A poor wayfaring man of grief

Dear Family & Friends,

I hope your week was great! I miss you all so much. I can't even begin to explain how much I love and miss every single one of you! It's Preparation Day again which means I get to email each of you which means I'm excited!

This week was a more difficult one for Elder Westover and me. We didn't have near as much happen as we had planned, but it's okay because Hard = Holy = Happiness. We are still keeping the faith and pushing forward! Regardless of not doing as well this week, we still had a lot of blessings from the Lord! We set two more baptism dates! That means we have 12 right now! It's a lot to juggle, but it's so much fun! Austin, Tanner, Jessica, Brandon, Edwin, Aber, Monty, Meagan, Cara, Lily, Blake, & Wayne all have committed to baptism! We are helping them get there the best that we can! It's been so cool to see them all progress. Cool story about Jessica and Brandon. Jessica is trying to quit smoking right now so she can be baptized (and she's doing amazing!) and we were thinking of how we could best help her move forward and keep progressing. I just kept thinking in my mind, "We need to teach her in a member's home." It was really pressing on my mind so I told Elder Westover and we thought of who's home we could teach her in and who would be good friends to her. We both thought of the Yates Family so we gave them a call! It was really cool, because Brother Yates was way willing and he turned to his wife and asked if she'd been praying for a missionary opportunity. She said no, but he replied with, "Well I have, and I've been specifically praying for an opportunity to teach someone in our home!" It was really awesome and just a confirmation that it was completely the right thing to do! I love seeing the spirit work through people and prayers answered! The lesson is set up for tomorrow night so we are very excited about that!

On Wednesday this week, we had Mission Leadership Council in Dallas! I love going into Dallas. It's always so exciting! Brother Spencers drove us so we were super grateful for that! Dallas is 2 and a half hours from Gilmer! So it pretty much was an all day trip. Mission Leadership Council was really good. Got to see a lot of missionaries and talk about how we can improve the mission. President & Sister Taylor are amazing people! At the end of the meeting, they just began to testify of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Their testimonies of the Prophet Joseph Smith pierced my heart to the center. We sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" and the spirit could be felt a mile away! The lyrics to this song really caught my attention and the spirit testified that Joseph Smith truly was a Prophet of God. He gave his life for the Book of Mormon and for Jesus Christ! He is the epitome of courage!

6.	In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
	To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
	The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
	And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
	My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
	He asked if I for him would die.
	The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
	But my free spirit cried, “I will!”
7.	Then in a moment to my view
	The stranger started from disguise.
	The tokens in his hands I knew;
	The Savior stood before mine eyes.
	He spake, and my poor name he named,
	“Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
	These deeds shall thy memorial be;
	Fear not, thou didst them unto me.”

It was truly a great meeting! The weirdest part of the meeting for me was when President & Sister Taylor acknowledged the Sisters who are going home at the end of this transfer. THOSE SISTERS ARE THE ONES WHO WERE IN MY MTC DISTRICT! They are going home! I can't believe it! It means I'm getting close to the end of my mission already! They bore their testimony and we finished the meeting. After the meeting we ate at "Raising Cane's." It's a Texas Staple and it's very good! It was a lot of fun to be able to eat somewhere, because Gilmer has hardly any options for food haha. 

This week we did a lot of service! We helped Brother Spencer with his yard, we burned wood for a lady in one of the Sister's Wards, we helped Brother Alldredge build parts of his home, and we helped our investigator (Monty) build part of a fence. It was a lot of service, but it was a lot of fun too! I'm glad we were able to do those things. It's good for the soul. (: 

We had some amazing lessons this week as well. That made us happy. We are working hard and pushing forward through the tough times! It's all we really can do! I just know Jesus is with us. I'm trying everyday to learn more and more and step closer and closer to Him. I believe with all my heart that I will one day meet Him face to face. I will be able to, as the Nephites of old, feel the prints in His hands and feet and know that He is my Savior and Redeemer. I love Christ! He truly gives me joy! And for that I'm forever grateful! 

I hope you all have an amazing week. Look unto Jesus in every thought! Doubt not! Fear not! 

I love each of you.

Elder Joshua Needles