From: robertatwood@myldsmail.net To: Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22
hey mom,

well this week was pretty cool. hugo is one of our investigators and he => has been drinking for 26 days non stop. we helped him quit and now he has been sober for over a week. that is really good for him. he has been searching for the truth for so long, but hasn't been able to find it . then i told him to pray about the things that we have been teaching him. i told him to pray with faith and thank God for the things that he has given you. then he told me how can i give thanks to god when he just totally destroyed my life. he said all my problems are because of God. Then i totally planched him. which means i totally ironed him straight. i said to him you think that God has given you things bad in your life. i said, i am not sure what problems you have in your life right now, but we should never blame god for our troubles. if it was an action from another person, God can't control free agency. Even so if God gave you this struggle it is for your good. then i showed him the scripture that said every experience that we have weather they be good or bad, is for our good. i then showed him ether 12 27 it was the one that talks about how if we come unto christ that he we make these week things that we have strong. then i told him. if you come unto christ and you let him help you through this hard time, he will make these week things strong unto you, because he has promised it and God doesn't lie or he would cease to be our God. i then told him to pray again and he said he would do it . He did it and he said he didn't receive an answer. Then we went to the scripture in 2 corinthians saying the attributes of the holy ghost and he said he had all of those feelings. He still wants a bigger answer , but he has come a long way from when we first saw him. but when i heard that i thought of the scripture that said you have had signs enough. will you tempt your God for more signs. i know we don't always get answers the way that we want, but when we get those answers we need to follow them so we can make our loving heavenly father happy. well for other investigators like the jehovah's witness lady. she didn't live in our area so she is with different elders and i haven't heard too much about her. but ya we have some really cool investigators right now and i feel that one day they will all be baptized, but their time is coming sooner or later. today i just got transferred out of my area so actually i don't have investigators right now, but when i found out i was going to be changed, i dropped my head and i really felt like crying. it felt like i was going to leave my second home. i have grown to love the people in that area so much. i hope that one day i will be able to go back and visit them some day. i never knew how you could have so much love for someone you have never really know before. i don't really know what to say about my feeling. i felt like i didn't do all that i wanted to do and that i was leaving to early and that God wouldn'tbe pleased with my work, but when i was on the bus to torreon i said a pray and asked God if he was pleased with my work and just an overwhelming feeling of the spirit surrounded me and said you have done your work there. and now you are called where you are needed. this is where you need to be right now. but i felt love and i now feel more confident for my new area today. i know wherever i am called i am needed for my talents and abilities. i just know i will be blessed if i stay obedient. the only thing i am worried for right now is my other investigators. i have grown a huge love for them and they feel like my literal sibling of the flesh. well i have to go. i am pressing for time right now. i love you all and i hope that you all have a great week.

love, elder robert atwood