Hey Everyone!
Kylie wrote me an epistle! haha ;o) Time to email will be a little shorter than usual. We email at a college now (the school of minds). I am working with Elder Bradley in the same zone and we are both the Zone Leaders! I am grateful that they have it as a companionship calling, there's a lot to do! Last week we had a meeting with the Stake President, tomorrow we have ZLCs (zone leader conference) early in the morning in Frisco. and we'll be going to the Columbine District meeting next week and on exchanges with multiple companionships with either a District Leader or some Elders who need help. ... This is the biggest Zone in the mission (The Rocky Mountain Zone). The Golden Stake is one of the biggest Stakes in the country and then the Columbine Stake is also in the Zone. Right now our Zone has 9 people on date for baptism and Elder Bradley and I will be putting at least one on date this week. There is so much potential here! At transfers EVERY SINGLE COMPANIONSHIP got changed up, so there is a lot happening right now in each area, including the Clement Park ward being white washed by Sisters.
I basically live in an apartment now. We live down under the garage but there is a lot of room, and I cleaned that place up like crazy last week, I don't know how missionaries lived in that place like that! We live down there with another companionship, so it makes things a lot of fun. We live with Elder Lund and Elder Smith as the DL. They're both really good guys, Elder Smith was my second DL on my mission and I loved the guy so it's kinda cool now to be in his district again! He was just released as a ZL because of some health problems with his stomach and they thought the stress could have been contributing.
Elder Bradley came out 1 transfer before me...he hits his year mark this Friday! Elder Bradley and I are working super hard and doing what we're suppost to. Last transfer when we had interviews, President asked me if there was anything he could do to help me out and I talked with him about mornings still being a struggle and that I wanted a companion who was good at the morning routine, or at least had desires to be, and since Elder Bradley and I have been together we've done a great job at that. It has helped not being with someone that turns off the alarm before I notice it ha! I am so happy for Adrienne going through the temple and recieving her Endowment, it does my heart good! And It makes me so happy that she and Doug are most likely getting married, that is such an answer to so many prayers for so many people. I look forward to meeting him!
I can't believe school is starting already! And Erika is going to be a Sophmore and G-slice is goint to be in 8th grade! That seems super fast. I haven't been able to do push-ups because of my wrists, so tell Garrett to get ahead while he can - haha. I'm glad he's looking forward to football :o)
Honestly it is going to be even harder to write letters and keep up with people the way I want to now as a Zone Leader. I know people have said they understand in the past but it's probably just going to get further inbetween when I can respond to people. My focus is where it needs to be and I feel good about that.
Send everyone my Love, I sure do think of everyone often and pray for people specifically often. Our family is still in my prayers every day and I am so thankful to have a family like you back home supporting me, and praying for me. You're all doing great! Make healthy food choices this week, I am making a real effort to do the same! I am sick of being fed so much food and just accepting it to be polite lol, I've decided to quit accepting dessert when people offer it (which is about 90% of the time). I refuse to gain any more weight, I weigh 205 right now. When I came out I weighed 180. This most likely comes as a concern to you but I want you to know that my heart is in it, I pray about it often, and I am going to drop that weight. I know this is possible for anyone! God has asked us to be healthy and treat our bodies with respect and we can learn from Nephi's wisdom when he said that the Lord will not ask us to do anything without providing a way. I believe you have to approach any hurdle regarding "putting off the natural man" through spiritual eyes. Whether it be struggles with food, moral issues, or whatever...will power is simply not enough. I know that because I've proven it to myself time and again.
I believe in you all, I trust you, I respect you, and I love you! Have a really great week!
Hurrah for Israel!
Elder W. Marks
Kylie wrote me an epistle! haha ;o) Time to email will be a little shorter than usual. We email at a college now (the school of minds). I am working with Elder Bradley in the same zone and we are both the Zone Leaders! I am grateful that they have it as a companionship calling, there's a lot to do! Last week we had a meeting with the Stake President, tomorrow we have ZLCs (zone leader conference) early in the morning in Frisco. and we'll be going to the Columbine District meeting next week and on exchanges with multiple companionships with either a District Leader or some Elders who need help. ... This is the biggest Zone in the mission (The Rocky Mountain Zone). The Golden Stake is one of the biggest Stakes in the country and then the Columbine Stake is also in the Zone. Right now our Zone has 9 people on date for baptism and Elder Bradley and I will be putting at least one on date this week. There is so much potential here! At transfers EVERY SINGLE COMPANIONSHIP got changed up, so there is a lot happening right now in each area, including the Clement Park ward being white washed by Sisters.
I basically live in an apartment now. We live down under the garage but there is a lot of room, and I cleaned that place up like crazy last week, I don't know how missionaries lived in that place like that! We live down there with another companionship, so it makes things a lot of fun. We live with Elder Lund and Elder Smith as the DL. They're both really good guys, Elder Smith was my second DL on my mission and I loved the guy so it's kinda cool now to be in his district again! He was just released as a ZL because of some health problems with his stomach and they thought the stress could have been contributing.
Elder Bradley came out 1 transfer before me...he hits his year mark this Friday! Elder Bradley and I are working super hard and doing what we're suppost to. Last transfer when we had interviews, President asked me if there was anything he could do to help me out and I talked with him about mornings still being a struggle and that I wanted a companion who was good at the morning routine, or at least had desires to be, and since Elder Bradley and I have been together we've done a great job at that. It has helped not being with someone that turns off the alarm before I notice it ha! I am so happy for Adrienne going through the temple and recieving her Endowment, it does my heart good! And It makes me so happy that she and Doug are most likely getting married, that is such an answer to so many prayers for so many people. I look forward to meeting him!
I can't believe school is starting already! And Erika is going to be a Sophmore and G-slice is goint to be in 8th grade! That seems super fast. I haven't been able to do push-ups because of my wrists, so tell Garrett to get ahead while he can - haha. I'm glad he's looking forward to football :o)
Honestly it is going to be even harder to write letters and keep up with people the way I want to now as a Zone Leader. I know people have said they understand in the past but it's probably just going to get further inbetween when I can respond to people. My focus is where it needs to be and I feel good about that.
Send everyone my Love, I sure do think of everyone often and pray for people specifically often. Our family is still in my prayers every day and I am so thankful to have a family like you back home supporting me, and praying for me. You're all doing great! Make healthy food choices this week, I am making a real effort to do the same! I am sick of being fed so much food and just accepting it to be polite lol, I've decided to quit accepting dessert when people offer it (which is about 90% of the time). I refuse to gain any more weight, I weigh 205 right now. When I came out I weighed 180. This most likely comes as a concern to you but I want you to know that my heart is in it, I pray about it often, and I am going to drop that weight. I know this is possible for anyone! God has asked us to be healthy and treat our bodies with respect and we can learn from Nephi's wisdom when he said that the Lord will not ask us to do anything without providing a way. I believe you have to approach any hurdle regarding "putting off the natural man" through spiritual eyes. Whether it be struggles with food, moral issues, or whatever...will power is simply not enough. I know that because I've proven it to myself time and again.
I believe in you all, I trust you, I respect you, and I love you! Have a really great week!
Hurrah for Israel!
Elder W. Marks