Happy Conference :)

Hello Everyone!! :)

This week got harder before it got better for sure. It's been hard with Elder Gamboa recently. We don't really have a lot in common but that really isn't the problem. I woke up to him on Tuesday morning packing his bags and walking out the door. I was just baffled at that time so we needed President Barrientos to come down and help the situation a little bit. It's been a really hard time this transfer. Some of the hardest times to find love for someone that I just can't click with. I feel that it's my fault for not being able to love him as much as I need to but it's so hard to truly love someone who you can't trust all the time. It's been hard but it's been getting better little by little. I know there's a lot of things I need to improve on in myself to be able to help him better. I learned that you can't change someone else, all you have is the power to change yourself. So that's what I've been doing, trying to change myself so we can get this companionship going a little bit better. 

It was a good week of work towards the end of the week though :)

We have two investigators who are a husband and wife who we taught at the beginning of the transfer and they'll be baptized on the 25th :) Their baptismal interview is this Saturday and we're making the announcement of their baptism on Sunday. Rolando and Janalyn have been AMAZING to teach. Sister Baro had an addiction to drinking coffee but as we taught her the Word of Wisdom she immediately threw away her coffee products and decided to get Milo instead. They're different compared to any other investigator that we've had because they've truly searched and prayed with a humble and sincere heart to know if The Book of Mormon is true and as they did this then as it says in the Introduction to The Book of Mormon that they will also come to know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and has restored the fullness of Christ's gospel again on the Earth. In short, EVERYTHING we know to be true in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built upon our testimony that The Book of Mormon is the word of God. And I KNOW that The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It's amazing to be able to baptize a family of 4 and help them receive the eternal covenants of Salvation and help prepare them to make more covenants in the Lord's temple after this baptism. I'm so, so, so excited for the Baro family and for their son and daughter to have the gospel in their home. I'm so, so, so excited for them :) Words can't truly describe how happy I am for their family :)

Everything else this week went great! :) Conference was amazing as always. I reflected on my life and realized how grateful I am to have prophetic counsel in my life to guide me and help me through a world that is getting farther and farther apart from Christ's doctrine. Their counsel lead by the spirit has given me more advice in my life than ever before. I can't really say which conference talk was my absolute favorite because each one I was able to learn and grow from in a different way. It made me more grateful for the Savior and His atoning sacrifice, it made me more grateful for my family, for my parents, and grandparents, sister and brother. It made me more grateful to understand that we can be together forever through the covenants in the temple and the importance of doing family history work so that we can be united together again with a celestial bond. And it just made me more grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father to help me out in times of need. He really does reach out and talk to us through His appointed servants. I'm so grateful for this gospel and for the Restored church of Jesus Christ! :) That is the reason why I left on my mission, so that others can feel the love of the Savior in their own lives and receive the same ordinances that has gave my life peace, direction, and love. I love this church! :) and I love my Father in Heaven and His plan for us! :) I hope each and everyone of you who reads this email can feel the love that I have for Him and for His plan and can feel closer to Him because of this email :)

I love you all so much and I hope you all are able to find love, joy, peace, and happiness as I have found in my life through living the restored gospel :) I love you all! :) and I hope this week is great week for everyone! :)

With love,

Elder Oslund