July 31, 2012

Dear mom,

This week was really good and the work is moving forward! We had a wonderful baptism this week and I have a lovely photograph, but I am really quite a forgetful bum and left my camera at the apartment, again! I am really sorry, because I know pictures would help me explain what I am talking about. Glad to hear girl's camp went well!

I really hope sister VonDerlohe was able to receive my letter I sent last month to her. I have been thinking about her and I am sad to hear of her passing, but I know she has blessed the lives of many, including my own and will continue to do so for a long time. She will be missed.

Our companionship had a lot of great service opportunities and I am pretty sun burnt, but I am not too worried about it. I am sure if I just rotate my working position throughout the day, then I will be evenly roasted and feel warm in the middle, which is what service is all about! We have been able to teach much and uplift the members of our community, through service, as well as proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to all those we come in contact with. I sure do enjoy helping others come to a more full knowledge of the truth, because it really does make a significant and tangible difference in their lives.

A few more things that I am picking up here are the "surf-lingo terms" among such include: Dude, bro, man, yo, bra, dude bro, and all manner of permutations of the heretofore stated pronouns. I can't seem to get them down in my everyday speech yet, I am stuck on calling people Brother, Sister, Elder, by their first given name or a variation and medley of title and proper name; I hope people will accept me for who I am, even though I do not conform to the standards of the times.

No new news on the travel to Mongolia yet, but my companions enjoy listening to me argue with myself and recite memorized scriptures in Mongolian, so perhaps I will be here for their viewing pleasure until they can get along without me. Transfers are next week, but I have no idea what the plans are. I won't know until Saturday, so maybe next week I will be moving again.

I am profoundly grateful to be in San Marcos, California at this time and for the opportunity to spread the good news that the Gospel is. I know I need to be more fearless in opening my mouth and bearing my sincere testimony of the things I know. I know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was restored by Joseph Smith. I can see God's hand in the preparation of the world through the ages for this dispensation of the fullness of times. God authored a plan at the beginning of the creation, and through which we have the ability to return again to live in His Divine presence. I am so thankful for the peace and direction that knowledge gives us. The way we return to Him is through becoming like Him. He is perfect and He commands us to be perfect. I am not perfect, in fact, far from it! No surprises there, but I do know that I can become perfect through the Redeeming and Enabling power of Jesus Christ's Infinite Atonement. When everything is finished, it will all come down to the Atonement. We have the ability to change ourselves when we accept His precious gift and allow the process of repentance to work through our faith to heal and strengthen us. I do know that this Gospel is for everyone. We must follow the path that Christ set, for therein in joy and eternal life. "I'm trying to be like Jesus", is commonly uttered and sung, but really that is all I personally want: to be like Him. I hope that we all can seek out our own paths that Heavenly Father has in store for us and lean not unto our own understanding, but the foreknowledge and wisdom of God to touch the lives of others and save our own lives by losing it in Christ. I know God's church is on the earth today, and I am a missionary of His church. I am so honored and humbled by this opportunity. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Love, Elder Chandler