I am a man of few words, an enigma of sorts.

I caught a fish. I was the bait catcher.

Me with Elder Nav and Elder Bell setting up for the branch Valentine's party.

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a week! Honestly, being in a triple-up hasn't been that bad. I thought it was going to be awkward but it flows pretty well and the lessons usually go great! Driving is really nice! I drive, Nav helps look for streets and Bell sits in back and looks up directions. We are getting along great though. Nav and I try to get Bell trunky all the time. Bell and I are planning a trip for the beginning of August to go to some Spanish country with Hickman and DeHoyos. We all want to go to Mexico but I hear it's super dangerous there right now. Then we thought of Colombia but that's dangerous too. So we pretty much have settled on Puerto Rico or Costa Rica. Puerto Rico would be cheap since we wouldn't need a passport.

Investigator-wise, we set a date with Ariel. He is getting married this Saturday and baptized on Sunday. I am sure it's going through this time. I will make sure it does! We had a great lesson with Adriana. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. We didn't have the chance to meet with Alejandro or Felicites last week. They are reading still though. I think that is all the news about our 'gators this week.

I don't think I can remember what else we did last week... actually I think I'm all out of news. I guess I'll wrap this up then. I love you all!!!

~Elder Alex


Letter from Alex

Dear Family,

Things here are great! I still love the area and the members. This last week we had a member meal every day and got 3 or 4 referrals. We are still working on contacting them but we are going to do an FHE with them and the Clavijo family. Alejandro and Felicites kept their commitment to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and liked reading it. We are going to see them tomorrow again. Adriana, who lives two doors down also read, but did not pray so we committed her to pray by Tuesday, our next appointment.

A few days ago one of our less-active members passed away, so today we went to see his brother who is in town from Puerto Rico and asked if he would like to learn what his brother believed, specifically about the Plan of Salvation. He said he would love to so we'll see how things go. He leaves back to Puerto Rico in 3 weeks or sooner but hopefully we can plant a seed for other missionaries to harvest.

We still haven't heard from Ariel. We keep trying to get a hold of them, but they are still in Miami. That is pretty much all the work we have got going now. Things are picking up slowly but surely. Transfer calls come in tomorrow morning. My predictions are that I stay and Nav leaves. I'll include what happens at the end of this letter.

My studies lately have been awesome! It all started from D&C 98:12 where it talks about how we learn "line upon line, precept by precept" and then I thought about the last few chapters in 2 Nephi because it also talks about "line upon line" and in Chapter 31 verse 3 it says that the Lord gives light "unto the understanding." So t hose who understand are given light as they are ready for it. Obviously the people who understand the doctrine apply it to their lives and are entrusted with more doctrine. The ancient Israelites clearly weren't ready for the ordinances of the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, so Jehovah gave them the base of ordinances that could be performed with the lesser Priesthood: the Law of Sacrifice or the Mosaic Law. A set of physically demanding ordinances that regulated almost everything to keep a people prone to wander on the straight and narrow path.

Through many apostasies the laws and rituals made it to the days of Christ, though largely distorted. When Christ came, He fulfilled the Law of Moses, and , as Paul taught, instituted a higher law, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The faith we gain in Christ and His atonement leads us to repent and be baptized. Confirmation and receiving the Holy Ghost is necessary after baptism (by the Melchizedek Priesthood) and we then endure all things until the end of our lives; this constitutes the Gospel. The early Saints after Christ were called to live the Higher Law because they were prepared for it. Obviously, the Lord knew the Gospel would be adulterated not long after its placement but He will never withhold blessings we deserve for future disobedience (see D&C 130:20).

On the other side of the world, the Nephites were righteously obeying the Mosaic Law. Since no indication is made to the contrary, we can assume that there was no perversion of the rituals. Because the understood the base laws they were given more as they were ready. It started as a knowledge of Christ's mission which led to faith, the first principle of the Gospel. Eventually, line upon line, they were given to know the precious parts of the Gospel. Repentence, previously being done through sacrifices, was made by crying to the Lord in prayer. Baptism was being performed hundreds of years before Jesus was actually baptized. The righteous Nephites, being ready for more knowledge, were granted "line by line" until the casting off of the natural man.

The Prophet Joseph did not receive all the knowledge or keys to the kingdom at once but received revelation as situations arose. One example, while translating the Book of Mormon, they desired to know more about baptism so they inquired of God. We are told that John the Baptist appeared to them and conferred the knowledge and authority to baptize.

Even Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, was not born with all the knowledge He would later know. The scriptures tell us that He learned "grace by grace" just as we do.

Isn't it amazing, the infinite potential we have? We have the capacity and destiny to become as God Himself is, to understand the mysteries and laws of the universe and of Him. While we must learn these things line by line, the distance between each line in only as long as we allow it to be. Through learning the how's and why's of the commandments and applying them, we will receive more. We've got such a distance to go and can't afford to waste our time here.

Well, that has been about a weeks worth of studying! A lot of what I wrote actually just came to mind as I was writing! I had better get to bed now. I'll finish this up in the morning.

I can't believe Dani gets home Wednesday! That is so crazy! I missed her whole mission. By the time you get this letter she might actually be home! It's hard to believe it's all winding down. I know I have to give it my all this last little stretch.

Well I guess I'll get this sent out now. I love you all so much! Thank you for all that you do.
Love,
Elder Alex Talbot