Josh's letter Oct 5

Church has become my solace. I love Church and Conference was just like sitting at Jesus's feet. I love those men that lead this church. What absolutely marvelous talks. I'm excited to read them. I will have to work on my charity for Sister Dibbs though. Her smile is just so distracting I have a hard time taking her seriously but that is in every way my fault. I had several favorite talks. Hollands, Christophersons, and I don't remember the ones name but I'm sure youll remember the talk: It was the masterful restoration talk. I also loved President Monson's. I realized two main things during confrence. One is the purpose of church is as was said not to fill a bucket but to light a fire. 
We do not attempt to create biblical scholars, though that is not a sin by any means, the church seeks to do as Christ suggests, become perfect. The Church is a community of progression in truth. There is no other society in which progression is so readily available. Truth is Marching on, Glory glory halleluia. I received a vision in my mind of this marvelous work that is among the children of men. It was in no way a spiritual manifestaion like unto Lehi it was mostly of my own creation. It was of children being raised in the face of history, Seeing that epic Book of mormon story of a fallen people. The Bible is the story of Christ but the Book of Mormon is the story of humanity. Only it is not the ultimate story. for I had a moment of hope where these children stopped the great stone that had been rolling from Cain--from adam perhaps. The legacy of violance and suffereing that has been past from one generation to another and multiplied as the atrosities continued within the human family. Then the youth stopped the stones one by one as it had begun. I saw a picture of a Dad who had experienced some sexual abuse growing up and then saw him defending a sexual abuser in a court case. I remember clearly a converstaion I had with him about sexual crimes. I was expressing how perverted it was and that those people should be locked up for life and that they deserve what they have recieved with guards treating them rudely and the inmates shunning them. I was appalled by my father defending a man who was guilty but more than that I was surprised at his opinion that society carries so much of the blame--we are the ones putting the sexual images into everyone's head all day--we are the ones that abused them as children growing up. We are the ones that let them go hungry so they had to steal a loaf of bread. We were the ones that did not teach them the truth that would save them as they grew up. It was us from the beggining. And we judge ourselves. It was man that called man guilty. It was man that convicted Christ. It was man that scorged him and crucified him. For he truly was guilty. He was guilty in as much he truly represented mankind. And man judged him justly. But it was Christ that took mercy and declared them innocent if they would but look to him. I see the hero my Father is as he had stopped a pebble of this great stone. Let us all stop this stone and never let our stubble begin its cascade down the mountian side. That was this vision. The stone was stopped as the gospel spread and declared the way of the lord. The world was baptized in fire as the wrongs and the sinns that were being multiplied were ended and a new stone began. This was of righteous parents teaching righteous children. Improving from one generation to the next as Zion the New Jerusalem is built. And Jesus will come again and this time we will not condem him who never condemed us. But we will say hurrah for Israel and Horrah for Karamazov. I truly have a hope that this church is that great stone rolling that is the opposite of the first stone. It is as if the stone is rolling back up the mountian as we push it together--some pushing and some pulling with the yoke of christ--joyfully joyfully marching to our home. The other Idea I had was of how greatful I am for my parents. What marvelous saints they are. We could all be better children and take more responsibility for the family. As I heard the prophets speak about parenting I thought it could have been sumed up to my ears as, "Josh be as your parents were." I love you, Mom. I love you Dad. I love you Brian. I love you David. I love you Matt. Iove you Rachel. I love you Daniel. I love you Ali. I know you love me too and I will not be startled to hear it announced at a sacrament meeting I promise nor will I me ashamed. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

I loved hearing from Daniel. WOW 1:03 that is rediculously fast. good job. your going to break a minuet before the years up. Weather here is getting cold. We've been in full winter garb the last few days. I got transfered up to Brainerd. It is alot different then waconia. I was white washed here with someone who came out from the MTC with me. It has been alot of fun. It was too bad though because we didn't get to watch a singal session in a members home with an investigator like the presidnet suggested we do. we only had one investigator come. We are pretty far north and our area is huge. Brainerd is the biggest city around and its not that large. Everyone nearby knows who the missionaries are. Being white washed is hard. but my companion is a hard worker and we are going to baptize someone here. I had my first baptism in my last area. It was a girl named Charlette. She was 9 years old and her parents were less active but hopefully that will stay changed. I Miss Waconia. I hope a few of my past investigators will be baptized in the comming weeks. 

Brian and Dia thats kind of wierd. She is my age...just think about that. ha ha well I want to hear about it. where when why and how serious?
Have you recieved any of my mailed letters (weird poem and CD)?