Tender mercies!

Howdy everyone!

I hope people are still keeping up with their New Year's Resolutions!

:D I know I'm still going strong on most of mine!

So, lots of really cool things happening this week! We're still pretty busy, teaching about 18 lessons this last week, but the even better part about those lessons is that you could really feel the Spirit in the lessons. One of the things Elder Ales and I have been working on is to be more detailed in our planning sessions, and to really strive to include the Lord with us because really, we don't have all the answers, we just don't, but the Lord has ALL the answers. There was one lesson this week that we were trying to plan, and we kept just getting stuck. We would try to find scriptures, and none of them really fit what we were wanting to talk about, or it didn't feel right, or it just made no sense when we read it out loud. It was so frustrating, and then finally, we both had the feeling that we just needed to go in with one topic in mind, that God is our loving Heavenly Father. We went to the lesson, slightly dreading what we were getting ourselves into, because we didn't really have a set lesson plan. We go in, sit down, and across from us was a sign that gave the names of the couple, and then the words "Families Forever" - or something like unto it. We start talking about the planned topic, and slowly but surely, both my companion and I start shifting our focus towards families, and their eternal nature, and it just blossomed. It was amazing what the Lord did with us! We used a lot of the scriptures that we'd studied, and at the time had thought they meant nothing. We were prepared, and we were truly instruments in the Lord's hands. What an amazing experience for us. :)

One more tender mercy I've had from Heavenly Father this last week was when I went on exchanges with one of my zone leaders, Elder Taylor.

During exchanges, we talk about how our areas are doing, about our companionships, about who we're teaching, basically just giving an update about how our mission is going to that point. We also check iPads to make sure we're following the rules, and all that fun stuff.

Elder Taylor and I had checked iPads, and we were just talking about things afterward, and I felt the distinct impression to send a message to one of my best friends via Facebook. Sent that off, and I got a response within two minutes. It almost knocked me out of my chair. I read it, and it was so hard to keep the tears from flowing. My friend had written me back, and informed me that he was going to be serving a mission! My friend is one that I love dearly, and I'm so glad and proud of his decision to serve Heavenly Father for two years! :D It was another tender mercy that reminded me, once again, that God DOES answer prayers!

Well, have fun this week, but not TOO much fun! Elder Ales and I are having (possibly too much) fun! We are doing GREAT! :D

I love y'all!

Elder Conrad Hamilton

Keep Smiling!