27 of the best years of your life! Wow that's amazing that you have been together that long, and in the same sense it is just more of a feeling of joy to know that you and Dad's love grows more and more over the years. Thanks for tying the knot. lol. Well it sounds like an unbelievable spring break. I am staying in the same area for this next transfer, so no change in the address.
conference was great! There seemed to be a general theme of family in one form or fashion. The men did get hit hard, and yes the spirit smacked us all around a little bit but it was good. i really enjoyed the whole conference. I did a lot of thinking about you guys during the whole thing. Mostly about you and Dad and how you raised me. I just don't know how you did it. Near as I can remember by looking back, you guys did everything just perfect in raising me. I'm sure you may not totally feel that way, but I do. I know that that comes from your continual diligence in seeking spiritual guidance. When I hear talks on raising children and leading your family I think, " how on earth did you guys do it right, all the time?" You have been perfect examples for me, and I am literally eternally grateful. I don't remember where I was reading in one of my studies earlier this week, but Bruce R McConkie talked about how we have been placed into a family and into a time of history in regards to how we were in the pre-earth life. That we were granted some things according to our actions and worthiness before this life. He makes the point of how it is reasonable to believe that just as we will be rewarded for our actions in this life in the hereafter, it is reasonable to believe that is part of how it worked from Pre-Earth life and our circumstance in Life. I thought that was interesting.
I had something cool happen this last week that was awesome. there was a member that I gave a blessing to a few weeks ago when she was feeling sick not with an illness, but with a prior injury. I do not remember what was said in the blessing, but she told me that there was an assurance of some way that soon she would either know something or see something, I can't quite remember(keep in mind that she has been looking for a job for a long time, and it's been really hurting her financial stability w/o one). so I don't remember what was said, but she got a call a couple days after the blessing telling her that she was in the top three selected for a job and that they wanted to interview her again. This job was the one she wanted and she thought that it was long gone. Well this last week she was the one that got it, and there were many people who applied for it. So It was cool to see yet again, how a blessing was pronounced and given to these people, and how I was a vessel through which the Lord could work through.
I love you mom. You are an amazing example to me, and I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me. I'm grateful we will be together forever. I love you
Dad,
Wow it sounds like a heck of a week. those pics are sweet. it's gorgeous there is southern Utah. That's what it's like in the western part of our mission like in grand Junction. I definitely enjoyed conference though. you'll have to read Brenden's email b/c I talked a little bit about it, but it did really focus on men. I guess we really need to step it up. As usual one of my favorite speakers was Elder Holland. I love when the General Authorities break down a parable or story and make it so much more powerful. His ending remark was my favorite of the whole conference. "Don't Delay, It's Getting Late!" I thought that was great. It was kind of crazy this weekend, that's for sure. Not your normal G.C weekend, but I loved it. General Conference really is like Christmas. First you can't believe it's here again, then its everything you did and didn't expected, and then all of the sudden it's over and you have to wait a long time for the next one.
I've been studying the book of Jacob for the last week and a half or so. Usually it would go faster than that, but I get through about 8 verses in 30 minutes. I'm really trying to get everything I can out of it. I have a study guide that I'm using as I read. It was awesome going through the allegory of Zenos and the whole 77 verses. That took me about a week to go through. I never would have understood all that w/o my study guide. I also came across a verse in Chapter 6 that was awesome, and we can put ourselves in the Nephites position imagining that we are being asked the same thing. "Behold will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?(jacob 6:8)" I think about the counsel given in General Conference, the counsel we're given every Sunday at church, and the counsel we're given in the scriptures. Every time we reject these things, we say yes to Jacob's question to the Nephites, and how easy is it to do this? I get sick when I think about how many times I've done this and how I may keep doing it even in the smallest ways. So I really liked that scripture b/c it gives me something to ponder about.
well it was good to hear how good all of you are doing. I'm glad the reception and everything went well for you guys. I want to thank you Dad, for doing all you could to teach me about the priesthood and how to be a good man. In much of the counsel that was given in G.C. I thought of you and how you helped guide me along the straight and narrow. Literally, w/o you dad, I would have been swallowed up in the mists of darkness, in the things of this world. I love you dad
Elder Hatfield
