Hey my family!

So first off, Happy Birthday Dad!! Only one more year till you hit the big 5-0! Haha I'm sure that's exactly what you wanted to think about, and I'm glad I could help. Maybe to make up for it I'll try and get something to send on home to ya.

Ha but we had a pretty good week here. It felt a little slow at times because Paige was gone all week, and since she's pretty much our most solid investigator, it made us realize that we need some more people to teach. We also tried to avoid teaching as many member lessons this week because it always seems like a bit of a battle trying to get out of their homes. The members here are really good here and like to talk to the missionaries. So what did that leave us with? Lots of tracting. It felt really good to get out and work though. We have to turn in numbers and update them and the status of all the investigators in the zone throughout the week, so it feels a little tedious and unproductive at times.

Well we did have some good lessons this week though! I told you last week about how a member in the ward set up an appointment with us last Sunday to teach her fiance...at least I think I told you about him. Anyways, his name is Tony and we got to teach him at the church on Wednesday. Teaching with Elder Moffett is great and we seem to feed off each other well. We asked him all about his religious background, and what made him decide to check our church out. He has a really sincere desire to learn more and to find the truth. Sherri, his fiance, has been a great example to him, and as a couple they've been reading the scriptures together and praying. He said that never in his life has he felt the promptings of the spirit so strongly as now. I had the opportunity of sharing the First Vision with him, and it seemed to go really well. Something that they've told us to do when sharing that is to slow down, look them in the eye, and speak a little quieter. Sometimes I feel a little awkward doing that, but this time I didn't focus on myself. While we taught about the Restoration he told us that he could feel the Spirit. He promised to continue reading and praying. We were both pretty excited after the lesson. Tony is leaving town next this week and we won't be able to meet with him until next week, which is a bummer, but I'm sure he'll continue to study.

Oh and I almost forgot. Elder Moffett and i gave our first training together this week. And of course, President and Sister Summerhays, as well as the AP's were there for it. Ha but I think it went well. We talked about how we can help our investigators receive revelation through the Book of Mormon. We talked about covering the introduction with your investigator and focusing on the strong promises in there. Overall it seemed to go well.

So I've been studying the New Testament in my personal study time and I've really grown to love it. There's a lot of little stories throughout it that seem to jump out at me. Probably because I've never just sat down and studied the Bible before. I'm trying to make an effort and read out of the Book of Mormon and Bible each day, and you can definitely see how they support each other and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now I've been meaning to tell you guys this for a while, but do you remember Derek? I was teaching him at the very beginning of my mission and he was the one that was really smart and had just gotten accepted to medical school? Well he got baptized a little while ago, and he's engaged to one of Elder Moffett's recent converts! They're planning on getting married in the Orlando Temple at the end of the summer. I'm so excited for them, and I love seeing how much the gospel is blessing their lives. What we teach and believe is true, and I'm so grateful for that.

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Kade Bartschi

P.s. I was playing with my camera (aka dad's camera) this week and found some awesome settings! I know, it took about a year, but you'll have to check out some cool pictures I took.