You have impacted the future

There has been some excitement during this past week in Jonathan's mission. The missionaries received a special, non P-day, message from President Robison:
"The West Indies is a Preach My Gospel Mission and has the finest missionaries in the world. Last year you had probably the most dramatic increase over the previous year in baptisms seen world-wide. In a few weeks, Brother Swenson of the missionary department is coming to assess the condition of medical facilities in Guyana and Trinidad. In preparation for that visit, the missionary department has requested that you complete the Preach My Gospel Missionary Questionnaire. The missionary department wants to know how we did so much last year."

We are also including portions of an e-mail Jonathan recently sent to one of his friends that expresses his testimony:
"You have to continue going to God's true church. I know that it is true. You know it too and you can't let something stupid mess up your chance for salvation. That would be giving others control over your future instead of taking control for yourself. When that happens, you lose all sense of self and then nothing matters anymore. I have seen too many people around here fall away like that and it makes me sad because they don't want to even talk to members of the church any more (much less the missionaries). If you fall away, I will be devastated. Don't stay for my sake though. Stay because you want to and you know it's right.

You can apply Brigham Young's advice on prayer to going to church in your case. He said, "the times you feel like praying the least is when you need to pray the most". It can be changed for you to say, "the times you feel like going to church the least is when you need to go the most". If you feel you aren't "good enough" or "worthy" to, the only way to become "good enough" or "worthy" is to go to church, repent and try to become more like our savior Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. His church is on the Earth and there is no other way by which we can return to live with Heavenly Father except it be through Him. Sorry for going all missionary on you but I had to say what was on my mind."

Now for today's e-mail message from Jonathan:

I guess tomorrow will be an important day in the history of our country. The ceremony to inaugurate Obama is all that people here care about right now. I am quite sick of talking to people who think they know how our country runs.

Elder Marshall and I are still getting along great. We work as hard as any of my other companions but he is really fun to be around. I don't feel all that stressed right now even though we are actually under a lot of pressure. It's nice because it has felt like the last 7 months worth of weight has just been lifted.

Check out what President Robison said about my last companion, Elder Nielsen's, brother when he was here a couple weeks ago. That's high praise coming for our mission president. "Thank you for helping Elder Nielsen's family have a positive teaching and testifying experience. Because of your kindness and thoughtfulness, his younger brother wants to serve a mission...you have impacted the future by your actions.

Our next transfer day is February 18th. I think that I will probably leave this island that day. I will probably be on my way to Trinidad or back to Guyana. (I would prefer Guyana). If I stay on Sint Maarten I will be here at least until the next transfer on April 1st.

Anyway, I am in Matthew 16, Alma 41 and my personal scripture study.

The scripture of the week is D&C 27:15-18.

P.S. I heard the Aggies are doing great. Hope they beat Boise on Saturday!

He also said he finally received the last of the Christmas packages we sent before Thanksgiving!