Well this week was full of lazy missionaries taking many naps. We had the flu, so there is not much hesitation in reporting that so far! It was super interesting when we would rest up the whole morning and afternoon then go out in the night to teach a few appointments. The spirit would come into my body and quicken it when I would teach yet toward the end of the lesson it was game over. Luckily things weren't too bad, I think it was relatively minor. When we did get feeling better to the point we were confident to go out and tract, our hot water heater broke. Let me tell you about how long I would survive serving outside the states without a water heater... We used some other missionarie's heater nearby, but Sunday we braved the ice cave and jumped in. I have never had my breath taken away quite like that! Although I can only imagine what some foreign serving missionaries are thinking to themselves right now! (Yes, my foot and rear end are a bit sore from being in a car so long.)

Summer and her family are doing awesome! Super miracles yesterday when they all came to church. She wanted to meet with Bishop beforehand and it went very well. The sacrament was awesome and the testimonies were outstanding. Later in the evening when we taught Summer at one of her member friend's home, she explained that she had received her conformation. One thing she also pointed out was that when we teach or when she attends church, she feels great and on board but when we leave, the confusion builds up. It was a great opportunity to bear testimony of the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. She is pretty excited. The spirit on Sunday pretty much wiped all of us out, it was glorious! Since we opened the Book of Mormon and read with her, the concerns seem to have dissolved away.

It does remind me most especially of a valuable lesson that still sticks with me from before the mission. I don't think there is ever some fear or doubt that enters into a future missionaries mind. When I expressed this to Lance, he looked at me and asked "Mark, did Lehi sail to the Americas?" to which I responded "Yes." After that, concerns and challenges seem to melt away. How grateful I am for the insurmountable power of the Book of Mormon. It is the ultimate healer and assurance other than probably those of the Godhead.

I am giving a training this week on goals to the zone so I feel it appropriate to share my own since I am going to challenge the others to share their goals with family as well. Before I do that, I have to share how much I love the brotherhood I have with other missionaries. Elder Hall and I often have deep doctrinal conversations and joke about how after the mission we will probably still call each other todiscuss our points of view more than likely with giggles. As for goals go, I have a goal to help 11 of my investigators be baptized this year before I come home (yikes!) I need y'alls help in being held accountable for it. Now, anyone can ask dad when it comes to running if it needs to be broken down first before shooting for a marathon, so in efforts to spiritually qualify for this I have broken down the basics to this (which I think I have already shared). "Each week I will evaluate with a willing mind my four key relationships then I will set goals and make plans of what needs to be done to purify my heart and refocus my life." If you remember President Uchtdorf's talk from conference (namely "what does it have to do with flying an airplane?") you will understand why I have chosen this. So I am excited to put this into practice. Like Matt said, this is it. I am in the final quarter, my skills and knowledge are at the top. Time to dig the heels.

I must praise my dear mother at this moment. We had a couple of nights without a dinner and when I opened up the perfect present (other then the book) namely that of a George Foreman grill, I was quite pleased. However, the real climax of the gift came the next day when I discovered much to my pleasure and excitement, the very chicken seasoning I had craved earlier in the week. The chicken was bought, grilled and devoured which led to the missionary's happiness. Sometimes I do believe mom is so in tune with the spirit that her son's cravings 1000 miles away can be relayed and mom's love (and seasoning) always pull through.

I was quite surprised in a lesson on Saturday in which the spirit used me. It is interesting when you get called to teach on the spot (always appreciated though as a missionary). It was 9:15 and I needed something to be taught quick. I pulled out 3rd Nephi 1 and read about the poor followers of Christ who were about to be killed by the unbelievers if the sign of Christ's birth was not given. I asked the group "How would you feel being a Christian and being told by the unbelievers that they were going to kill you if this so called sign didn't come?" The answers brought in the spirit and broke down the wall that is so often between us and the scriptures. I read on the very day they were to be killed, the sign was given. Now I asked "What would it be like for it to come down to the wire like that?"The answers again were awesome, these people and their insights teach me so much. I finished "Now, in our own lives, our Faith in Christ and His Gospel often comes down to the wire. We are always taken to the very end when the pressure is on and the opposition seems as maximum as it can be. What will you do? Surely we may not ever be tested as unto death like these people but will be brought to commandments, choices, words, and decisions that will try us at times that are like the people that we just read about."

How awesome is the Book of Mormon!

Read it.

Love Elder Metcalf