Hi, hello, this is Elder Beckett! (November 9 letter)

Wasup fam?!? - (E. Phelps' quote yeah!)

This last week has been great! Yesterday was Zone Conference with Elder and Sister Zivic of the Seventy. He is such a good man and we could just feel his love for the gospel in everything he said and did. He also has a great sense of humor and was really funny. We learned a LOT of really great ways that we can improve on our missionary work here in the FOM.

Hey, I was wondering.. could you possibly subscribe me to the Ensign while I am out here? I would love that, and then I could make sure I get a copy each month. We don't always get a copy to read so I would really like that if it's possible. I'm not sure if it would be better to have the address be to the mission office and just have them forward it, or if you would have it sent to my current address and just continually update it. I don't know. That would be cool though :)

I saw my second coyote here a few nights ago! We were actually in Leesburg again visiting some members (again because the first time I saw one was also at night in Leesburg) and as we were leaving down the road we saw one right in the road and he stopped and looked at us and I turned on the brights and we got to watch him for a bit. He was like 20 feet away and then ran off. It was weird to see them in the city though; there were houses all around and roads and it wasn't country at all.

Also, last monday night I ate gator for the first time. It was actually pretty good; fairly chewy but I kind of liked it. It was fried - that was the only way the served it at this restaurant. (spelling? Ugh that looks way weird. Maybe it's right idk.). The B's took us out for Elder Rice's last meal here.

Good news! I finished the New Testament last week and will finish the Book of Mormon this week! Then I get to start over! I love that book so much. I don't know if it is bad to be biased, but I am. I love the Book of Mormon. It truly brings me closer to Jesus Christ every time I read it. There is something deep inside me that just feels so good when I read the words of the ancient prophets because I KNOW they are true. I have no doubt that they are speaking truth, and it feels so good to learn more about Jesus Christ through reading the Book of Mormon.

So here is an update on the work out here in Sumterville:

C and A J have been dropped. The only reason they wanted to meet with us again was for the Church's money. J E has dropped off the face of the planet.. she won't answer our calls and hasn't been home when we have stopped by to check on her. I still have hope for her though and we will keep stopping by. Basically the solid investigators we had all had to be dropped in a week :/ That's ok though! We found 15 new investigators last week. We have really been focusing on part-member families and following up with former investigators. I feel that is what the Lord wants us to do in this area to be most effective right now. Please continue to pray for W G that her heart will soften and she will want to join her family in coming to church and learning more about the gospel.

Here is something cool I wanted to learn more about today as I was reading in the book of Moroni - how cool is it that we are sons and daughters of God! Of course we are all spirit sons and daughters of God, but from what I read in these scriptures I'll share it appears that we all need to work to really become sons and daughters of God. We need to be like Him if we are going to truly be His children. Check these out:

John 1:12, Romans 8:14, 2 Cor. 6:17-18, Gal. 4:4-7, Phillippians 2:11-16, Hebrews 12:6-7, 1 John 3:1-2; Msh 5:7-9, 27:25; Ether 3:14, Moroni 7:19, 26; D&C 25:1, 34:3, 76:50-70; Moses 6:64-68, 7:1, 8:13.

I was thinking about this and how we have divine potential. Specifically I was remembering that story about the king who was exposed to all sorts of terrible things for months to try and destroy him morally but he never gave in. When they asked him why he said something like, "I cannot, for I was born to be a King!" We are all born to be kings and queens, and satan is constantly trying to get us to forget that - to give less than our very best effort. Never slack off or give in and we can reach our full potential! Always remember even when it feels like it you are NOT alone.

Well, my time is spent but I will talk to you again next week! I love you all and keep being the wonderful people that you are!

-Elder Andrew Beckett

PICS!

1.Elder Stock and I w/ sister Davis (Dad, I am the one on the far right ;)

2.An example of how people here speak (throwing in "r's" wherever) - I love it ha ha

3.Elder Zach Schow and I (Grantsville woot!)

4. Our District sleepover before Zone conference! It was a party. Elder Creer wasn't in the picture. Elder Thomas is in there from Montpelier ID btw; he is in glasses and a blue shirt. He's a stud.

5. Elder Tolman and I

love you all!