THE SPIRIT OF GOD LIKE A FIRE IS BURNING

Oh man, I love you guys, you're all pretty hilarious. Holly, I was pretty much planning to put seafoam in my armpits today, but now I know that that would be a bad idea. Haha. And good job Dad, with the windsurfing. I'm sorry your sons are fairly challenged with that... Jeffrey, fail on not bringing the uke to the Outer Banks. I like how you guys bring replacement young people for me on vacations. Hope Ivan is having fun with you all in my place. Let's go to Hawaii please next year! I'm troubled on the fact that I feel the need to be coming out here a few times next year depending on if certain investigators get married or go to the temple around next july, but we'll plan that as it comes...

We killed off Elder Margolies (meaning we sent him home), one of the mission's most famous trunky missionaries. After the baptism on Saturday, he felt it necessary to thank the Lord and cap off his mission by driving up Logan Canyon a few miles and burning his suit. It was kinda awkward getting out at the campsite, and walking past a family eating smores with our nametags, white shirts and ties, and a full missionary manikin made of a suit and clothes hangers at 8:30 pm. we tried to kinda just move quickly, but the kids were quite observant "hey, dad, are those MISSIONARIES?" haha, yeah....... beautiful night though, sun setting in the mountains behind the Logan temple on the hill with a double rainbow in view, Cache Valley is amazing.

Packages! I havent gotten em yet, they'll come next time someone comes up from Ogden probably. thanks for trying so hard!

I do carry the Ooga Booga spirit, Dad. Thank you. And I'm partially insane, it helps.

Ha, my trunky companion made me think a lot about home, I sure do miss some songs lately, and swimming... and roller coasters... and all that... but we'll wait. I'm bummed that I get home in February and the pool wont be up. Anything cool going on in the world? Scary? Normal?

Erin sent me a letter for the first time my whole mission, I was excited about that!

Its cool, my current companion from Argentina baptized 5 of his best friends in the last year. I'd love to be able to do that! We're focusing a lot on baptism right now, miracles all over. I'm still really excited about the baptism we just had. the Lambaren family was to THIS point the sweetest baptism of the mission! Norma, the mother, and daughters, Dena age 10 and Desarie age 8 were baptized. One is being baptized on Sunday, Dyana age 13. That family was sincerely converted. That experience sacrament meeting last week, then throughout the week at various times the Spirit spoke to them. Dyana was worried about her extended family rejecting them for not being Catholic. She had a dream about her grandfather, who passed away, very Catholic, but she dreamed he came and told her he was very very happy for what their family is doing right now. Then Desarie was worried, she didn't know if it felt right to go through with it. We sat down and talked with her the day before her interview and told her that it was really simple - she just had to ask, and Heavenly Father would tell her and make her feel good if its the right thing. The next day at her interview she came up and told us all separately: "Elder Thelin Elder Thelin! Guess what happened?" "What?" "Well, I remembered what you said yesterday, about praying, so last night before I got in bed I kneeled down and I told God I didn't know what to do and to tell me if it was right to get baptized. And then I felt God like come in me and I felt really really really happy, and I heard Him say "yes"!" I wish everyone had the faith of a child... so cool!

The baptism was amazing. Like 60 people showed. Norma was so excited. The ward banded together to welcome them. The branch president baptized Norma and Desarie, and Dena asked me to baptize her. It was awesome. As Norma stepped into the water, her faced just beamed. After she was baptized, I watched her climb the steps to where her daughters were waiting, and she just buried her face in her towel and cried. As I watched her, and then her other daughter Desarie get ready, I felt the Spirit just be poured down, filling with gratitude and love and confirmation of what was being done, especially how this family was being united so strong to the Savior. I felt it for the rest of the evening, just this peace and profound love of the Savior for this family that has struggled so much. After, during testimonies, her brother in law and wife, who were baptized in January and then went inactive because of getting offended by what someone said about their tatoos and other problems in life, well they stood up and said they knew it was true and were going to come back and stay, no matter what. Dyana, the other daughter being baptized next Sunday, she stood and said "I'm not really sure what a testimony is, but I think its about how you feel. I feel happy. I love my mom and sisters and btothers more here. This is the first place where I feel I belong, and where there are people who are like a family to me. I feel like I'm understood here, and feel good. I'm so excited to be baptized next week." Amazing. Desarie told me after that when her sister was baptized, she felt the same thing that I had felt. At their confirmation, Dyana and her got up and gave their testimonies in fast and testimony meeting - that takes a lot of guts, 8 years old, a brand new member, and getting up to tell how she felt in her baptism. So cool. Anyways, as you can see, we had a sweet weekend. I'm completely psyched to baptize a million more people. Sorry, that was long. I just wanted to share that with you all.

Love you all, I know the gospel is true. I know God loves us, He is our Father, and this simple Gospel is the way to Him. Jesus Christ is the Savior, and the only way. Make these things our priority and focus, and we'll make it through.

Love Elder Christopher the Thelin

Ps Congrats on the Eagle Jeffrey!
Pssnd: thanks for sending the package!
Psnidh: cant talk back and forth on email like we did last week anymore, found out its against the rules. Poop.
Poospheilkf: Enjoy the beach, sheesh!
Kupielkdin: Dad did you ever have a homesick companion? Mine goes up and down, and suffers it really bad. He's doing better, but advice?