Sunday, December 15, 2013

9 Dec 2013

I'll get to see the Christmas devotional this Saturday night. I'm excited to listen to the music, too! I'm sure it'll be great. I'm glad you got the photos. It took forever to send them. I wanted to send more but I dont know why its so slow. Oh well. You'll get to see all of my pics when I get home. I'm doing well and this week was pretty good. We're gonna have another training with Pres Lima this thursday and I'm really excited. I always learn so much from him. Hes amazing. I dont know Zane Shroyer very well but I know Dallin and Riley, two of his brother and their parents are awesome! A great family. I'm sure Zanes talk was very good. We had a great talk yesterday in Sacrament Meeting about reverance. He talked about reverance for the sacrament, for the scriptures, our bodies, and many other things. Reverance is a way to love, respect and honor Heavenly Father. Look a little more into this topic of reverance. I thought it was really interesting. Do you have Christmas break soon? When will Jordan be home? Whats Adam been up too? Is he almost done with school? Its been really hot this week but I'm using the sun screen you sent me. .......

Skype will be great! I'm excited. I'm glad that the ward is growing a little bit. This is so important. Christ is returning and we gotta be ready! Sorry I dont have anything super intersting to say this week. Next week is the transfer so I'll let you know if I move or if my companion will leave. If he does, I'll let you know about my new companion. Well I hope you're doing great and I hope you're happy. Happiness truly is a gift from God. I've got one scripture for you to read that my companion shared with me. It seems really simple but is quite profound. Its John 6:67-68. This is before Christ is betrayed by Judas. Christ and many of His followers are being persecuted and He makes a simple but profound question with an even better answer by Simon Peter. Read it and ponder about it. I know the Spirit will speak to you like He did to me. I love you mom and cant wait to talk to you soon!

2 Dec 2013

Hey Mom!
This week went well. We are going to have 2 baptisms this next Sunday! I'm really excited! We're working hard to help our Bishop too. Hes an amazing guy and we had a Family Home Evening at his house this week. It was really special and we talked about how the Lord sometmes lets us fall to teach us how to pick ourselves up again. It doesnt matter how many times you fall down but it does matter how you get up again and are stronger each time. We also had lunch with a husband and wife who are members yesterday and they have 4 children. A girl whos 14, boy 10, boy 8 and a young girl whos 2 years old. I shared a message with her about how we always have to try really hard to have FHE and daily prayer and scripture study as a family. Its really tough and many times it doesnt work out very well with a big family with small children. I shared my experience with her about when I was 5 years old and was a Stripling Warrior for Halloween. I showed her the picture of me and the outfit you made for me. I told her that this one memory from 17 years ago has marked me until today and that I will never forget it. I promised her that here in a couple years her children will look to her, as I do to you, and will thank her for the sacrifices she makes to help her children stay in the church. She cried and thanked me for the personal experience. It was a really special moment. I studied this morning about D and C 88:119 because I thought of this scripture a lot this week. Its a wonderful scripture and as I thought of "a house of God" I thought of the primary hymn, "Where Love Is" I love this hymn and I know the Spirit guided my study and my thoughts to make this conection. A house of God and also the lyrics of this primary hymn. "Where love is, there God is also. Where love is, I want to be." This message truly touched me and is so clear and special for me. Chartiy, compassion and a sincere concern for others is where love is and therefore where God is. Truly, that is where I want to be. This week we had a big meeting with Elder Gavarret and it was great. I got to have a short interview with him, as did some other missionaries. It was good to talk to him and see some of his person insight. The two best parts of the meeting included music. I led and directed a choir of 20 missionaries (men and women) a flute and violin and piano player also. We sang "Joseph Smths First Prayer". It was a great experience to led and sing in this choir and to sing such a special hymn. We got a lot of compliments and especially from Elder Gavarret and his wife. Also, the las hymn (which I directed for the congragation) was "I Believe in Christ". It was super powerful and many of the sister missionaries cried. I grew in deep apreciation for this hymn and the beautiful testimony that it bears of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm so glad that you got to go to the temple. It is truly a blessing from God. I hope you're doing great mom and I hope to hear from you soon!
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25 Nov 2013

Mom!
I absolutely loved your conversion story! That is so cool and inspiring! It would be amazing to talk to these missionaries that helped you and to thank them for the difference their service has had on my life. Never forget this wonderful miracle that Heavenly Father gave you to bring you closer to Him. What a wonderful and beautiful testimony. I use my baptismal picture often to testify of my baptism and the blessings it has brought me. I also have used my picture of when I was 5 and was a Stripling Warrior for halloween. These are cherished memories and testimonies that we have been blessed with.

Yesterday we had a great family with two young children go to church. It was the first time the dad had been to church and he really liked it. We're going to have a FHE with this family and the Bishop's family tonight. The less active family that I talked about last week.... went to church yesterday! It was great and I can tell that the husband was really happy to have his wife there with him. I will take a picture with them to show you. This week was pretty good and this upcoming week should be even better. We have a big meeting with a 70, Elder Gaverret (hes the guy that wrote the lihona article about the king and the horse shoe) I met him one time before but this will be a big training this friday. I'm excited. I read a really greattalk this week that Ive already read several times but always learn more each time that I read. Its called "The Merciful Will Recieve Mercy" or something close to that. Its from Abril of 2012 General Conference by Pres Uchtdorf. A wonderful talk. I'm gonna cut this email short real quick to send you some photos. I hope youre doing great and I hope your thanksgiving was awesome. I love you and will talk to you soon!
Elder Jared Knotts

18 Nov 2013

Hey Mom!
Your email today was one of the best that I've received so far in the mission. It is always wonderful to hear from you but especially today because of the great experience you had. I know without a doubt that your example and your testimony will change her life and help her to know the truth. I remember several experiences when I was able to bear my testimony and I cried because the Spirit was so strong. Never forget these experiences because they are priceless. These testimonies that the Spirit bears to our souls are truly "pearls of great price". I'm thankful for your wonderful example for me and for our family. Your testimony strengthens me and I know that just as the 2000 stripling warriors, (alma 56:48) I do not doubt that my mother knows it. .....
Were you 19 when you met the sister missionaries and got baptized? How long did it take for you to get baptized? Do you remember the Sister's names? Are you still in contact with either one of them? Where did you meet the Sisters at? Was it on campus? Do you have a picture of your baptism? What day were you baptized? All of this is very important and I'd like to know how it was for you and what happened and everything. I'm serving with 4 sister missionaries in my Zone and I want to help them. Almost 34 years ago, before I was even born, 2 sister missionaries that I've never met changed your life which in affect, completely changed my life.
I'm doing great and we're trying to help this family come back to church. The dad is active and is a returned missionary but the wife is less active and has hurt feelings about some things that happened at church. She has a great testimony and she even went to the temple last month but we're trying to help her come back to church. I'm happy, healthy and hungry. We're gonna make home made pizzas for lunch. I will take pictures. I hope you're doing well and enjoying this holiday season. Christmas doesnt seem like Christmas without snow and family. I'll be talking with you in a month and a week. It'll be great! I love you mom and pray for you often. I hope you're doing great and I cant wait to talk to you soon.