September 19, 2011

Hey Family! Hows it going? Thanks for all the pictures mom from the trip to Illinois. That is awesome that Hailey is playing soccer! Thats way cool. She will be so good! Its good to hear that everyone is doing so well. I am grateful Dad is working so hard as well.

Things here are going great! We had another great week. We went on exchanges with Elder Cuartas on Friday. He is an assistant to President Castro, and it was such a fun day! We were focusing on using the Book of Mormon in every short testifying opportunity. It was sweet because it helped us really focus and be in the zone to pull out scriptures from the Book of Mormon that applied to their situation. I love the Book of Mormon so much. As we were doing this I felt so much more strength and confidence wheile testifying. I focus was on the Book of Mormon and then we would back it up with our testimonies. So much more powerful! We also were teaching a less active family who had a lot of questions for us, and we were using the Book of Mormon and D&C to answer everything. President Castro has put an incredible focus on the Book of Mormon which I love! My love for it has grown so much these months I have been in Bakes!.

Last night we went to visit one of our investigators named Catalina. She is from Mexicali. We were talking to her about her family and she had told us how 2 of her brothers her parents and sister had all passed away. She wasstill really sad about it and I could tell that it was really hard for her. We asked her if she had ever asked herself where she will go when she dies, or where her family is. She said she had and that she basically thought that we are sleeping for that time until the day of judgement. We read with her from Alma 40:6-12, 21. We explained the spirit world and the love of our Father in Heaven and the love of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She discovered the Book of Mormon. She understand the Spirit World completely. It made so much sense to her that God will give everybody a chance to hear the gospel and accept it. She was almost in tears when we told her that she could be reunited with her family for eternity. We taught about how important it is to follow Jesus Christ by being baptized and choosing the right. It was a testimony to me of the power of the Book of Mormon and the Plan iof Salvation. I love the gospel and the love of HEeavenly Father.

Thanks for all that you all do. i love you guys so much. Thanks for everything! ! Love Elder C. Bills

September 12, 2011

Family! This last week was so awesome!! We had 2 investigators at church who are so solid! Wendy and Laura. They live a couple blocks from eachother and they both have strong desires to come unto Christ! LAura is a special lady. She really thinks about the questions she asks and the things that she reads. She told us that as she was reading the restoration pamphlet she was reading about the Apostasy and she said she stopped to think about it and she said it made so much sense to her. She was being taught by the spirit because she stopped and took time to ponder. I have learned so much from investigators. It is such an awesome opportunity to be a missionary. Wendy and Laura are going to the RS activity this Tues. I am excited for them!

I had such a sweet experience this past Saturday. We got called by the Zone Leaders in South Bakes to come down to their zone to conduct an interview for the spanish missionaries down there. So we went down there and the woman that I was interviewing was none other than Angela Lopez's Mom!! (I baptized Angela and Her Husband Jose 2 months ago!) I was soo excited! She cam to jose and Angela's wedding and felt the spirit really strong during the service and she wanted to learn more about the gospel. So Angela told us that and gave us the info the her mom, Ines, and we sent it to the ZL's in S. Bakes. And now she is going to be baptized next week! It was the best interview I have conducted! The spirit was so strong. It was interesting, when I first saw her, I almost didnt recognize her. She looked so happy and so full of love. The first time I saw her she looked old and sad. I honestly could see the light of Christ in her. She was so happy and she was so excited to be baptized. Her countenance had changed because she had accepted the Gospel into her life and she is giving her whole heart to the Lord. Such a great example for us. When we give our hearts to Christ, when we are willing to do ALL that he asks, we will be filled with His love, we will be filled with His light.

The gospel is true! I love the Lord. I love the Book of Mormon. It is the word of God. Thanks for all the support and love. Les amo muchisimo!!!! Con amor, Elder C.T Bills

September 5, 2011

This past week was another really successful week. We found a lot of new investigators and we were able to talk to a ton of people! We set a goal to have 55 street contacts and we got 56! We were excited. They are turnin into new investigators as well. We found 8 last week and they are investigators who want to learn and who want to come closer to Christ.

I went on exchanges with an Elder from Edmonton Canada named Elder Orchard on Sat. and it was awesome. He knows the scriptures way good and it is always fun to teach with him. We taught a lady who is really active in her church. She had a ton of questions for us. It was awesome. I loved it. At first she was contentious asking a lot of q's about Joseph Smith and why we talk so much about him. We taught her from the beginning of the restoration and and testified the whole time and kept inviting her to pray and ask Heavenly Father for herself. By the middle of the lesson she had softened up so much and when we were testifying she was looking into our eyes and paying attention rather than thinkingof another question she wanteds to throw at us. When we testified to her abou t the power of prayer and invited her to ask God, it was like she was now expecting us to invite her to ask Heavenly Father. This is honestly the only way to know the truth. When we ask Heavenly Father with real intent with faith that we will recieve we will recieve a witness from the Holy Ghost. I testify that I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that anybody can come to know this if they pray. If they truly want to know truth and they truly want to come closer to Christ, they will recieve an ansswer. Our message is so unique and special and it can bless everybody.

Yesterday at church, Jose Lopez taught the gospel essentials class! I was so excited for him. He was super nervous but he prepared so well for the class and the Lord blessed him with the Spirit as he taught. I am so hapy for him and Angela because they are going out of their confort zone in the Church a lot. Jose never wouldve guessed 5 months ago that he would teach a class in church! hA. That is how we can progress in the gospel. When we do things that our out of our comfort zone, we allow the spirit to guide us and we are able to recieve the strength through the Grace of Christ. I know that God lives and loves us. Thanks for all you do!

Love Elder Craig T. Bills

August 29, 2011

HEy Family! This past week was another great week! We found 9 more investigators. It has been really fun and we have been so blessed! We have some great potential right now. It has been such a fun time here in Bakersfield. I love it so much.

Jose and Angela, the couple that was recently baptized, are doing well. They are so great! We visited them the other night and we read in the Book of Mormon with them. It was so awesome. The spirit was so strong. I testify with all my heart that the Book of Mormon is true. I cant even describe the spirit that we felt. We didnt do anything out of the ordinary. We read with them in 1 Nephi 18 and we just talked about what we were reading and how it applied to their lives. It was a sweet experience to see Jose making the connection with the scriptures and their lives right now. The Book of Mormon combined with the Spirit is the most powerful resource in conversion! They will progress an come closer to the Savior as they continue to study and apply the scriptures. It is the same with us. We need to reasd, take time to ponder, write down impressions and apply the teachings into our lives. That is how we will come closer to the Lord.

In the 3 Bakersfield Stakes, they just made a huge single adult ward. We are now assigned to cover it. I am excited and it was cool yesterday we were apart of the creation of the White Oak YSA ward. I am excited to work with them and also cover another ward. We will be BUSY!

We have been seeing so many miracles. I have said before, but i truly believe, that we can see miracles everyday of our lives. God is a God of miracles, and if we do our part and seek for them, we will be able to recognize them in our lives and we will be filled with gratitude towards Heavenly Father. We knocked a door the other day and started to talk to thi9s girl and we testified that the Savior lives, and that we can find true hope through Christ, and this girl said, "that is exactly what i need." Then she asked, "what do i need to do to join your church?" There are people being prepared! There are people who are looking for hope and light in theior lives and the restiored gospel will bring them what they need! I love the gospel!

Kevan looks so good in the picture you sent me! He looks big! I love football! Especially BYU football. I am so excited for this season! They are going to do aw2esome! I love you all so much! I know that the Savior lives and loves us. This is HIS work.

Love, Elder Bills