December 27, 2010

Hey family. It was so great to talk to you all yesterday. Sorry Dad and stacy it was so short. I feel soooo bad about that. It was hard to talk to everyone. We only had 30 minutes to talk to our families and i went well over that time. I feel really bad. Things are going great. I ghad a great christmas and I really love the time of service to the Lord. I love being able to see people act upon their faith and use their agency correctly, and on the other hand its sad when they use it poorly. During this Christmas season i really for the first time in my life understood the importance of it. It is about celebrating Christs birth and his miraculous life. He lived through love and service, compassion and devotion. He is everything we should strive to become. His life was one of humility and faith. Just like Kelly said to me, we have a message lke none other. A message of the true teachings of Jesus Christ. We have the fulness of the Gospel. We have the fulness of the Atonement. As we talked with members investigators and people on the street i realized that the economic troubles really can be seen in a very positive way. Those who didnt have the money for presents and the material part of christmas were able to focus morew on the real meaning. The savior and the joy and love he brings to the family. I feel that these times are for a reason. Perhaps this will help more and more desire the true happiness in life, Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the experiences I am havng and the people I am meeting. I am really so grateful for this opportunity to serve the lord. I have been really trying to learn something new from everyone i meet the past couple of days and it has been such a difference in how i view people. Everybody has feelings needs and they are all truly children of God. They all have reason to live and purpose to life. They all have something to say and deserve tyo be listened to. The lord will place us in places where someone needs help always. Member or set apart missionary. We just need to be sensitive to the spirit and to our surroundings. I love the scripture in mosiah 2:17. We need to act upon that scripture and make it a part of our lives. I love you all so much!!!! Please let me know what happens with KC and college. I klove you all! Thanks for everything! Con mucho amor, Elder Craig Bills

December 13, 2010 - Craig

Hey family!! Hows everybody doing with Kevan home??! I bet it is great seeing him. I wont see him for another year! Its ok though i am serving the lord ha! Well This past week went well. We found 9 new investigators and put 1 with a date. His name is Fransisco and he is 19. A good kid who has had a hard life. His mom died and he needs the gospel so much. He has some problems but he is a good kid. We are excited to help him progress towards baptism the 8th of January. Well last night we were planning for today and we got a call from President Murri. He talked to my companion and told him to have me call him after we finished planning. Ha I was so nervous! But I called him and President Murri asked me if I would accept the responsibility to be a trainer. Ha I said of course. So I will be going down to Ventura tommorrow and picking up my new companion who is straight from the MTC! I am excited. It should be a great learning experience for me. I will be able to help him form habits top help him in his mission! I am excited. My spanish will improve aswell! I know the lord will bless me as I show faith and rely on the spirit.

This week I was studying and I was studying about faith and I learned so many amazing things! In 3 nephi 17:8 it stuck out to me how the Savior said "i see that your faith is sufficent that i should heal you". That stuck out to me a lot and that lead me to read in 2 nephi 27:23 where I learned that the Lord works according to our faith. As our faith is steadfast and immovable we will experience miracles and we will recieve the spiorit to strenghten our testimonies! And in moroni 7:37 it says for it is by faith that miracles are wrought. And it is by faith that angels appear unto men. It is true. When our faith is unshaken we can bless the lives of others and see miracles. It is important to know that faith doesnt come by miracles but thriough the actions we make that are influenced by the holy ghost. Faith is powerful. I am so grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the faith Joseph Smith showed to pray to the Father to recieve direction. I am so grateful for the faith Jesus Christ showed in the will of his Father as he took upon him our pains and afflictions in the garden of getsemanie.

I love you all so much. I really realize everyday how blessed I have been to have been born into the gospel of JEsus Christ to a family who is steadfast and immovable! I love you all so much. The Lord truly is with us in his work. He loves us so much. I am going to call you guys on Christmas in the afternoon sometime. I am not sure the exact time but just be there ha. I love you all so much!!!!! Love Elder Craig Bills

HE'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happiest day EVER

December 6, 2010 - Craig

Hey family! How is everyone doing?? I cant beleive that Kevan is coming home Wed! That is excited and sad too! I felt strength at times to know he was out here doing the same thing as i am! This past week we found an investigator who we have taught 3 times and he came to church yesterday! It was exciting and we also had a lot of less actives there as well. The work is going pretty well and the lord blesses us a lot. His hand is honestly in everything we do. I was reading in Alma 5 this morning and there is a verse that says do you still have pride in your hearts? Then you are not prepared to meet god. I think its v. 28 . But that really made me think. This life is a time we need to emulate christ in every way and prepare ourselves to stand before God. It is a time of preporation and a probationary state. I was thinking how inspired the talk by President Uchdorf was. The pride talk. I know he knows the importance of this. If we are self induldent and only think about ourselves we are not preparedt to meet God. This life is a time we need to honestly think and cultivate the attributes of Christ. We need to have an eternal perspective of life so that when we do come before Him we wont be ashamed and we will rejoice and feel His countance shine through us. This gospel is true. I know without a doubt. I am so grateful for this life and test. The savior paved the way for us to retutrn with the Father. He is the author of the plan of salvation. He is the key part. Heavenly Father created this wonderful plan of love so that we could return weith him and the savior is the only way back! I love you all so much! We have found some cool investigators who show some interest! Thanks for the support and give kevan a huge hug for me! Papa gracias por su apoyo y amor. Da a Kevan un abrozo por mi!! Gracias por todo familia! Con todo mi amor Elder Bills Mom thanks for the hristmas stuff!!!!!!! And coat

Kevan

I love you familia! See you soon!
Love Elder Kevan Bills