Letter 10-22-2013

I can't believe how much the church has grown in Bentonville in the last year and a half or so. 65% growth in the last 9 years is insane! The saints are moving back nearer to Jackson county... :) To think I'm going home to a very different ward/stake then I left from is a little weird.

That's also a great stake presidency - I went to Mr. Mac in Tville earlier today and the guy at the counter said that Stu had just come in for a post-mission suit about a month earlier. Apparently he knows now-President Barney really well, ha. He gave me $10 off the $30 tie I got too while Elder Mintey picked up his winter shoes. It was also funny because I was able to see just how big the soles on my Rockports used to be compared to the wear on them now. They'll last me another winter though for sure.

The weather has been perfect lately. We've gone through some rough spots with investigators though. Something was said (we're not sure exactly what) that Katherine and Eric misinterpreted, and so now they're "taking time to think". :( We're still working with two boys named Jordan and Derek. Their step-brother Nestor was baptized right before we got in the area. They're funny kids. Derek reminds me of Jamison a bit in personality, ha.

The picture is Jordan on the back of Elder Mintey's bike.

Lately the wards have been doing a lot of work to set up appointments for us. Their work is starting to show fruits as well - hopefully we should have some more people to teach come into next week!

-- Elder Chandler
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thought: to expect miracles in missionary work

As we've read through the Book of Mormon as a mission, one pattern I've noticed is just how many promises there are made to the missionaries of our day: the last days.

One of my favorites so far was in our reading yesterday, Mormon 8:23-25 In these verses it tells us that we, the missionaries of the last days, have the prayers of six dispensations of the most faithful people to live on earth speeding us along. We have the faith and power of those who have moved mountains, caused earthquakes, and evaded the fiery furnace helping us out. The Lord will remember the covenant He made with them: to bring forth the Book of Mormon and the true gospel to all the world.

Moroni's following words on miracles run in this vein - they are here to help us in our divine mission now. Never forget that we are not alone in this work!