5 Month Mark!

     Good Morning Everyone!!!  What a wonderful week.  I truly love this so much, it's just amazing to feel the Lord so close.  The first week with my new companion Elder Lindeman has been great, he is a truly great missionary. We have had a really enjoyable week.  
     At the first of the week we had a zone meeting that president Larkin came to!  It was a great meeting. He talked a lot about doubt and discouragement!  He Said that in this life we will always have trials and things that test us. God puts us through trials to purge us from the natural man and fill us with the ability to truly love. When we are going through a trial we can't give up! We must know that miracles and blessings are waiting on the other side! Never give up or be discouraged! As he taught us about these things it just hit me because in the missionary work, that is exactly how it works!  You can go a day with tracting for eight hours and not teach one lesson and the last hour before you go home you want to give up, but when you pull through the toughest moments, the miracles come!!!!! 
     We had an amazing experience this week!  One month ago, my companion and I were praying to know where we should go tracting!  I felt the spirit so strongly it was overwhelming!  We needed to go to the street down the road!  There as we began to knock doors we found Natalie and her two sons!  We have been teaching her for a few weeks now and she truly is amazing!  She has been praying for months about her 11 year old son and wondering why she has never had him baptized in the Catholic Church, and then Missionaries came knocking!  She felt it was an answer to prayer.  So on Friday we were teaching Natalie and she said that she hadn't got an answer to her prayers yet.  She said that last week during the church tour she felt such peace and has continued feeling peace during this whole learning process, but she wasn’t sure yet.  We paused for a moment really trying to focus on inspired questions and asked what it would mean to her and her kids to come to know this is true!  As she began to explain, she said “my body feels so warm!!"    My hands are tingly and I have never felt this full, I dont feel empty!”  It was amazing to watch Natalie as God answered her prayers.  The spirit was touching her heart and helping her know that these things are true!  It's amazing to watch how much God does know us, He loves us all so much and is so mindful of us. Her and her son are going to be baptized on April 9^th.  We are so excited; the spirit in her home was so strong.  
     I love this work so very much.  This week has been great, the spirit of the work is amazing!  I love you all so very much and you all mean so much to me.  “In your life there have to be challenges – They will either bring you closer to God, and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision on the road you take.” Elder F Enzio Busche.  
     Have a great week - love Elder Aiken!


(BROCK'S COMPANION'S EMAIL - Elder Lindeman)

I have Gotten to know Elder Aiken and he is a stud. We have loved the last week together, and I can feel this is going to be an awesome transfer. He has been here for 5 months and it’s his first area. Dad you would like this kid a lot. He is a Doer. He gets stuff done and that's it. I used to think you walked fast, but he is a speedy little guy. We have started to run from door to door. He has the biggest smile on his face all the time, but it’s sincere. When rude people open the door and see him, they aren't as mean. The 2 biggest thing I have learned from him so far is - 1. always be positive and up beat, even if your so tired you can't keep your eyes open. Act happy and awake for long enough and that's how you feel. And 2. we have been praying a lot. More than I ever have in my life. We pray about everything. At first I thought that it was a little annoying and it aggravated me, but this has helped me receive more revelation. I truly think that this is going to be the best companionship ever.

I have started today on a strict diet. Elder Aiken lost 30-40 pounds before his mission because he was sick of being fat. He is going to put me on a diet for the next 4 weeks, the goal is to lose 20 pounds in the 4 weeks so I can get below the big 300. If I see results, it’s gonna be that way for the rest of the transfer. It’s really strict, and I am going to have to practice portion control, this is going to kill me! If you get a call from the mission president it will be because I slammed my head in a door to end the pain. I bought broccoli, chicken, and oatmeal. For breakfast I eat 4 egg whites, and oatmeal with skim milk. for lunch I eat a sandwich (cold meat, no mayo, no cheese) and an apple. at Dinner I eat Chicken, and broccoli. Its not looking good for me. I am going to die eating broccoli, the thought of it makes my head hurt.