December 7 2011

Dear family,

So I can´t believe another week has gone by! Time out here is going by so fast it seems like! Had to say goodbye to some more Brazilians yesterday it was hard to see them go because I became such good friends with them! They are all going to be such great missionaries; they have such a great spirit about them that makes me love being around them! So Portuguese is coming a little bit more every week which is a great thing! In my BoM reading I am in Mosiah so that is wonderful! So at lunch today President Clark and Sister Clark were there eating lunch and Sister Clark called me over and asked how I am doing and I told her I am doing good and she gave me a hug, and President Clark said to me Elder Gray will you meet me in my office at 1:30pm and I was like ya sure I will be there at 1:30! So then I wasn´t hungry anymore cuz I was think crap what did I do wrong to get in trouble! So I really didn´t eat anything which is fine! So 1:30 came around and I am nervous and like shaking go into his office and there is him and Sister Clark sitting there smiling at me so that made me feel better! So they told me about Gentry, and then boom I was crying! I am very sorry to hear that about Gentry! All I want to be there so bad to give her a hug and tell her that everything will be alright! I remember when you told me about when she was going to doctor´s in the previous letters and I remember getting so frustrated because I thought for sure that it would be no big deal and that it would be gone very soon and I remember asking God why me? Why right now? I would pray for long amounts of time to get an answer on why! It came to me that it is a trial for us to get over and to learn from it and grow and become stronger from it! Ya it is definitely tough being out here so far away! President Clark shared a scripture with me it is found in D&C 100:1 It is a good scripture and I know that it will come true I have faith that it will. Gentry´s words of advice from big brother! Hold your head up high and strut your stuff girl! Ya you might lose your hair but don´t worry about it if someone judges you upon that, just know that they are in the wrong! Gentry Heavenly Father loves you so very much, I have come to find that out here about how much he loves you and knows you! Gentry, I know that you’re going to have a lot of time on your hands. I challenge you to pick up the Book of Mormon and read it! And read it to find knowledge from it, you will read certain scriptures and you will be like wow that applies to me so much at this time! Mark those scriptures and write why they mean so much to you beside them! The next thing is to pray as much as you can! I have never spent so much time on my knees praying to the Lord! Gentry, this is time for you to get very close with you Heavenly Father. I know that your testimony will grow so much through this time in life do know that I pray for you and for the family every time I pray! That is so I prayed for you all last night! and I was like I am going to the temple tomorrow with a legit purpose wanting some answers as the movie was playing I was falling asleep and then when it came time to go through the veil I was totally awake I got in to the celestial room and I was sitting there telling heavenly father hey buddy look I am struggling out here these past three days have been terrible first because I was told by my district leader that me and him could never be friends and that he doubts why I am on a mission! So I wasn’t to happy about that! then I found out yesterday about you and I was sitting in there tell him father I need help I don’t know how I can do this I need family to be ok and it is hard and I don’t know how much more I can take of this and I am like crying at this point and he tells me Colton your going to be fine your family is in my hands and I will watch out for them and I need you to focus on what is at hand and learn the language so you can be the best missionary you can be! And I just felt the spirit so strong at that moment and I have never felt like that I was so comforted and felt so great! Ah I can’t describe the feeling but I know everything will be great Gentry I know it will I know you will be a survivor and that this is a trial for me and for you and for the family! I love you very much and I know how strong you are this will be easy do remember that God does not give you trials in your life that you can not over come!! Love you! That is my temple experience by the way! Words from your big brother!

Love, Colton

President Clark, Elder Gray, and Sister Clark