Testimony of Jesus Christ

July 1, 2008
Hello family!
The work is moving along well. Elder Tuveson and I are getting a lot of setups on the streets every day and we've met some really great people, which is nice. We have a good opportunity to fill our pool with new investigators, because the Su family is out of town on vacation for two weeks.

Elder Tuveson is an AWESOME guy! He is so humble and he was put with the most prideful missionary in Taiwan, so I'm learning a lot from him, ha, ha. He is really funny, but quite shy when it comes to public speaking. He has a huge, huge, huge testimony of the Savior. That might be why he is so humble. He's a "born follower" so even though he is senior companion, he has me lead on bikes and in discussions and everything. He won't let me buy him drinks, and there is a piece of chocolate floating around our apartment because we both refuse to eat it! He's so funny.
The other day there was a young girl riding a scooter smoking a cigarette. I looked away because I don't look at girls between the ages 16-30. Then Elder Tuveson said, "Man, that girl is smokin".... hahaha. I didn't know what to say, so I said, “ELDER TUVESON! You can't say that!!!!” I looked over and she really was smoking, so I understood. It was kind of funny. A lot of people smoke here. They wear surgical masks to protect from the pollution, but then they’ll pop cigarettes in their mouths.

Joyce has been extremely tricky lately. Oh man, the last time we met with her, we brought two native sisters from our district who have both been converts to the Church and to Christianity for no more then 5 years. The lesson started out well. The sisters bore awesome testimony of the Book of Mormon, and Joyce sort of admitted to thinking that the Book of Mormon is the word of God!!!!! Then something triggered her and she wanted to know WHY do we focus so much on the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and not on Christ? She asked, “Why do I get a different feeling when I read my bible and your Book of Mormon? Why do I get a different feeling when I go to your church and when I go to mine. Have you sisters even read the whole Bible? You can talk to me when you've read it all.”

I don't think Joyce remembers that our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ, not Joseph Smith. She's right though, missionaries do focus a lot on the Book of Mormon. Joyce has also asked us before, “Well, if we really all are Christians, then why does there have to be a true church?” When we explain, she feels like our focus falls off of Christ. Rather, she uses it as an excuse, she chooses to think that. She still has to find that desire to know the BOM is true before she finds her answer.

Oh man, haha, she is hard core right now, but Elder Tuveson and I aren't losing faith. I've gotten the opportunity to study this all out A LOT, and in short summary and in powerful words.... Christ is my Savior!!!! I've really come closer to Christ’s atonement as I've been studying for Joyce. The one problem we're really left open with right now is her desire to be alone forever. She truly doesn't want an eternal family, but Sister Nielson was able to help us know how to study for her through her talk at zone conference yesterday. She said, “I've recently had the opportunity to attend lessons with a mother who doesn't desire an eternal family.” She asked the missionaries what to do in that type of situation. Then she opened the scriptures and answered our question. The Holy Ghost will change her. Man, going into big meetings like that, like general conference for example, is so much better when you have questions prepared.

The Church is true. Church leaders answer individual problems for all of Heavenly Father’s children who prepare themselves to listen.
Yesterday’s zone conference was so powerful. I really felt the Spirit and better understood the power of the Atonement of Christ. I have always had a testimony of this church, but I never knew the power of the Bible.....the Book of Mormon..... and Christ’s atonement until I served a mission. Jesus Christ is my first and favorite testimony, that He lives.

Well, there is a truckload to write, but I gotta write the President’s letter. Love you all, ELDER DANIELS!!!! Goodbye!