I Look Just Like Buddy Holly And you're Mary Tyler Moore.

No, I don't know why I decided to title my weekly letter after a
Weezer song, but I do know why I have it stuck in my head this busy
P-day in San Antonio. This Sunday I was sitting in the sacrament
meeting of the Indian Springs ward when I reflected upon my first
sacrament meeting while on my mission, which was spent in a small room
in the Provo MTC. I was a swell four days out on my mission, and my
mind was filled with information tumbling around in my mind. It
brought me back to the sacrament before I left on my mission, where
even to that day I marveled at the missionaries in their suit jackets,
sitting in the pews and wishing that there was an investigator at
church. I now feel how they feel, and wish what they wish. At the same
time, I suppose that also means that there are young men in the two
wards that I cover that have the same feelings towards me that I had
towards those two missionaries I saw back in Idaho. It reminded me of
the simple, beautiful Buddy Holly song "Every Day".

It seems that every day I am improving as a missionary, bit by bit. I
have gone from a sense of wonder and near surreality to a true sense
that I know what the heck I am doing. In the past two weeks, Elder
N and I have put a hard nose to the grindstone and found 12 new
investigators of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
That's quite a bit, concerning that 14 days ago we didn't even have 12
investigators to teach. The two of us, as well as the wonderful
members of the church that we look over, have been working very hard
to bring in the white harvest of the field. And I truly believe that
we are finding people who are prepared to not only hear and
understand, but to convert to the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ in
its fulness.

Recently, we committed a woman to date of baptism, which is beyond
exciting. However, we have two appointments, one with a family of four
and another family of six, where I have a great confidence that they
too will take the great step into baptism, if not this week, then
surely within their lifetimes. To me, it is another testament of the
truthfulness of the church, and the power of the atonement that can
work within every single one of us.

Fun fact, about 35% of all the living member of the LDS church have
been members for less than  15 years. To me it is amazing that almost
4 out of the 10 people that go to church have not been members their
whole lives, but have made an astonishing step of repentance in the
mature years of their lives.

Also at the sacrament meeting that I was describing, we got to talk to
an 87-year old member named N. He speaks only Spanish and shuffles
around in his ancient rattlesnake boots. he told me what was probably
one of the most empowering, sincere, and loving statements that I have
heard not only in my mission, but in my life. He spoke to my companion
Elder Nebeker, because he actually can speak Spanish, and said
"You two are Angels. It says in the Book of Mormon that Angels speak
the words of Christ, and that is what you are doing. So you are
angels. Thank you for what you are doing."

"Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore, they speak
the words of Christ. Wherefore, I say unto you, feast upon the words
of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things
what ye should do."
- 2 Nephi 32:3

Elder Richard Hall