Email December 15, 2014

Hello family! How are you guys doing? I hope you are all doing great because you deserve it. And because it's the Christmas season so there is no reason to be sad. Unless Rudolph's nose burns out. Then there is something to be sad about. That nose went down in history, you know. It would be a shame if it went out. Anyway! ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Wow I'm pumped. I cannot wait to see you guys!!! It's going to be so great. So great. Well not much has happened here the last week. Just a lot of trying to find new less actives and investigators to teach. We had little success on our own, but we did receive a pretty promising referral so I'm excited to start working with that family. We had dinner with a potential named Chuck Kilmer and we talked a little about the Atonement and explained to him what it is. After the meal we showed the church's new He is the a Gift video and asked him if he wanted to hear some of the discussions about Jesus Christ that we as missionaries teach and he said yes! After the holidays, but he said yes! Another exciting opportunity. Another situation with good potential is a less active/part member couple, maybe family. We called them because on some of the records we have it said they are open to talking and are friendly so we figured why not. Gave them a call to try to set up a time and they also said after the holidays, but that's alright. Better late than never. We spent a whole day out in the "You Bet" sub-area of the a Grass Valley ward. It's the place where one of the elders in the apartment would call "Bufu, Egypt" of the ward boundaries. Meaning it is way out in the middle of nowhere. It was super beautiful! I'll send the pictures I have next week. It was truly amazing. You Bet apparently used to be an old mining town that was really successful until their mining techniques were said to be harming the nearby reservoir so they had to stop mining. And suddenly no more town. Seriously though, apparently there are no buildings left out there. We only saw one or two and that was it. But it was super cool. I know I love this ward but that just bumped it up a little more. I'm definitely planning on visiting the Grass Valley area when I get off of my mission. I can't really think of anything else other than it was our ward a Christmas party this last Saturday. That was fun, even though we had to leave a half hour early to go down to the stake center in Auburn for another Christmas thing that three other missionaries and I sang at. There's a video of one of the songs we sang on Facebook (speaking of which, it has gotten over 900 views in 2 days!). So that's cool. I had a good time that day. I have been struggling a little bit recently. I feel like I have hit a wall, speaking in terms of my work and abilities and desires. And some of them I even feel like I may have taken a backstep on which, in my opinion, is not okay. So then, knowing I can do better, I get frustrated with myself that I'm not doing the best I can all of the time, even though I know that's extremely hard to do, and it just hinders me even more. I think I know what I need to do to combat this so I'm going to try it, but please keep me in your prayers. I could definitely use them. I'm also getting really sick and tired of having little to no progress with our investigators and less actives, not being able to find new ones who want to work with us, and not having anyone progress towards and to baptism. I know more baptisms don't mean a missionary is more successful, but it wouldn't hurt to get some so I can feel a little more successful so lower morale and discouragement don't settle in and make themselves comfy. I could use your prayers in that regard as well. I'm trying not to be jealous and I'm trying not to count numbers and compare and I'm trying not to get discouraged and I'm trying not to feel like I'm wasting my time and the Lord's time and I'm trying not to feel like I'm unsuccessful, but bottom line is that it's hard to do that for so long and I'm slowly starting to feel those things. But I know I shouldn't be, which sends me back into that stupid cycle. It's just annoying and frustrating. So if I could get your prayers with that I would be so appreciative. Truly, I would be incredibly grateful. I love you guys and I thank you for your unending support. Go, fight, and win this week! Remember the Lord is always by your side even though His help is more easily and readily noticed when we are struggling. Faith precedes the miracle. Faith without works is dead. Faith can work miracles of all sorts and sizes. I know this to be true. And I'm hoping this testimony will just continue to grow stronger as I pass through this current trial. I am confident it will. Love you guys, have a fantastic week! Love, Elder Cevering