6.26.12
Thank you for all of the prayers and the support that you have given me in the last 22 months. I know that you have to take time out of your day to be able to write me, so know that your sacrifices are greatly appreciated. 


Haha I can't remember if you told me about dad's truck, but that's rough that the excursion and the truck both went out, but when trials come we need to look to the Lord. I love that we can communicate with an all knowing, all powerful being, God the Father, through a simple prayer and He is willing to speak with us and give us guidance and direction because He loves us. Something that I have been sharing with the people that I talk to is how God knows us and loves us personally. It is so true and I have come to know that though prayer and scripture study. I began reading the Book of Mormon again and my goal is to finish it before the 22 of August but in the short time I have begun reading it again I have found answers to prayers and guidance I had never before known. I love the Book of Mormon.

Max is doing good. We continue to work with him and help him receive answers to his prayers. He wasn't able to attend church this Sunday because he had to visit with his lawyer concerning a job deal that he is working on here. I pray that this next Sunday he´ll be able to make it. He is such a great guy. On the even better side my companion and I are getting along a lot better and we are working better together and due to that we were able to invite a young man on Sunday to be baptized on July 7th and he accepted. His siblings are all members, but he was the only one that still hadn't gotten baptized and we passed by Sunday night right before going home and we invited him to show his faith and take the step to be baptized.

This week my companion and I were able to work a lot better and have much more unity. I've been learning a lot about humility and patience as I strive to serve the Lord and please my companion. We come from cultures so different that it has been really hard for me to accept some of the mannerisms of my companion, but as I have prayed and asked the Lord to strengthen me so that those things don't bother me so much He has blessed me. It's hard to not get upset when someone spits on the floor of the house, but to correct that behavior you have to teach them that it's not ok to do that. Like I said patience is what is getting me through my hard times, and a good eye to make sure that I don't step in the spit haha. I love being a missionary because it exposes you to so many different things, but you learn how to trust in the Lord and rely on His divine help. I find peace knowing that I will have the blessing to choose who will be my eternal companion and that I will be able to love her before I make the decision to be with her. I'm so glad that I have had some tough companions because I've learned to rely on the Lord so much more even for the "small things" in life. I know that I'm going to look back on these hard times and laugh. I've already begun to do so.

The gospel is so real. I'm blessed to know that Christ payed for my sins and that all I have to do is be humble enough to fall on my knees and ask forgiveness and He is willing to forgive me. I'm blessed to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that as I prayerfully study it I'm guided day by day. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God called to restore the truth in these latter days. I know that Thomas S. Monson has been called of God and is guided and direct by the Lord daily as to how he must guide the church. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's kingdom here on the earth and through baptism we enter into God's kingdom. Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end are key to our salvation. What a blessing it is to know that repentance is still available for us even after we are baptized.

Love,
Elder Turner