Hey Mom!
Sounds like there are some pretty great things happening at home! I can't believe that Brian is Graduating HS already! Well... I mean I can believe it, but it came fast. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was a couple months away from my mission and going to the temple. Mom! You are going to have two boys out on missions! Two Elder Farley's on the east and west coast of the States! I am pretty stoked for that.
This past week has had so much stuff happening it seems like two weeks have gone by in the last 4 days. We had transfers followed by Leadership Training and then our Tri-Mission Conference. The Baltimore mission was there, and we got to see a lot of old friends from the MTC who are in that mission. They left a week before us in the MTC so we were their successor group :) haha the DC south mission was there as well as our mission, "the best mission in the history of life."——as everyone knows. Elder Ballard came with a few general authorities but I was so stoked to just hear from him that I only remember one of their names, Elder Wong. Haha he was really a funny guy and taught about how the 4 people that brought the man with palsy to Jesus and lowered him through the roof; were the ward council members bringing a less-active, recent convert, or investigator to Christ. He explained that in order for that person to be brought to Christ the whole ward council had to act in unity and efficiency to bring the person on top of the roof without dropping him and then carefully lowering the person down evenly so that the bed wouldn't tip over. It was really awesome symbolism. The others talked a lot about studying a Preach My Gospel and how we are not asked to do very hard things as members and missionaries. He had us think about our ancestors who had to cross the plains and face persecution and even death. While we, on the other hand, are asked to read our scriptures, say our prayers, go to church, and share the gospel. Elder Ballard's message was focused on sharing the gospel with everyone. He explained that the only way we can baptize and bring more people to the church is to talk with everyone. It is so simple. He also talked about communication and the importance of studying purposefully so that when we deliver our message it is concise and powerful; being backed up by the Spirit of God. Overall he spoke simple saying that all the brethren could teach us or ever want to teach us is already, in some way, taught in Preach My Gospel. His simple and meaningful reminder pierced me heart and I know that the Spirit was not only telling me that this man truly is a decile of Christ, but that his message was what The Lord wanted us to hear and to do. So I encourage you and everyone to read and study Preach My Gospel more :) That is something I plan on studying even more here and after my full time service as a missionary. Oh! And for the Conference I had a picture of Elder Ballard as my iPads screen saver haha. I was really hoping I could ask him to take a selfie with me! Haha
Today we went to the Mall for our once a transfer football game at The Mall in DC. It was a perfect day for football. The sky was clear, blue and the weather was warm with a cooling breeze. Couldn't have asked for a better day!! We did mixed up teams and I got Hansen on my team with the really tall elder, Elder Swensen, and we also got Elder Chapman! So it was people I knew and we made a super good team! I'm not saying that we won all our games... But... We won all our games haha :) I really love all the elders out here so much. For the most part everyone is a good sport and we all have a great time together.
This week was awesome, even though it hasn't been a full week with Elder Cervantes we are already getting along just fine and having lots of fun together. Elder C is a bit older than most the missionaries out here, since he turns twenty-seven on the 31st on this month! So he is veteran :) he also only has about 3 months left on his mission. Crazy, right? We have a wonderful bunch in the zone and we are going to see so many miracles this transfer, I can just feel it. Unfortunately, we didn't have any investigators at church this week, but we did meet with N and O again and taught them the Plan of Salvation. They understood it well and had many great questions! O still has a set back on the Book of Mormon where the Lamanites get a cursing of blackness on their skin and how the Nephites were labeled as exceedingly fair and beautiful. So we are going to hit on that pretty hard next lesson and just focus on helping him pray to ask God if it is true. There are always little doubts and concerns that hold people back from accepting or progressing in the Gospel of Christ. But I know the Lord will help out.
Lots of good things are happening here in the DC North Mission and we are going to teach EVERYONE! Well... At least TALK TO EVERYONE!!! ;D I love this Gospel and I have always known, thought the Spirit of God, that it is the true church of the Lord and Savior. Nothing will stop the work of Salvation from progressing or hastening. Everyone who is engaged needs to continue with faith. And everyone who isn't needs to get on board!
I love you Mom and I am so very thankful that I am your son and in the family we are in. What a great blessing to have the Restored Gospel in our lives :) keep smiling and keep sharing your great testimony.
Love your son,
Elder Sean B. Farley
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