Elder Potts from Pennsylvania, looking chappy the Brit way!
Hey Thanks for your email dad. I love your emails. I had to cringe a bit at the story of Coon's Bluff. I'm really glad that you didn't send any pictures. I don't blame the poor young mens for not wanting to go down after that. So it's now the most wonderful time of the year. we are now within the 12 days of Christmas and within 10 days of Briggs departure! I would ask that you please include in your email what time it would be best for me to call him and on what number! So with dads story running through my head i have completely forgotten what i wanted to say in this email. I've included a picture of my new companion. Elder Potts. So we have had a great start to our time together. Elder Potts is on fire and super motivated to work hard and do the Lords will. Its a bit refreshing to get a companion that will work without being pushed and will push me if necessary. So Im emailing today because yesterday was a bit manic and we ended up not haveing anytime to do it. Yesterday was our zone meeting. and of course being zone leaders we had the responsibility of organizing the whole thing. Yesterday ended up being full of sacred experiences. So you know how the Lord says that who He loves he chastens? Well I know that the Lord loves me. On Saturday we had a Zone Leader Council (Jedi Knight Council as Elder Potts calls it) and right before the meeting the Lord began chastening me. One weakness another, one sin after another just kept reeling through my head. Then President Patch gave his opening remarks and I just wanted to hid. I just wanted to run out of the room and go sit in some dark corner. Now i haven't done anything horribly wrong in fact most of it was is what i haven't been doing. So i was feeling a it down for the rest of the day. Truly humbled and a bit sad. Then Sunday was the complete opposite. As i read the scriptures during the Sacrament it seemed that the Lord opened my view and I was able to see how i could become and how i could over come all these weaknesses. Well Monday morning we were about to start the meeting and the assistants called to get the weekly report. Elder Potts did the report and i decided to sit down with the zone and have a bit of a study. Together we read through D&C 6:29-37 and discussed each verse. It reminded me of a time in the priest quormn that we sat down with Brother Dees and Brother Anderson and read 3 Nephi 11. The spirit was present and spoke to each of us individually. it was amazing to see how each person in the zone was receiving revelation to help the with there personal concerns. Well then zone meeting began and the trainings were fantastic. We gave a training of having a vision of who we can become and how through the grace of Christ we can become that person. Its hard to describe really what happened I think it was one of those 'hd to have been there' things. The words that Elder Potts and I were saying were not our own. It was the first time I have gotten emotional while teaching on my mission. the healing power of the Atonement is real. Christ is ever near. Even standing at the door. If and when we let Him in He will come and heal us (2 Nephi 26 8-9). I know it. I've seen it. I have felt it. Well after the meeting one of our district leaders pulled me aside and asked for a blessing. He is serving in a really tough area and at moves call when his companion found out that he was going to stay for another six weeks he kinda shut down. The ward its self is about to die. The stake has had to 'call/assign' members from other wards to go there and help them out. Basically he was just feeling a bit overwhelmed and had no idea what he was suppose to be doing in that situation. I think I will always remember that blessing. I testify that the power of the priesthood is real. That God does inspire men. Each word was given to me and I spoke. I will not relate what I said, but through the inspiration I receive I was able to figuratively see into heaven and gain a greater understanding of our purpose as missionaries. We are about the Lords work. This is His work. This is not just another 'American church' set up by a farm boy. This is the Kingdom of God and Christ stands at its head. All miracles and blessing that once existed in the primitive church are found and are abundant today.
Elder Solomon
