November 3rd

Family,

I am doing great! As I mentioned to you guys in my email last week, Elder Lawrence from the 70 and our Mission President were able to meet with all the leaders from the mission last Wed and again for our Mission Conference that we had on Fri. So this week was all about getting further insight on what needed to be done to improve the work for our entire mission and ways that we could also improve ourselves as missionaries. As for the mission, it was inspired by President Packard to have the goal of achieving 70 baptisms for the month of November alone, which is a milestone for the mission- something that has never been done before. So this is the big topic of discussion that has been taken in consideration for all the missionaries in the MBM to accomplish this vision of breaking the record for the number of baptisms. 

We were also able to receive further insight when Elder Lee and I both had the opportunity to get interviewed by E. Lawrence. We just discussed ways on how we could strengthen the efforts of our Zone in New Haven and how we could work better with church leaders such as our stake president, etc. Not too thrilling, but definitely a neat experience to have a member of the general authority meet with you on a personal level. This week we also have one on one interviews with President Packard, so starting tomorrow we will have to prepare for when he comes to do interviews for the zone. There's just a lot of mental and spiritual preparation that is taken into account every time we meet with these leaders of the church. It is tiring but definitely fulfilling.

We are continuing to work hard everyday. Something exciting that has been going on is that our investigator, S_____, is coming back from China this Saturday so hopefully we will be able to meet with him soon. His family is taking more interest in the church as well. All of them have been showing more and more interest, they even came to church on their own without Steve (the father). It would be sweet to see this entire family have the opportunity to accept the gospel in their lives. To witness an entire family getting baptized would truly be a miracle!

I'm blessed to know that everyone is doing great as well.

Dad- I got the letter. You are "the guy!" lol. Thank you so much for your advice, I will definitely keep an open mind to what you wrote to me. I am also pounding it hard at the gym. Hopefully I will come back the way I was, we'll see how everything works out.

Karen- I got the baked goods. Lee says that the banana bread is pretty good lol. Thanks for thinking of us. 

Jazzy- Feliz Cumplianos!!!!! Can't believe you are 22... Where does the time go?? Anyway, I hope you enjoy your b-day and the rest of your week! I sent you a letter in the mail, I hope its not like the Hampton's letter that takes a full year to get out there haha. 

Enjoy the rest of your week. Keep working hard. I love you guys!  

Elder Berthelson

BostonStrong