Letter dated 7Apr2014

Dear Family and Friends: I don't have a lot of time just now, but I'll fill you in on the best things of the week! So Mahmoud is doing really great. His baptism will be next Saturday, and we are very excited for him! He has been so remarkable to teach over this while. It is really interesting because of the language barrier, but it has been so good, and he is so prepared. Once, near the beginning, we talked briefly about the Word of Wisdom, but hadn't spent much time with it. But when we taught it for real and asked him for the first time if he would obey it, he said that he had already poured out his wine and had been obedient to it since we explained it to him! In another lesson, he drew us a picture that said every time he reads the Book of Mormon he gets a little closer to God, and every time he goes to church, it was a larger distance which he would make toward God even though he doesn't understand church very well. It is so great to be able to teach him and be his friend! General Conference was super good! My favorite talk was Äldste Holland's, it's so important we're courageous disciples of Christ! The pictures are of me in my favorite chair in the library, a mid-river statue of something cool in Torshälla, a sweet spoon of a member which comes from South Africa, a really good Iranian dish of baked rice and meat and carrots, and a rare sighting of an Albino Bus! I loved hearing from you this week, and it sounds like this week will be busy with everyone returning to school. Good luck with everything! I love you all! Love you all!