July 13, 2009

Dear Friends,
The work has been going forth this past week, my new companion is amazing. We have so much fun together. I have been biking like crazy this past week and it is safe to say my legs are tired. My thighs are twice the size they used to be. Yes I’m still using the same old bike I had before. I’ve been blessed to have the brakes kind of work for me. It’s like driving the white van, you just have to give your self a long following distance. I got another flat tire this week. We were right out front the plaza in the middle of this mall when I rolled my bike forward and right in front of us the tire went Pop and out went all the air in my tire. I’m not sure as to what caused the tire to pop but we were very blessed anyways. There was a bike store “Sports Authority” right across the way and I was able to go buy a new tire relatively easily. So we walked the bikes home (it was in the afternoon this time) fixed the tire and were on our way. It was a great day and I felt so blessed to be right next to the bike store when it had happened.
I have been trying to write down a few tidbits of a motivational or inspirational message on my daily planner for each day. It has really helped to have an inspirational message for me. It brings me back to who I am and exactly what I am trying to accomplish. This last week we were greatly blessed in being able to accomplish our daily lesson goals. We taught a large number of sixteen lessons this past week. What a blessing it has been. One exciting story is that we had a wonderful gentleman showed up for church and told us he had only been to one of our services once before, and that was in the 1960’s. He might come back to church next week and said we could visit him. What a blessing.
Dad,I have been struggling with my personal studies this last past week. I felt like I wasn't truly feasting from the scriptures like I used to. I kind of feel like my prayers am not making it outside of the house I’m in. I want to do what I can but just feel like I’m running on empty. I'm going to work on studying humility this week. I think by getting a greater understanding of who I am and of how much I owe my savior and Heavenly Father everything will benefit me and give me the humility necessary to truly ask and pray for help. To have real intent with my prayers. I feel like I kind of get sloppy. so this week I am working on keeping my testimony simple, true and by these simple truths, feel the spirit testify to me the divinity of my savior. I want to be an active participant. I will work on being sincere. The work goes forth. I hope you are doing good. I know this is the true work. The gospel will go forth “Nobly, boldly, and independently, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say, the work is done". We can do it!!!
Mom,Hello I love you and hope you are doing good. I’m going to try and send a few pictures in the mail this week. Tell the family I love them and am just doing wonderful. Oh I have gotten pretty strong. I do 60 pushups and 120 sit ups every morning. It’s great. My rib has been bothering me again. I had to take it a little easier this past week but the Lord is watching over me.
I love you Celeste and Casey, Hello happy couple, I hope you are surviving the summer. This past week my companion and I have been riding our bikes around in 90 degree weather. I have a nice red cherry face. I will be wearing sunscreen next week. I saw my first cherry tree this last week. We were tempted to eat one but the guy had not been too happy to meet us and we did not want to go back to his front door and asked him if we could eat his food. The cherries looked really red. I love you Joycelyn, Katie, Alden, Dayson, Dustin, and Jaydon, I love you all!!! It has been great up here. My companion and I splurged this last week and bought pudding and Jell-O for every day. It has been really good. You should try the chocolate pudding some time really bad for you but definitely scrumptious. I love you all
bye, Elder Durfee