Birthday Week!

My dear Elders and Sisters,

What a privilege it has been to serve as your mission president. I have learned and grown right alongside of you. The greatest lessons I have learned have come by watching you. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, obedience, consecrated efforts and for never giving up. You and I have been touched by Elder Tad Callister's talk on integrity. Let's get this Christlike attribute to sink deep down inside of us, to the very "fiber of our beings," to change our nature so that our behavior is changed as well. I am so thankful for the Spirit that encourages me to want to do better every day of my life. I have watched that happen to you as well.

I testify that setting our sights on becoming more like our Savior everyday, by acquiring Christlike attributes, will bring us safely home. Listen to the Spirit. Follow the promptings and directions you receive. Teach these marvelous principles to everyone you find in your path. Place yourself in the paths of others, intentionally, then teach, testify and invite them to live that principle.

Bless you all to continually filling your minds with all the beauty, fullness and completeness that is only found in the Lord's kingdom.

Our Savior is our Savior and Redeemer. We are all "hardened, fallen and lost" and would remain so without his atoning sacrifice. He is "the keeper of the gate," we have a living prophet. Keep learning and trusting and battling through the tough times. You will get to know the Father by living the gospel he has taught us so simply and so beautifully from before the foundations of this earth.

You have forever changed my life. 

All my love,

President Bubert

700+

Hey everyone,

That is the email that President Bubert sent everyone as he prepares to leave on Saturday. I'm excited and sad to have a new mission president. We'll see how President Tew is. My week was pretty crazy because I got a new companion. Elder Jensen is from "good ole" Utah. He's lived in St George before so I was talking to him about that. He's been out as long as Elder Komarek! Almost 6 months. We had an awesome lesson with Grace and she's going to be baptized on July 6th. She has become really good friends with a member who has been in her exact same situation before so it has worked out great. It has been amazing seeing God's hand in the people's lives that I have taught. I know it's not me getting people to believe something. I just invite them to learn for themselves and help them have spiritual experiences. I love seeing the Spirit change lives. 

My birthday was really good so thank you! I liked all the silly Spider Man toys Mom and the notes from the Ward was nice too. I had a pretty good day. The 18th I had to sleep on another Elder's apartment floor which stunk but I slept surprisingly well despite the hard wood floor. I was tired during the day but I had a good birthday dinner and a pretty good day. I missed you all a lot though. The members here were really nice on my birthday! One made me a cake and card. One bought me mango cheesecake with my name spelled out and everything. And one had me for dinner and made me tortellini. I'm glad that I have a good relationship with the people here. They are very nice and want to do all they can to help us. 

I read in John 15 this morning during my study time. Christ is the true Vine and we are the branches. I like that it says that if we bring forth fruit, God purges the branch so we can bring forth more fruit. I'm glad that there are answers for why we all go through hard things. God puts us through trials so we can become better people. I was a little down this week but I know that it's just so I can be a better person. Thank you for your support! I love you.

Silas