Week 2 Letter

Tuesday, May 28 2013

Famlee!!!

Ahh, so crazy! It feels like I have been gone for so long, but at the same time the past 2 weeks feel like it has been one day. It really is insane. I'm tired, but not really. I feel like I should be tired but for some reason feel like I could swim to Portugal right now... the Lord really does bless his missionaries in so many ways. My district is awesome. Its so funny, Ive started telling "bed-time" stories to them every few nights out of the scriptures, sometimes spiritual sometimes not. Last night was awesome, I read out of Alma.... aw shoot I dont remember the chapter now... ermmm... 50 something. Anyways, it is an awesome chapter packed with good principles and stories. Its the one where contention starts arising amongst the nephites about wanting a king. Those who want to overthrow Pahoran take the name king-men while those who wish to mantain liberty call themselves free-men. I was very careful not to be political, but did express a love for our country. But that was just part of it. I likened it to the war in heaven, and the very real war that still wages today. Anyways, I read to them about how moroni felt, and what he did about it... He was so awesome. I used your version of the story, Dad, where after he gathers the king men he walks down the line asking, "king-man, or free-man?" And hacking down any who chose king men, and chose to rebel against liberty and agency and refused to fight with their bretheren against the advancing lamanites. The is an awesome scripture in the chapter, Idk which verse but it is at the top of the right page in the left column I think. It says that the contention had come at a critical time, and I likened that to us. It was awesome. And then when we got to Teancum (I love Teancum so much... my second time all the way through the book of mormon I literally cried when he died...) it was so awesome. It is talking about how Amalikiah is taking over city after city after city mowing people down, but then a verse says, 'But it came to pass' not 'and it came to pass', "But it came to pass he met Teancum" or something like that. I love that so much, and told them that's how we should be: Like Teancum and his army. And then Teancum sneaks in with his servant to the Lamanite camp and kills Amalikiah... so awesome. Then the first thing he does is go back to his camp and wake them all up and prepares them, just in case. There is so much I love about that chapter. I wish I knew Teancum's servant name. I bet there is an awesome story there. Anyways it was a good story last night. Tonight or the next we will bring down the spiritual-ness of the lesson with Ahab and Jezebel part II, finishing up part I which we had a while ago... I love the story of when Ahab and Jehosephat go to war with Syria, how all the 450 baalian prophets testify that they will conquer, but then one prophet of the lord, Maicaih, I think thats his name, tells it like it is. And then how that Syrian archer "draws his bow back from a venture" and kills king ahab after the 32 captains and all there men make the mistake of going after Jehosephat thinking he is Ahab. Anyways, that will be a fun part II with Jezebel getting eaten by dogs...

Hahaha, that all sounds pretty crazy, but it is a good way to wrap up a long day. We work so hard, always focused, obedient and on task. We are growing so much as a district, and being district leader has been amazing. The portugues is coming along, I can understand it great, but speaking it is tough still. But I've got faith, and the gift of tongues is awesome. Continental portugues is tough, they really swallow a lot of sounds and words, it's funny, but sounds amazing. Anyways, I am going to jump off the Computer with some time left, go get my cam and email a couple pics. Love you all!!!! Have a great week!

-Elder Lee

PS Ali you are so pretty! Happy Birthday. I love you!!!

One of James' institute students