Wow, that’s so exciting! Tell Kevin
congratulations. I started skimming through the email and saw you started
talking about it and saw a capitol C in the answer so I quickly put my hand up
to cover it and read the first part of the message. At first I thought it
said California (I wish; I would so love to be his trainer) :D Well, I’m sure
he will do great! Can I get his email so I can email him some stuff? (Kevin is a friend from home who just got his mission call to Colorado!)
Anyway, for general conference we went to
the chapel where Saturday it was only us two, but Sunday we
had 3 investigators show up, one recent convert, and one less active show up,
and only about a few members showed, so that was cool. I'm so glad the church
is close by. I think this general conference was the best one I have been to
because I really focused this time and made notes on all of the talks. I
received personal revelation from every talk. It was truly spiritually
uplifting. One thing that really stuck out to me is how we have the priesthood,
and through that priesthood worlds were created, and we were created. We just
don’t know how to use the priesthood to its full potential yet. But another
major thing that stood out to me is how I need to tell my parents I LOVE THEM.
So, Mom, Dad I love you. I want you to know I love you and wish I could make up
for all of the hugs I dodged :D, and the kisses I missed. I want you to
know even though we’re thousands of miles away, I could still hear your voice
telling me good night and saying our usual good night answers :) I know I can’t
sleep as well without them. Even though I thought "How was your day"
after I got home from school or work was getting pretty repetitive, I could
always hear myself saying "Fine" but I love those moments. I remember
in my Patriarchal blessing it tells me to lean on my parents when I'm going
though a hard time. And I know my parents will help me because they
are tough, and rooted in a firm foundation in the gospel. I want you to know I
look up to you both and that I know you are my LOVING mother and father. I look
forward to the life to come when we all can be a loving family in the celestial
kingdom with our loving Heavenly Father. My heart has felt the spirit of the
Lord so frequently since I have left on my mission. I can not deny that the
Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and Thomas S.
Monson is a living modern day prophet.
I loved your package you sent me. I
received it this week. And the new music is great. Thank you so much! I don’t
know how to send the Ipod home. I think it will get stolen if I send it in a
card so should I send it in a box? Also, is there any way I could get some
Walter Rane art? I am really impressed by his art and the walls in
our apartment are bare so we thought of getting some art and a few
pictures of temples (and a light house picture to remind me of home :D) to
invite the spirit a little more.
An interesting thing happened. I wanted
to listen to Manheim Steamroller’s song of the crickets so I was looking
through my Ipod for the song and I came across a message on it. It
was Jessica on her point shoe in the middle of the chalk circles and it said
Jessica: I Love You. So that touched my heart and I want to let Drake, and
Jessica know that I love them very much and Emily, and Tyler are not excluded
:D
I've had such a great week and I hope
you will have a great week to come Thank you so much for the sacrifices you
have done for me. I like how Thomas S. Monson said a mission is a family affair
and I know you have done a lot for me. Hope you have a great week and it’s
filled with excitement and lots of experiences.
With MUCH LOVE from your baby,
Elder Ranquist
Dad's Letter (answering from questions)
My companion has a cd player but
when he leaves I don’t know what to do. Also most likely I will be in a car
area in the future so I can listen to that cd in the car, but no way of getting
my Ipod hooked in with the car so I have to go by an electronics store in the
coming pdays or something. I have a GT tachyon bike. Its’ spokes broke twice on
me this week so it’s been hard repairing it all the time. The spokes are super
thin, really small. I wish I looked at that when I was looking at bikes but now
I know. We’re not supposed to give our direct address to anyone. I guess
missionaries in the past have done that and people have stopped by and stuff,
sorry. Did you or Drake become District leaders or zone leaders or trainers?
That thought just came to my mind; just wondering. I hope you have had a
great week. I always look forward to talking to you both. I want you to know I
really love you Dad and thank you for your forgiveness.
Love,
Elder Ranquist
