The Most Disappointing Title Yet

Well it's that time again. It's crazy though, I feel like I haven't emailed you guys since last year.

So here's a new joke for you all that I just thought of now:

Q). What did the pessimistic broken light bulb say to the fully functioning light bulb?

A). I don't have a flicker of hope

Yeah that was funnier in my head.

So we met a crazy guy yesterday. He was telling us his profound insights on theology. He was just like, "just think about it. The trinity, Thor, Odin, the Egyptians, they're all the same. And that just gets you thinkin', it's Aliens. It's all aliens." It was something to that effect. But yeah it was an interesting conversation. 

So also this week, there is a family we have been teaching, and they are super cool. The husband is a member of the Church but hasn't come in a long time. His wife and kids are not members however, and as a family they have decided that they really feel like they want Church to be an important part of their lives. In fact the wife just called us one day saying pretty much just that and that she wants to have lessons with missionaries. So we have been teaching the wife and she really understands how important it is for her to learn truth for herself. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it and she is really feeling like this is where she needs to be. It has been really amazing to watch this family as they recognize that something has been missing from their lives, and then be able to find the blessings that the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to families. That is something that I have a testimony of. My family and I wouldn't be the same people without Jesus Christ's Gospel being the center of our home. I have been so blessed to have so much peace and love and joy present throughout my life. Was my family perfect? No. Were there arguments? You betcha. But I don't remember those things when I look back on my life at home. What I do remember is that there was just so much love in my home. And no matter what, after any fight or argument or yelling or failure to load the dishwasher or failure to turn my light off or whatever it was, the most important thing is that my parents taught us how to pray and they taught us to be kind and they taught us about Jesus. And that is something I will be forever grateful for. Because even though we weren't a perfect family, we always have a chance to do better and to try harder and we always just have so much love for one another. My family might read this and be going, yeah right, you make us sound so great. But seriously, I know that when all of my siblings eventually leave home they won't remember the arguments or the breathing each other's air or whatever either. They will just remember the game nights and the movie nights and the Thanksgiving traditions and the silly videos we made and the love and the Spirit that was in our home. 

Well I'm really glad this is an email and you can't see me, because now I'm crying. Now I'm just really hoping the other Elders don't look over at me.

Anyway, I am so grateful for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. For the Book of Mormon. And for what that means for my family. Because I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He loves us all more than we can comprehend. And I know He leads His Church today through a modern day Prophet and modern day Apostles whom He has called, just like He did when He was on the earth. And through the restored truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I know that I will be able to live with my family for eternity, which just brings me so much happiness and joy. 

Well, that's all I've got. I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

And to quote myself from my email 3 weeks ago:

"Talk to you next week!

~Elder Oswald"