in fear offers half of his kingdom if he will spare his life. Ammon tells him only to let his son worship how he wants and to help them free Ammon's brothers who are being held in prison by the other Lamanites. He agrees and goes back to his land. Fast Forward- Later in the story, King Lamoni's father is now being taught by Ammon, and tells Ammon he will give his ENTIRE kingdom to know the Joy that Ammon has. Here we see a change in King Lamoni's heart- first it was half his Kingdom, now it's all his kingdom- we see the Spirit working on him. Then, Ammon teaches him of the Great God (the Great Spirit) that lead his father's out of Jerusalem and brought them to the promised land. King Lamoni's father at this point tells Ammon that he will give EVERYTHING he has, Yea, "will give away all of his sins" to know that Great God. He then prostrates himself on the ground and calls upon God and is filled with the Spirit of the Lord. I LOVE this story. It really emphasizes one of the greatest concepts of the Gospel- Change. Through the Holy Ghost, King Lamoni's Father's heart was changed from about-to-kill-his-own-son, to giving away even all his Sins to know God. Will I give away all my sins to know Him? Ah! Love it!
We're so excited for this coming week! We have a Baptismal Date for an incredible Lady from Ecuador on June 5th and several others for following weeks!
We've taught a ton of lessons and done a bunch of good this week... but I'm disappointed to say that I have no ridiculously strange or awkward or funny stories to tell you! It's been pretty normal this week!
I'm writing a song for the Christmas Mission Talent Show...
I'll, be here, for Christmas! Here, in N Y C... hahaha it'll be great.
OH and tell Carlie to take Juan to MO' BETTAHs steak house and then also you guys take him to Tepanyaki if you can!! Hahah What are your plans with him?
We're having interviews with President Smith tomorrow, and it's P day today so I'm excited about those things! :) I'm not sure what we're going to do today but we might go get slurpees and play boardgames. Lame? hahaha!
I love you all so much! Thank you for your love and support and all you do. I Love this Gospel and know that it is true with all of my heart!
B safe, B happy, B healthy! CHURCH IS TRUE!
Always, Elder Brandon Hellberg
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