The Elder Infanger Salad Fest

On Monday, November 16, 2015 12:36 PM, Dustin Thelander <dustin.thelander@myldsmail.net> wrote:

So this week was great, and we had a lot of good things happen. It really goes to show that hard work pays off, and the Lord blesses you when you are obedient. Today I'll begin with my email title. Elder Infanger, my amazing companion, is doing his best to lose some weight and has been doing so by eating better especially at dinners. It has been very, very comical to see the reaction of the people who have us over when Elder I has just a little bit of salad.

Tuesday we had a great zone meeting and were given some instruction by our mission president about the new church Christmas initiative. It is centered around the birth of Christ and shows the faces of children. We got a preview of it and it comes out officially on November 29th. So, everyone, I issue you a challenge- when this new initiative comes out, show the video to at least 10 people that you know. I know it will bless their lives and is a simple and non threatening approach to share a great message. We, after that, had a great zone meeting where Elder I and I gave a training on keeping recent convert members active in the church. The best advice we had to give was to love them. Make their journey into the church easy and fun. That night we were able to once again meet with the Marellos. They are making great progress, and we have already set out next visit. The spirit we feel in their home is great, so we know they are good people who are ready for the gospel. Wednesday we were able to once again help out Bill Jensen finish the last of his paperwork. Then when we visited him again a couple of days later, he had someone over at his house to use his computer. Her husband recently passed away in a plane accident, and I know that the message we share can truly help her. It was a miracle that we were at Bill's house when this woman arrived. Nothing happens by mistake- the Lord's hand is in everything.

Please pray for Pam this week as she is having a surgical operation done and will be in recuperation for 6 weeks. We will be able to see her, but pray that everything goes smoothly. She is doing amazing with everything church related. Then that same night that we had a great lesson with Pam, we met once again with the White family. This time though, Brother White's girlfriend took the lesson with him. We shared the message of the Restoration. It went really well. She now wants her 13 year old son to take the lessons as well. I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed us with people to teach. The whole White family was at church as well!!!! They are showing great potential and progress, we have plans to see them twice a week so they can meet their baptismal date of Dec 19th. At church as well was Tony and Bill. Bill is busy going over a governmental bill for a congressman, but sculpted time into his day to be sure to be at church. That was amazing that Bill was able to make that sacrifice.

This week was full of many tender mercies. I am grateful to be a missionary in California. I miss you all very much and I feel your prayers- thank you.

This week I studied Moisah 15:11 "Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord--- I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sin, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are heirs of the Kingdom of God."

I love you all more than you know. Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Thelander

PS-The photos are of me trying to keep my arm in shape by throwing into the couch...