Monday, April 4th, 2011

Conference thoughts: AMAZING!! Fastest time of my life! We went to the church for conference and watched all of the sessions there. We had a good amount of investigator and less active members we invited come too which was awesome! My favorite session was of course and usually is, the priesthood session. My favorite talk? It's a tough one, there's a tie with Elder Uchtdorf's talk about living below our potential as priesthood holders, the talk on Pain by the Surgeon whose name I can't remember, but I think it was saturday morning?, David A Bednar's talk on revelation and light last night, and Richard G. Scott's talk about building a relationship with your spouse. The reason why I liked Elder Scott's talk was because all of the elders left the chapel wanting to fall in love and get married. I'm not gonna lie, I was love thirsty for a bit after that talk. I also loved Neil A. Anderson's talk about missionaries in the priesthood session. Hmmm....I wonder why. Mommy, read that talk, it's a really good one. Oh, and just as a heads up, I'm sending you, Kristen/Jared and Angie/Austin a talk I read the other day. I know we just had conference, but as I read it I felt I should copy it and send it to you. All I ask is you take 10 or 15 minutes on a monday night and read it together as a family. That goes for you as well Kristen and Jared, and you Angie & Austin.

Another thing I loved was how one of the speakers was name C. Scott Grow, (See Scott Grow) That made me chuckle, how one of the speakers was named, Carl B. Pratt. I'm guessing maybe a great great grandson of Parley P. Pratt? As I thought that I remembered all of the times Dad would tell us the "STUBOY" story. Never think that those little memories don't matter or are insignificant, because when I remembered that, I realized, how precious those memories, as well as memories of us playing KOOB in the front yard, us (Kristen, mommy and myself) staying up late on christmas eve talking and laughing, eating carrots and celery in london, playing that prophets card game on the train to London, playing pictionary the night before I left, (Goldfish Beard) and many many more little moments. It's those tiny memories, that I remember most. I treasure those so much in my mind and hope to never forget them. Make those memories every single day!

I had an interesting experience this last week. We were tracting and the first house we knocked on, a lady opened up and invited us in, just as her husband pulled up from the store. We went inside, and it just took off from there. Basically, an hour and a half later we left. The guy's name was Henrie, and he was...nice! We left laughing and smiling, but at the same time got no where. It was basically on the verge of bashing the whole time. He goes to the Church of Christ which produces the most Anti-Mormon Literature. (DANG STAY AWAY FROM THAT STUFF ALWAYS! It is so so horrible and damaging. President Moldenhaeur said that by reading it, apostles have been lead to hell) That stuff is evil, and I know it can seem interesting, because I've been curious about it, I've thought "What could someone have against the church?" Well let me tell you, this guy started going off and off! He knew the bible so so well, and asked us to proove the BoM out of the bible alone! Well that's a little hard, because the prophet Jeremiah I don't think had a clue that Lehi was leaving Jerusalem and was a prophet at the time. He wrote down everything we said, and I can just hear him in his sermon yesterday, spouting out at how the Mormons had visited him, but ya know, I felt like we did something! His wife was sitting there very very quietly, listening, not saying a word. We bore testimony at which Henrie chuckled because of my, as he called it "witness", and I think to her, she could feel the spirit. I promised them as a representative of Jesus Christ that if they just prayed (reading the BoM was out of their reach, it wasn't gonna happen) when we left, that they'd be told to learn more about the BoM. He wouldn't, and I just thought, you can't teach someone who thinks they know everything. I learned a lot! First of all, Get out of there and put your time to better use. It wasn't bashing, but it was basically just as unproductive.

So ya know the Pardos we had really really high hopes about? They sent us a text telling us they couldn't "keep up with us" and that for now they'd let us know when we could come back, but that they'll continue to read and pray. Man that was the hardest time I've had concerning investigators! I was frustrated and a bit mad at Satan for postponing their faith filled efforts! BLAH! We're gonna give a bit and then try to go back. Cool story though, Elder Marlar and I were out tracting, and we ran into this guy, named Richard at his house. We talked and he seemed REALLY uninterested, when I just had a thought (I now recognized it as one of those small revelations that the HG gives us that Bednar talked about) to bring up a church tour. I talked a bit about them and asked if he'd be interested in coming to one. He immediately opened and said he'd love to come to one the next day. We had it and it went pretty well. I'm always reminded at how the spirit teaches and we don't, and how we have to ask inspired questions, because frankly, there were a couple that weren't! I thought to much about them. He's probably our most promising investigator now so I'll let you know how it goes!

Sorry, I'm really gonna try to put more investigator updates in my letters, they'll all just like the large plates of Nephi. But ya know what momma and family and others? I'm out here doing this right! I try my best, mess up all the time, and use the Atonement everyday in my life. I'm here serving and doing what I should. While listening to conference, I'm not sure when or what was being said, I felt this incredible feeling of the spirit. Elder Bednar talked about how there are three kinds of revelation! One like the sun over the horizon, slow, but barely noticeable, one with the sun coming over the horizon on a cloudy day, where you can't see the progress but it's there, and then the light switch revelation, where it's just a....BAM! There's the spirit for ya! I often get frustrated because I can remember the last time I felt that...BAM, SPIRIT, and they don't happen often, but that was one of them and it was great. It confirmed my mission and my efforts as a servent of the lord and I will strive to live worthy as a missionary of that...BAM SPIRIT! I love it out here. This morning was the first time since I've been out where I've been able to say when I'm feeling down, "Today is going to be a great spirit filled day! Be Happy Jason!" And amazingly, it worked! It's just good!

I love you momma! You're the most amazing mom in my life and have given me so so much that I can never repay you. I will try though :) Keep working hard and being who you are. I love you!
Your Son,
Elder McKeen

PS Justin & Kimberly, because you're on vacation, I'll send you a letter, but it's gonna be a short one, just a heads up, that's all! Love you all!