California - August 29, 2011

HELLO FAM!!!!!
I am alive here and the work is going; just working hard to finish the transfer strong. We are actually moving this week, so I have to pack everything today to get ready for it. We are moving to a house, hopefully not for my last weekend in this area - there is actually a chance I could stay, which I am hoping that I will, I love it here! We just found an awesome family, yeah a family, and a golden family at that. When we invited the mom to be baptized she said she had a question about that (nervous thoughts what she might say next). "I have already been baptize,d why do I need to do it again?" (or something like that). "What rules do I need to follow, and what do I need to be baptized?" We just about fainted; Elder Lopez and I were walking on air that night, we were so blessed with that great experience. Good to hear that Jens is doing well with football. Tell him to stay humble and work hard and the Lord will bless. I promise, it works. Christ is the best; we are far from perfect but He suffered for us to help us become perfect, so through him we can be perfect. This week Elder Lopez and I put in lots of hours and saw great results; probably one of my most successful weeks in the mission. We taught a lot and found some cool people. The East Sacramento Stake had stake conference, and it was probably the best one I have ever been to in my life - no offense Blanding, but the saints out here are awesome! Our stake president is seriously the Best, his talk was legit, oh my gosh it was amazing! The church is different out here than it is in Utah, it is hard to be a Latter-Day Saint when no one else is. Mom, I am sure you know faith is so tested and testimonies are built, it is a real blessing to be here and to see the strength of the people, to see them stand so strong in their faith. THE CHURCH IS SOOOOOO TRUE, LIKE HECKA TRUE. How great is it to be a member of the true and living church the church of Jesus Christ? I love it! Share it with all you can, every member a missionary. Invite a nonmember to a family home evening, go on splits with the missionaries, have the missionaries over for dinner, do as much missionary work as you can. When a member offers to help, there is nothing better; it is so needed in a missionary work, and the missionaries should be working to deserve the help of members.
DAD AND MOM HAPPY ANNIVERSARY THIS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS A SPECIAL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENS THIS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTY THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, all is well here! Thanks so much for the package, I got it Saturday 'cause we had some elders go to the office Saturday and they grabbed it, if not I wouldn't have got it till Tuesday. God takes care of us, and I thank you so much for all that you do for me. You have no idea how wonderful it is to be out here and know that you have the best people at home cheering you on, it helps us more than you know. I thank you with every ounce of my soul for the support you give me. I know that this mission is the greatest blessing in my life, and I will be the son, brother, uncle, you all deserve to have in your family. The gospel is true, and I love you :)
Elder Jesse Grover