8th Week!

Good Afternoon!

 This has been an interesting week and a really great one!! We have been teaching Carlos and he is an amazing investigator! We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!!! He also has been reading the Book of Mormon like crazy!! He read 17 Chapters starting in First Nephi from Thursday to Monday!! When all we asked him to do is read the first chapter!! He said he needs to finish before his baptism date and he actually went to church too!!! He has a date set for the 25th of March so hopefully everything will go well!!! Spanish is still coming good!! I love that I am learning a language it is so much fun! On Sunday we had the training brother brother.... I forgot his name :-) He talked about how we need to make sure that our investigator has a relationship with Heavenly Father as well as us missionaries.  On Tuesday we had Elder Craig A.Cardon of the Seventy who came to speak with us. He was such a great speaker he told us that we need to remember who we are! We are all literal sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father!  He also asked us to raise our hands if we were of the tribe of Ephraim and every elder and sister minus a handful were of that tribe! It really is amazing to see the elders and sisters of the tribe of Ephraim fulfilling their responsibility of preaching the word!! He also said that we should not have a divided heart while we serve and to put away all our distractions and serve the Lord with all our heart might mind and strength.  Marianna is getting baptized Saturday! She's solid and her parents are so close to approving of her choice to be baptized! We also had a really good lesson with BJ! He really understands now when he is feeling the spirit! Alex and David are other stories. They are progressing but its really hard! One of our investigators is too busy falconing and doesn't have time to read or do anything other than work.  However, now it's hatching time and in between the time the falcon eggs hatch he has been reading and going to church. He told us that he has a drinking problem and does not want to change.  I know that the Spirit can really change peoples lives so I will pray for him to have a desire to change.  Alex is progressing but it's really hard because he only believes in God and nothing really else.  But, he has been reading and praying but not going to church. We will continue to invite him and watch his testimony grow as he reads the Book of Mormon! :-) I went to this workshop we had yesterday and the teacher had a really good quote he said "Get close to Christ and stay there!" I invite all of you to do that! As we get closer to Christ our lives are blessed! I know as I have been studying and getting closer to Christ myself that my life has been 15 kabillion times better! Everything else in the MTC is pretty normal. I stopped playing basketball and now I run like 3 miles during gym instead. It's hard work but I love pushing myself and doing better! Not only at running but every other part of the MTC. I know I only have 12 days left here but I am going to work as hard as I can so I can be a good missionary in the field! Elder Cazier and I have a goal that we speak Spanish everywhere except for our residence hall. It is somewhat difficult but I know it will help!! Let's see in the Book of Mormon I am in Alma Chapter 37. My goal is to finish the Book of Mormon by the time I exit the MTC. My study in the Book of Mormon is so essential! I read in it before but now that I am really focusing on finishing it the Spirit is so strong! Like Joseph Smith says in the introduction the Book of Mormon will get you closer to God than any other book on this earth! I know that if you read the Book of Mormon you can obtain this blessing as well!

Con amor!

Love, Elder Reisner