January 25, 2016

Hello!
I got the bike. It's awesome. Those bars are sweet, and it looks like
you got the wheels trued and a new derailleur? Thank you. I have a
feeling I'm going to get transferred to a bike area so we will see.
Transfers are in two weeks. I'm pretty excited. I'm ready to move to a
new area. Oregon city is awesome, but I'm ready to meet some new
people. There is a chance I won't move at all, but not a big one. This
week was pretty awesome. We had a new guy come to church and he is so
solid. His name is William and you would think he was a member. He was
even answering questions in gospel principals class. Friday and
Saturday we did a ton of service. We worked at the food pantry,
shoveled piles of dirt for this lady, helped someone move twice, we
moved bricks for someone, and we shoveled more dirt haha. I was pretty
tired. After we helped this guy moved we said goodbye to him and he is
a heavy smoking, tough, rough, veitnam veteran. He was just about
crying when he said goodbye to us. We gave him a big hug and he said
"I will offer the mechanics prayer. spectacles (he touched his
glasses) testicles (he touched his balls) wallet (he touched one side
of his chest) watch (he touched the other side of his chest)" I was
dying laughing. And I said amen! Amen! Hahahahaha. Then a couple weeks
ago I forgot to write about it. We were looking for this house and we
walked up this alley type thing past another house. There was this big
bearded guy working on his car. We asked him if he knew where the
house was. He said he didn't. I asked him if he has ever heard of the
church. He said yeah I've had thousands of you guys try and convert
me. I laughed and said, oh yeah? And they can't get ya? He said, nope.
I'm the devil himself. I ride Harley's and curse like a drunken effing
sailor. I've been stabbed 39 times. Two years later I walked into the
hospital holding my own organs. And if you don't believe me look. He
pulled up his shirt and showed us his big hair belly with a huge scar.
We said okay have a good day. I was dying laughing. I was thinking
ahhhhh! You don't have to show me. I believed you. Put that away!
People are so crazy. We taught the law of chastity in more depth to
Chris and Bonnie. They are living together. They aren't super happy
with us at the moment. He said I've been living. With her for 4 years
and she's been a part of my life since high school. He is like 40 now.
I had a really hard time being patient with him, but he will do what
he wants to do. We told him what he needs to do and if he is willing
to act on it then he will. If not then he won't. They said they were
going to talk to the bishop about it. They said they are waiting for
the funding to have a big wedding. I was thinking *you've been engaged
for 4 years... Are you waiting to win the lottery?* we will see what
happens with them. I'd bet my bottom dollar the bishop will tell them
the same thing we did, but maybe they will actually listen to him.
Anyway...
Spiritual thought:

"A short while ago I heard the testimony of a woman who, with her
husband, strayed from the path of safety, breaking commandments and,
in the process, nearly destroying their family. When each of them
could finally see through the thick haze of addiction and recognize
how unhappy their lives had become, as well as how much they were
hurting their loved ones, they began to change. The repentance process
felt slow and was, at times, painful, but with the help of priesthood
leaders, along with help from family and loyal friends, they made
their way back.


I share with you a portion of this sister’s testimony of the healing
power of repentance: “How does someone go from being one of the lost
sheep and gripped by [sin], to this peace and happiness we now feel?
How does that happen? The answer … is because of a perfect gospel, a
perfect Son and His sacrifice for me. … Where there was darkness,
there is now light. Where there was despair and pain, there is joy and
hope. We have been infinitely blessed by the change that can only come
through repentance made possible by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”


Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Despite the
fact that the path is difficult, the promise is real. Said the Lord to
those who repent:


“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”


“And I will remember [them] no more.”"
-president Thomas S Monson


Love,
Elder Garfield