"What a blessing families are to me" & Matthew 16:19

Hello hello hello! I hope everyone's week was amazing! If not, let me know and let's talk about it! Now, some highlights for the week! 

• We had zone conference and that was super awesome! We talked all about 3rd Nephi. The Book of Mormon is just the coolest book out there! 
• We had yet again another fire alarm haha! It's just a regular thing around here! 
• Our branch had a branch activity this week and it was so much fun! Our branch is just the coolest! We also got a super less active member to come and a nonmember to come check it out, which was so happy! 
• Elder Hofhiens and I got to meet the new Elder that is a part of the Chinese Missionary Program here! His name is Elder Luo! He's from Guangdong China! He's super funny and speaks next to no English! He's so cool! 
• And lastly, the most exciting… I am officially an Uncle!!! What what!!! Austin and Kimi had a sweet baby girl, Ivy Jaymes! So that is something to smile about! 

This week, I obviously have a pretty big soft spot for families. But before I go into that, I'd like to first be vulnerable. I think it's easy to do that with these emails because I don't know who reads them, so I have nothing to lose haha! But this week was tough! There were some really punch-to-the-gut moments. And those moments are trash! But I've also had a cool experience on the mission because of these moments! A tough moment has been missing my niece's birth. This is the first grandkid of the fam bam and more than anything I would love to be holding her. But in these moments of sadness, I've asked my Heavenly Father to allow me to feel my families' love and to have my family feel my love for them! It's been crazy to me how every time I've asked for that, Heavenly Father has given me this overwhelming feeling of love! And at the same time, I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility! In Matthew 16:19 it says, "And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." This was a gift given to Peter from Jesus Christ! But, lucky for us, this gift is still on the earth today because our Heavenly Father loves us so much! When I read this scripture, I immediately think of families! This is where I get this incredible sense of love and also responsibility! Love because I know that I am going to be able to live with my family forever! This time I miss of my new niece Ivy's life is but a small moment. I will be with her, and with the rest of my family, forever! I am so grateful that I'll be able to have a family of my own one day and I'll get to live with them forever! What an amazing and happy truth this is! And because of that, I also feel that this is another crucial reason I need to be serving my mission right now! There are so many families that have no idea this is true! What a cool opportunity I have to go and spread this remarkable truth! 

A lot of the families here have sort of weird family situations! A lot of our members (if not all) come from families where not everybody is a member of the church. Most of the members really struggle with this, but they still have so much joy, and that's because of one simple truth. There's a life after this one, and families will be together in a perfect and happy state. Although not all of their family is for the idea of the church now, they know that they will have plenty of time to learn. And although they hope that time is soon, they know that they will be able to be with their loved ones in happiness forever! 

Anywho, I'm sorry this week's message isn't very long but it's a simple truth that I'm so grateful for this week! I'm so grateful for my amazing family! I'm so grateful for all of my friends and loved ones! I can feel all of your support continually! I'm grateful for this gospel and the joy it brings to know that this life isn't the end! It's just a little test period! I'm grateful for those tough moments that make me grow! I'm grateful to be an uncle! What a blessing families are to me! This gospel brings me joy! God is GOOD! 

再见，

司长老