Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Elder Sommer's Letters April 23 & 30

April 23, 2012
Dear Family,
How are you all doing? It is great to hear from all of you again. Just to answer some questions it is still hot here and will continue to be hot here for the next few months, we are in summer now, but Bangalore is one of the nicest places to be. My companion Elder Chelladurai is from Chennai, he is a great Elder and has taught me many great things. I will be staying in Bangalore for the next 3 months because transfers came this week, and I found out that I will be training a new Elder in my area. Which is quite a daunting of an assignment because I just barely this week finished my training, but I am excited and know that with the Lord's help that I can accomplish all that the lord would have me do.

This week has been good we found another family in our area, who is progressing very well, and we are continuing our work with the family that we found last week. We are hoping that May will be a big month for us in our area. I am excited that Annalee and Camille went to the Spring Fling dance and had a fun time. That's awesome that Anna will be working at Snoasis, and I am so happy that Camille is going into E.S. it will be the best class that you have ever had. Kent sounds like you had fun having air soft wars and helping with the apartments. Laura sounds like you are having lots of fun with Nats, and that is awesome that you saw some dear and a moose. Brenen thanks for your prayers, I know that you and kent will be great missionaries. Dad sounds like you have been very busy with work, and with trying to get the field all disked and planted and harrowed, along with burning the ditches. I can't believe anna is graduating and that you will all have summer vacation soon.

Next week I will really try to send some pictures as you all know I am not to good with computers and the computers and internet here really make it fun. But this week has been amazing, we have had many good lessons, and through prayers have found new investigators this week. I love you all so much and think of each of you and the wonderful blessing all of you are in my life, I was reading in the April Liahona and I read the talk by Elder Bednar on The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality" It is an amazing talk especially as i have pondered how the Atonement has enabled me in my life. I would encourage you all to read that talk and to think of its implications in our family. Especially pay attention to Nephi's words. I love you all so much thanks for you love and prayers. Thanks Dad for the poems thte only other one I really want is teh one about the tree (the Forest King) May the Lord bless you. Please congratulate Benson and Sebb, and say hi to all the elders that have come home from our ward.
Oh and tell Uncle Jared happy birthday, I think it is in April
Love,
Elder Sommer



April 30, 2012
Dear Family,
So good to hear from all of you again. Sorry that some of you got sick and were not feeling well. The work here has been great My new Companions name is Elder Oraon he is from Visak, and came from the MTC this week so I will be training him for the next three months, he is a great Elder and has a great desire to serve, we are really trying to work hard, to help our investigators to make the decision to enter the waters of baptism. Some times the work here is hard, because often times, even when we teach very simply I worry that because of the language barrier our investigators do not understand completely what we are teaching them. But I am so grateful for the Spirit which has the power to bear witness to the hearts of the truth of what we are teaching. I gain a great deal of strength from Paul's words in Philippians 4:13 where he says I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me. I truly feel that I can do all things with his help, and I am truly humbled and so grateful for his love and guidance. I have felt the Spirit so strongly this past week especially as I have bore my personal testimony that Jesus is the Christ, and that he loved us each enough to offer his life a ransom for each and every one of us who has, now does, or ever will live on this earth. I have felt the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much this week, especially as we have taught one sister whose husband has died and she is raising two young sons, the oldest who has something a kin to Multiple Sclerosis. As we walk in their door every time I seem to hear the words of our Savior from third Nephi where he said "Behold Your Little Ones."  This little family has such faith, and such a belief in the power of prayer, they have truly strengthened my testimony, and made me even more grateful for the wonderful family that I also have. I am so grateful for the enabling power of the Atonement,and for the power that it gives us to move forward even when all seems hopeless, In Preach My Gospel it says that thru the Atonement of Jesus Christ all that is unfair about life can be made right. I am so grateful for this wonderful little Family that we are teaching and I am especially moved by their love of God, that even though hard times have come to their lives they have put their trust in him, and they know that he has never forsaken them. I feel this same strength in my life, and as I look at our family, I know the Lord has given us the strength to accept his will in our lives. And I am especially thankful for each of you and all that you have taught me by words and examples, I here your words in my mind often, especially Dads, who said in his own testimony the words of the Savior that I quoted above. Know that I love you all so much and pray for you continually, I invite you all to really make prayer a meaningful thing, really speak to our heavenly father and I promise that if we listen he will always speak back. We just have to learn how to recognize his answers to our prayers. My time is short, but it sounds like you are all working very hard, at work and in school kep up the good work and tell the returning missionaries hi. Also thanks to every one who sent an email. Please wish Grandpa Sommer Happy Birthday, and tell the whole family I love them. I will get to call you all in May sometime I will let you know about the particulars when I find out.
I love you all more than I could ever express in words
Love Elder Sommer

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