Happy Valentines Day!

     Happy Valentines Day everyone!  I hope that you all have a really great day!  I want you all to know that I love you so much!  I have been so blessed in this life with great friends and family!  I am so thankful for it and it means so much to me! So this Valentines Day know how much I love you all!  You have all blessed my life! 

     This past week has been crazy and its all a blur. We were in and out of our area most of the week because of training but this week is back to normal which should be nice!  Three days of the week I was doing exchanges with Elder Jin from Korea!  He has been out for 2 weeks!  He is an amazing person so full of faith.  His english is amazing for his short time in America.  One morning as we were preparing a lesson for a family we were going to teach about faith, he shared a great story that touched me so much.  I still am amazed as I think about his experience! In Korea as a male, you have to serve a mandatory 2 years in the Army.  Elder Jin went to a famous art school there and is very proficient in playing the Violin so he was called to be a leader in the orchestra for the army.  The army is very intense there, as it is here. If you do anything to offend an officer or the president you are sent to jail. You are taught to never say no, because if you do you are sent to jail!  It's very strict and he feels so blessed to be finished. But as a leader in the Orchestra he was in good standing with the Vice President of the Army.  One particular day he was assigned to play at a meeting with the United Nations.  At the meeting the Vice President of the Army came around to pour wine for those that were leaders there.  Elder Jin was one of them.  He came up to Elder Jin and asked him if he would like a glass of wine.  Elder Jin said “No thank you Sir.” And the commanding Officer stormed off.  As they left the meeting Elder Jin was bullyed and told by everyone that he was going to be headed off to Jail.  In the barracks he got on his knees and pleaded with Heavenly Father for help.  Pleaded that he would have faith. Three days later he was called to the commanding officers office.  He began to yell at him and tell him that he had embarassed him in front of so many countries and presidents!  And that if he didn’t have a good explanation for it he was off to jail and a trial.  He said a silent prayer in his heart.  He boldy told him that he was Mormon and that in his religion he doesn’t drink alcohol.  He then handed him a Book of Mormon and explained that the knowledge that the Book of Mormon was true was the reason that he has chosen not to drink alcohol.  Elder Jin exercised faith.  He knew that if he stood up for his beliefs that Heavenly Father would be on his side!  Elder Jin didn’t have to serve a jail sentence and left the mans office with a warm handshake.  The spirit that must have been in that room is the reason that Elder Jin was freed that day! 

     A man that we have been working with for the past while is named Rob - I wrote about him last week.  Rob has had a long struggle and addiction to alcohol and cigarettes to help him cope with severe drepession and post tramautic stress.  Rob has changed over the past few weeks of learning about the gospel!  He rides into the church parking lot every day with a bigger smile!  It's amazing to watch him change! This week Rob began living the word of wisdom because he had enough faith in God.  And that our Father in Heaven will bless him in obeying the things that God would have him do.  On Wednesday he committed to start living it and on Thursday we went over to see how he was doing. He walked out of the door and I knew right then that he had stopped.  He was different!  He said that he finally has a clear mind and energy! As we live the gospel we are blessed and our lives change forever!  I have learned so much about faith this week. When we have Faith in Christ, we can accomplish anything.  Have a great week!  Love, Elder Aiken.