letter from May 23, 2011

Hey,
I am glad that you made it ok, and that your surgery went good. Haha with all that stress it sounds like San Diego will do you some good. That sounds like it would be a fun trip. I am sorry I have sinned I wrote *** back, but I told the APs and they told me good job. So .... sorry. But it did make my day. I hope that things are going better. I have just been really worried that ** didnt have a place to stay. That is why I was worried. But if she has got a roof over her head and some food then I guess that she will be ok. It has been really hard, but things are still going good. I am used to being DL that is not really hard at all. I just do baptism interviews and hold meeting once a week. So ya not too big of a thing. But it is fun. Things are going very good in my ward. There are 6 people getting baptised this Sat. They all passed their interviews last week. So that is good. Ugh there has been a ton of drama in the ward between two girls. That has not been fun. They both help us, so we hear about both sides of the story. ALl I can say is people get caught up on the smallest stupidest things. It is really not worth it at all. I wish some people could just forgive and forget. THat would definately make life a heck of alot easier. THat is for sure.
So there will be a transfer in two weeks. I do not know if I will be leaving or if I will be staying. But I am excited to see what happens. I love my ward, but I have been in the capital for almost a year now. I would really like to go and see province again. BUt hey we will see what the Lord wants. So my favorite family is going to get baptised on the 4 of June. I am so excited. They are getting their marriage done this week.
Plus one of the kids that we are teaching is going to be getting baptised this week as well. His name is ***. He is about 19 and he is way cool. HE has completely stop smoking in just two weeks and he was smoking 2 packs a day before. It is really cool to see the growth in people because of the church. It is crazy I was looking at *** the other day. The kid that we baptised last April. He used to be such a lazy kid. Now he is asking us every day if he can help. It is almost annoying he wants to help so much. But it is so good; I love to see that change in people. I know that this church is true. Only in this church do you see such a growth and change in the lives of the people that are seeking to be closer to Christ. The gospel always brings change to people who have a contrite heart. I constantly pray that I can continue to be changed and shaped by the Lord; I want to become something beautiful in his eyes. I am still someone who has mistakes and weaknesses. And it makes me sad at how I must disapoint him sometimes. But I pray that someday I can become what he wants me to be. I hope that I can be shaped by him. Let us all be shaped by our savior. It is never easy, but when we allow him to shape us through our trials and our weaknesses, then we can become something great.
Love you,
Elder Madsen