At last...another update :)

Hey Family!


Sorry it has been so long since I've given all of you a general update on the mission. I have no excuse, and all of you can yell at me on Mother's Day on the phone.

The work here has been spiritually exhausting. I'm not going to beat around the bush with all of you. It's definitely hard, but the progress being made is worth it. I have received from a number of people lately, in particular one individual we are visiting wth, a lot of ANTI. I have never been attacked like this in my life. It's different to see how people actually look for reasons to destroy the church, and my personal faith. Now, keep in mind that these people are grown adults that have lived a good 10 to 30 years longer than I have, and have a knowledge of things that I do not even have. We had one man try bash us with the Book of Mormon! He kept saying there were so many problems with what the Book of Mormon stated in 3 Nephi 11-28(Christ's ministry to the Americas), and he all he did was lecture us on the things he has studied. There's nothing that I have said to him thus far that has changed his view on the reality of the gospel in any way. I have never studied the Bible like I have for some of these people. I'll make an analogy: In a battle, with swords and shields and so forth, it feels like all i have right now is a shield, and multiple people are just whacking away with these powerful swords at my shield, trying to get to me. Now, i have kept them at bay, but the shield has become a little weak at times, and i have received "spiritual wounds". I still have a strong testimony of the gospel, I still believe in all of it with all of my heart, but i feel a little "faint because of the loss of blood". It will take time to recover from whats been happening, but i assure all of you, that this WILL MAKE ME STRONGER. "Never give up! Never, never give up!" I'm still in the fight, along with my band of brotherhood, fighting for the salvation of souls here this part of the world. I ask for your prayers, so that i might be able to continue to press forward.

Great things have also been happening. We have been visiting with a lady that i met back in Tulsa with my secong companion. She is way less-active and she has not been honoring her baptismal covenants. She was offended by someone else, and because she is holding onto that grudge, she is degressing in the Plan of Happiness. She is so focused on the other people in this situation so much that she has failed to recognize what she doing to herself and her little baby boy is harming her spiritually. She is refusing to forgive and to better her life and get back on the path her Heavenly Father wants her on. We had a wonderful 2 hour visit with her yesterday, and we will be visiting her as much as possible to help her come back into the fold. She is wonderful, and i pray all goes well in the coming weeks.

Oh! And for Mother's day! I will be calling on Sunday in the afternoon. We have church with 2 units, so it might not be until about 3 or 4pm MY TIME. So keep your phone lines open for this one. I do have one request: I want to speak to each individual one at a time so i can speak to them personally. What i have to say to one person might not apply to all listening. I will call Mom's cell phone, Dad's house phone, and I will want to speak to Josh and Reianna as well, but I don't have that phone number memorized. That one might be a conference call, but i would still like to say a few words to them individually as well.

I have one more thing:
Lately, I have become very intrigued with our family's history. I would very much like some info on our family from whoever might have those files. I also have had an itching ear for some of Alex Boye's music. He is in the Mormon Tabrenacle Choir, and I would love it if i could get my hands on a CD or 2 of his. I think some of you, if not all of you, know who he is.

That's all for now. I love all of you, and may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Sincerely yours,
Elder Brad Thomas Fellows