> Hey how is everyone doing?! I hope that all is well and that you are all making it. I have been thinking about you all a lot this week with Conference and everything. Seeing the choir and the general authorities speak is awesome but also it gives you just a bit of trunkyness=) I am making it though and it already passed. No worries! I was really inspired by all the talks, and it really helped me focus on things I can improve in my life. > Aj had his sugary and that makes me super happy to see that he is doing awesome and recovering. Even fattening up some I heard! Hope that he keeps that up, and that everyone gives him the love that he deserves even when I am not there. Don’t forget to give him an extra hug, punch, and compliment because I am not there to do it for him! > It was good to see that Jim got his moose. It is a once in a life time event so I hope that he took some pictures. That is really awesome. I would like to do that someday with my dad too, but I better get to it right when I get home for him to be around! Ha. I love you dad. But the hunting continues and I am full of stories to tell my other elder friends here in the mission. They keep me on earth you know. I was laying in bed the other night, Friday, and I thought how many different places I have been in the world sleeping on that day….for example pond peak, Utah, brazil, in a muddy duck marsh, on a boat, and many times camping. It is really neat to see how life changes, how times come and go and to see how much I really have grown in the last couple years even though I feel like a little punk kid still. It is good to see that I have made some progress.> This week was awesome with conference and such. It sound like everyone got together and canned, plus celebrated birthdays and ate cake. That sounds like so much fun. I was just running and getting investigators, talking to less actives, and sitting by people I did not know trying to set a date to come teach them a lesson. Ha ha. So much for the years watching it on satellite and sleeping half way through. I am part of his army now, and it is my responsibility to invite others who don’t know of the gospel to hear the words of a prophet who lives on the earth today, who walks among the children of men. I loved the opportunity. It is the second in the mission. The next one I will have like 6 months left. Nuts. Some of the talks that I loved were by elder Holland, about angles, president uchdorf about, lift where you stand, and from president eyring, we need to all be a little more united. What a blessing it is to hear the words of prophets seers and revelators. What a knowledge!!! I cannot fathom it. Just sit and think of it. We have a prophet on the earth today who speaks with our father in heaven, who receives revelation for our days, who is purified his vessel and has the faith to do that which is according to the will of the lord. I am so blown out of the water by that. I have grown so much. Some of the sentences that they said that I like were the following. When elder Holland said that heavenly father works among the children of men with angels. As in the times when lehi left Jerusalem until now, he continues to send his angles to work among us. It is just based on our worthiness and faith whether we will be able to see them and bear witness of it. Also I loved when they said that each of us go through adversity. They related a ton to life today in the United States and the downward spiral that it is heading. People are in need; the world is stressed, and so on. But they taught us that how we react to adversity is a reflection of how successful we will be in this life. We need to put our trust in the lord. This time is but a moment….put your trust in the lord and he will bless your life. He is there, he is waiting to open the windows of heaven and bless you. And the last thing that I liked in particular is what our prophet told us when he was talking about life and how we need to live it to the fullest. He said that tears over a grave are bitter words left unsaid and actions left undone. That says it all. We as sons and daughters of our heavenly father, we need to act, we need to open our mouths, we need to comfort, we need to lift up the hands that hang down, we need to speak kind words to each other, we need to be more Christ like, we need to look to help others and to put smile on their faces, make their day a little bit better, we need to lend a hand and give a smile to brighten a day. We need to live and learn but also we need to live to love! I know that as we do this we will become united as Zion. One heart, and one mind, and there was no poor among them. Show more charity, show more gratitude and the lord then promises us that our joy will be full. I can bear you my testimony that I know that these things are true. The lord gave each of us our talents to bless the lives of others, so then our talents may be strengthened. I love the prophet, I love the lord, and I love all of you. As I heard this talk, how we need to live the today so we don’t look back at a ton of lost opportunities, I was filled with a bad feeling. You know why is because I know that I was not who I could have been when I was home, I did not lend a hand, I did not think of others for myself, I did not seek to put smiles on faces, I did not look at the poor, I turned my cheek and I showed my pride. How wrong I was. I know that I can be better than that. I am a chosen son of my father in heaven. I know that, so I need to become more like him and be an instrument in his hands here upon the earth. After the conference I read the scripture Mosiah 28:3. it asks us a question, It makes us think. Can we really live this life knowing the truth and go into the next life alone with this knowledge? NO! We cannot. We need to look at each of our friends, co lieges, and those who happen to be sitting by our side while we wait in an unanticipated line, and think how can I inherit the kingdom of my father without them going with me? How can I withhold the opportunity for them to hear about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ? We cannot withhold it from them. We have been commanded by the lord to open our mouth, share the good word of Christ, and to be the Good Samaritan. It is my prayer that each of us can do this. That each of us can become a little more like our savior each day, and within this lies our salvation, our exaltation, and the happiness that our heavenly fathers promises each of us. > I love you all, I am thinking about you always. I am constantly praying the Holy Ghost may be your companion, that he may guide you threw this life, and give you the comfort, strength, and answers you need. Live worthy of his presence, live worthy to receive revelation for your families, and for your own live. Live worthy of his companionship, and he will lead you in the lord’s path that leads to ever lasting life. I love you so much. Keep the faith, and don’t forget that my birthday is coming up…I know what I want now. As pres. Monson said we should find someone who needs help in anyways….physically, emotionally, anyway, and help them. That’s what my wish is, that you can find some one and help them. Make their day. Not only will it put a smile on their face but also our saviors face, because your becoming more like him. > Your younger brother,> Èlder Gatten