Excerpt from a Letter Home 7/12/10

Man it is so hot out here! It gets to like 115 every day. You can imagine how much fun tracting is. ;) Elder Mallory and I are teaching three people who are all getting baptized in August! I'm so excited. I gave a talk on Sunday about why I chose to serve a mission, and I think it went pretty well. People afterward asked me if I had taken speech classes in high school. I never have in my life. It wasn't me speaking up there, it was the spirit of God working through me. I'm pretty sure I couldn't talk like that about anything else besides the joy and hope that the gospel and the atonement bring to my life. I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to spread the word of God in California. I have met some amazing people (and also some pretty mean people); and I am learning and growing so much. I've been writing in my journal every single night without fail; and it's amazing how much I've grown already. I can't wait to see what else lies in store for me. As I have come to understand God better, and His love for me, it pains me to think that there are people out there who don't know that. I will work my very hardest to bring this message of hope and joy into there lives. If I could be the means of saving even one soul, my joy would be full. I know that with Heavenly Father's help, I will be able to do so.