Here are some excerpts from recent President's Letters:

Thank you for giving us such a wonderful opportunity to read the Book of Mormon in a day. I read it for 13 yours and 15 minutes straight. I just did not want to stop reading. About the last 200 pages, I felt something. I felt like my heart and eyes were burning (yes, my eyes were tired and were burning). I felt the power of the Book. I know the Book of Mormon is true and it is a part of God’s work.

One of the Sister’s gave a good thought about representing Christ the other day at DTM. She pointed out that it’s very rare to have someone look at your nametag and actually remember your name. But, there are probably many people who see the name Jesus Christ on your nametag and always remember that you were a Christian. Their image of Jesus Christ largely rests on the way you acted when they talked to you for those few minutes on the street. I want people to have a good image of Christ and His followers when they finish talking to me. I guess I will try harder from her on out to be more Christ like in my time with those around me.

I especially liked the baptismal service on Wednesday night. It was awesome to see this new member perform his first baptism… and second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth! But he finally succeeded! The last baptism I had seen in this town was when I was at the baptism of the member that was doing the baptism. It was great seeing him do the baptizing.

The members in my branch have waited a long time, (nearly 3 years) for a baptism, and they were all beaming today. Every member talked with her and she is already good friends with half of the branch. It truly is because of the members that she was able to get baptized. So many members teamed up for lessons and helped with her daughter, they all befriended her. I was especially touched today when the branch welcomed her by giving a bouquet of roses.

I am proud to report that my companion has not had any problems with coffee jelly since going out with you. At that time I mindlessly trusted my companion and his ability to detect/avoid coffee and tea. I have paid the price. From now on I will be sure to double check all of his dessert selections.

We really needed God’s help in finding someone, anyone. And while we were kobetsu-ing we meet a lady and we invited her to church like we do with most people and left kobetsu-ing the rest of the block. But on Sunday she came to all three hours of church! She heard a lot of new things from the millennium to the Atonement and Christ’s second coming. I was worried that it might have been too much but it turned out okay because it brought many questions and interest. After church she stayed for the shokujikai and I asked if she would like to go to the hombu fireside and she sad yes! She loved the fireside (and Sister Daniels tasty dessert) and really got to see a new side of Christianity. On the way home on the train, she sat next to the member that came with us and they really made a good friendship. He shared his baptismal experience with her. At the end of the day I sat down to recollect everything that happened and I could not believe what just happened. She really felt the spirit! We just simply invited her to church. If we have faith and put forth all the effort we can, we can see success. Heaven only helps those that help themselves.

This week was a really special week to me. We have seen so many miracles, they are our investigator, the Book of Mormon challenge, the New Year and everything in between. First the Book of Mormon challenge was a surprise to me. I first thought that I’d just simply read it and complete the challenge but as I read it there was a different spirit there. Seeing all the events spill out and unfold all in one day was a completely different experience for me. Thank you for that opportunity! It was a personal experience of God’s love and power and really has changed my view on the Book of Mormon.

Thank you for teaming up today and helping out with our investigator. We have been blessed to teach her and see this miracle take place. When we found her it was on a particularly cold day. It was getting late, we’d been housing for quite a while. We were about to go inside to warm up somewhere but decided to do one last row of houses, and that’s where we found her. Since then she’s come to church twice, heard almost all the lessons and is getting baptized on Wednesday! I’ve never seen someone progress so quickly and accept and follow every commitment so diligently! It’s truly added to make this week even more wonderful. We have a clean apartment, we were able to spend time with members, read the Book of Mormon, and are already seeing result of making a house of cleanliness, a house of prayer, fasting and a house of God. Thank you for your inspiration.

On Friday, we were housing and I had the feeling to use the baptismal approach this time. I have to confess, I haven’t been using this approach. Although I did not have confidence to say it correctly, throughout the totsuzen lesson, I felt the spirit guide me in what I should say and we make a baptismal date with our investigator.

You will have to forgive me, on the way home from the music fireside I was asked by a Brother to give a talk today in sacrament meeting on the topic of Jesus Christ. Since I had just read the Presidents message from the Shepherd, my talk came out almost exactly the same. About half the congregation fell asleep, but I will blame that on the delivery, and not the content.