June 15th

Family,

Thank you for all your letters and support. 

Dad, I received your letter in the mail this past week and I'll be sure to look for the last remaining ones in the mail at some point either this week or next. And Karen, thank you for the offer on the new phone! I kind of feel spoiled lol but at the same time I am truly grateful and blessed:) Again, thank you guys.

I can't believe the time has come to this. I only have 2 weeks remaining... But because the Lord has blessed me to endure to the end, I will have the privilege to be a part of another baptism held in our ward this upcoming Saturday. This is for an ex-communicated member, ______, who has been faithful and worthy to re-enter into the waters of baptism. This is someone who the missionaries have been working with for a long time. And now he has finally been approved by Salt Lake City to become a member again. We are all excited for him! 

Everyone will find out their new companions this Friday, and then next week on Saturday (June 27th) is when we will hold our transfer meeting. It will be the farewell for President Packard, his family, and 30 other missionaries that are going home as well. I am grateful to have been companions with Elder Villar. He has strengthened my testimony and has helped me grow, even only during the 2 months that I've been with him. To be honest, I believe he has taught me more than I have been able to teach him. He has been one of my favorite companions by far! I know why the Lord has put us together during this time.   

As I explained in my last email, this will most likely be my final email that I will write to you all on my mission. Elder Villar, A___ D______, and I are planning to make the trip to Boston next week for my final P-Day. No better way to end the mission than being in the city I love, while being with Villar and my other best friend A____, who I had the opportunity to literally see change his life by accepting the gospel! It's a storybook ending for a roller coaster ride of a mission that I experienced. No doubt, we'll have a great time:) 

I will end it all with my testimony that I know that our Savior lives and loves us. I've come to a knowledge of these truths by the Holy Spirit. It is real. This gospel is real. People do change by accepting Jesus Christ in their lives, I am a witness to that. I am a witness to the power of the Atonement. I have been able to exercise it myself and experience the divinity and power of the atonement on my mission. At a certain point of my mission, I have felt the lowest I've ever felt in my life. Only coming to realize later on that it was only to experience true joy, in a sense. That is what this gospel is all about. The Lord humbled me to know this. It's not about me, it's not about the personal gain, or popularity, or any of that. No, it's about the Lord and being a  blessing for his children. This is my purpose as a Saint and a servant of the Lord. It is my humble testimony that I know this church is true. And how blessed I am to have been raised into this church by an amazing family to help me get to this point in my life! 

I accomplished His work as a Full-Time Representative of Jesus Christ here in New England by the hand of the Lord. And for this, I couldn't be any happier.

Pat, I will hopefully be seeing you and your family soon! Jazzy, I can't wait to give you a big hug as well:)

This is it. See you all in 2 weeks! Les Quiero mucho! 

​Go Sox! 

Elder BerthelsonBostonStrong

March 30th

Family,

Sorry for the short letter this week... I am about to head off to New York with the missionaries from our Zone for my P-Day (first and probably only opportunity to do so during the mission). I'll make sure to take some pics by the NY sign and send them to you guys.

Just another week of hard work. Not too much has happened this week. We are preparing ourselves for General Conference during this Easter weekend. So right now, I thought I'd share my testimony real quick that I know that my Savior lives. He died and rose again so that we may all have the power to be perfected, just like he is. I am a living representative of Him at this point in my life and I will continue to be one, even after my release of being a missionary.

Thank you for the easter package by the way!! The cookies are delicious, just like home:) And to answer your question Karen, I will just go ahead and fly home back to Phoenix on June 29th. I look forward to taking a trip back out here in August!! I will have to go ahead and contact the secretary of the mission to let her know my flight plans.

Too bad I am out of the runnings for March Madness, oh well lol. Best of luck to Dad. Can't believe I am writing this still being an Illini fan, but ON WISCONSIN!! I'm pulling for you haha. 

Thanks again for all your love and support. Les Quiero Mucho!!

September 22nd

Family,

I am doing well. This week was all about our Stake Conference and promoting the "game plan" to encourage members and missionaries to work together in the New Haven Stake. I feel like this concept is basically what I've preached my whole mission along with the gospel lol. Also, this past Saturday, Elder Lee and I had to give a training to all the Ward Mission Leaders on how to develop an effective ward mission plan. It was sorta intimidating because President Packard was in attendance for our training, but it turned out really well. We were in a business type setting being with all the big name leaders in the stake, another including Elder Snow, who is a member of the 70. He was the one that spoke at our Stake Conference and we also had the opportunity to have dinner with him before the Adult session of our conference. So this weekend was pretty crazy for us... but it was awesome!  

As far as the work goes, we have our baptism for our investigator, B______, that is all set up for this Saturday. We are pumped for that! 

Thank you for your letters and emails. 

Dad- There is no such thing as overdoing it with the subway gift cards. That is basically all I eat when it comes to eating out, so I appreciate it! Also the with the Chargers, Cards and Pats winning this weekend there are definitely son complaints on the topic of football. Its still too bad that the Red Sox aren't making it this year for the playoffs... But your right though, there is always next season. I'm already stoked for the upcoming 2015 season!! 

Karen- Wisconsin still looks the same:) Glad you were able to take pics of the old place. Great memories for sure!

Jazzy- Keep doing what you do lol. Te quiero hermana!

I apologize for the short email. I am typing all this out at the apple store at Yale University here in downtown New Haven. Its pretty sweet. I've had a great P-Day so far and looking forward to another great week working with one of my best friends on the mission, E. Lee. This guy is a stud. I'm blessed to be his companion:)  Dad you are right, I am called where I'm called for a reason. New England is all about the people for sure! 

Thank you for all your love and support. I love you all!

Pics- Recent Convert Temple Trip from a few weeks ago. 

Few Pics from today's P-Day! We were able to hit the range earlier this morning (first time swinging the clubs since back home:) And Elder Watson, who is an RM, took us out to lunch with his family before heading to NY for the MNF game tonight. 

May 27th

Family,

I am just going to write a short email to let you know how my week was and how I'm doing. I wasn't able to write yesterday due to Memorial Day... so I am taking this quick opportunity I have today to do so now.

Starting off with last Friday, Elder Holland was able to speak to all of our mission and share his thoughts on our missionary/personal efforts and ways that we can better reach out to others. The spirit was so powerful during the whole meeting. I also had the opportunity to shake his hand and meet his wife along with Elder Hallstrom of the 70. All of them spoke and it was just incredible! There are many things that Elder Holland spoke to us about... too many to even be written in this email and many that are very personal, which I know helped further strengthen my testimony and was certainly a blessing my life. It was awesome nonetheless and I know that Elder Holland is a man ordained from God to be in the position of the church that he is in. 

On Sunday, our buddy J__ M___ was baptized. I had the opportunity to perform his baptismal ordinance as well. I attached a picture of J____, Elder Johnston and I. It's a blessing to be a part of something that will change that his life forever. I know that his family will

be blessed for the decision that he made as well. 

Yesterday, as you all know, I had the opportunity to go to the Temple. I can't tell you how much of a blessing it is to go to the Temple and to experience that peace and calmness we feel every time we step foot into the Celestial Room. Going to the Temple as often as I do is definitely one of the things I cherish most about my mission. 

As far as the people we work with, there are many families who we have invited to join the group and who are also willing to support us. Our only progressing investigators we have right now is an 18 year old from Peru, Hiro C_____ and his 14 yr old brother O___. Both have already taken the discussions from past missionaries. We will see how everything works out with them along with the group that starts this Sunday, June 1st!

I also had the opportunity to go down to Boston for our P-Day after our trip to the temple. Great times dad!! Can't believe it was 2 years ago... 
I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day and will continue to enjoy this week and work hard.

Thanks for all you love and support. Les quiero mucho!     

February 24th

Family,

Thank you for your emails. Today I am writing a little earlier because I just got done playing early morning basketball for my P-Day with some of the members from the Marrimack Ward (another english ward) and a couple other missionaries. I think we're planning on doing this every P-Day, which should be fun - also means I'll be sending my emails out early to you guys. But anyways, this week has been good. We have a baptismal date set for an eight year old kid, GZ, whose mom is a less active but is now coming to church with the rest her family. Although he's still at a young age, he is technically considered one of our investigators and he's also progressing so much! We have the baptismal date set for March 16 for him so we are very excited for him and his family! We are also working with another one of our investigators, PJ, who we are planning this week to set a firm baptismal date with her for as early this upcoming month in March. So as far as our investigator work goes, we are doing great! We have also worked really hard with our less actives, members, and basically all the hispanics here in the area to let them know about the group that will be taking place by this upcoming Sunday March, 2. So overall we are very excited for what's to come here in the next few weeks! 

One of the things that I have been studying a lot recently is the words of King Benjamin in the early chapters of Mosiah (1-6). I have read his words over and over and everytime I read it I am fascinated by his boldness, especially how he phrases this scripture in Mosiah chapt. 4:9,11-12

 9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all

wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend

 .

11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a

remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.

 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.

Even as strong members of the church, we need to always remember to humble ourselves and call on the Lord daily. And as we do so, it is promised that we will be filled with the love of God and be happy. I know these words to be true as I am doing everything I can to improve my relationship with Him through my own personal prayers.

Keep working hard guys. I know that the Lord will continue to bless our family and friends. 

Les quiero mucho!     

   

Elder BerthelsonBostonStrong