March 28th, 2011

     Good morning everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful week! It.s been great here! Somehow the month is almost over! Time is just flying by. This week has also been trying.  Today's email time is short so I will have to make this letter short! 

     I really serve in such a great mission! I love it here and love the people so much. We have an incredible mission president who really cares for each of us!  I have come to love the mission more and more everyday!  It's odd at times as we knock doors and it just doesn’t seem real.  I have dreamed about this since I was a child wondering where I would serve.  I have come to know just how much Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us!  Satan is quite the master at his game.  He has created a world with varying beliefs and seeks to confuse us with what is right.  It became very evident as we have been teaching our investigators this week. Two of them attend temples in downtown Seattle where people levitate and they worship things they shouldn’t. Satan is all-powerful.  He wants to trap us down to endless misery and woe.  It's amazing to see how he creates beliefs in the world to take us away from the state of never ending happiness we can all atain.  As we have worked with these two investigators and taught from the bible, their spirits have changed!  They have come to know Christ! Our lives would be lost without him.  Jesus Christ is our friend and truly loves us.  Satan does everything in his power to cloud our lives from coming to know him.  Christ does live!  And he sure loves us.  His love is infectious and we do all we can as missionaries to be filled with that love! 

     I have learned this week as people begin to be filled and touched by the pure love of Christ, lives change. These two men who we are teaching, Zachary and Quinn have come from the deepest sadness, to a reality of love.  I think at times we can feel as though we aren't deserving of God's love.  But we always are if we are willing to turn to him and repent! These two are beginning to do that.  Repentance is the means to feel free again.  I am so excited for General Conference! 5 days.  But who's counting!  We are so blessed to have a living Prophet and Apostles on the earth today!  I can't wait to hear from them and feel of their love.  I love you all very much and hope from the bottom of my heart that you have a blessed week!!!  Love, Elder Aiken.

Another great week in paradise!

     Hello Everyone!!! How are you? Hope all is well! 

   The week has been just amazing and the day has been just as great.  We got to go to the temple today!  Something I have been looking forward to for quite some time! It's so great to be able to go there and feel of the amazing spirit. The temple means so much to me.  Just walking around the lawn is awe inspiring.  It represents eternity with our families.  Not too many better symbols in the world! 

The beautiful Seattle Temple

     Last Monday we just had a terrific experience! It was a week of miracles!  Monday night we went over to a members house for dinner! They are such a great family, we had a steak dinner….haven't had steak in quite awhile.  At the end of the dinner we were sharing a message with them and hearing their conversion story.  Brother and Sister Woodhouse used to be Catholic and converted about 10 years ago! All because of their neighbors being willing to share the gospel! Brother Wood house asked us as we were leaving if we had ever tracted the apartments next door and said that missionaries hadn't been there in awhile and thought we should stop by.  As we left we asked the family to have a kneeling prayer after we were gone to pray that we could find someone there to teach. When we got to the car we really felt that’s where we needed to go. The first door we knock on, they lady yells at us and says that we aren't aloud to solicit there. But we just kept on going. The last door we knock on Quinn answers.  He says "please come in"!  Always rare and shocking when that happens.  He said “I was just reading the bible about putting on the whole armor of God!” Quinn got out of rehad three weeks ago and while he was there he came to know God. He went down a really destructive path with drugs and alcohol but through it all he realized he had a greater purpose!  He has completely turned his life around.  We taught him about the gospel and about Christ.  Throughout the lesson he kept getting chills and he knew it was the spirit.  He said that the Mormon church has always made sense. While in rehab one Sunday they were able to leave for church!  So he decided to go to a Mormon church and just loved it! Quinn is going to be baptized on April 10^th!  He committed to baptism right there.  It was amazing.  The Lord has literally been preparing him for the gospel!  And the Woodhouses were in-tune enough to suggest such a thing!      It's great to think that the Woodhouses are converts too! So on Sunday we went over to Quinn's to see him because we weren't able to get ahold of him. We wanted to invite him to our mission presidents home for a fireside that was that evening! Quinn was walking out of the apartment when we walked up because he had work, but his roommate Zachary walked out and asked if we could share a message with him!  Zachary has gone through a very similar experience.  He got out of jail a few weeks ago and feels that God has been leading him to the Mormon church!  He truly came to know God in jail through prayer!  Zachary also decided to be baptized!  He hopped in the car with us and headed to the fireside! It was just unreal.  It was such a great blessing.  I am so grateful to be out here!  It's really one of the greatest experiences of my life.  Elder Lindeman and I are really enjoying this transfer!  He is such a great missionary!!  I have been very blessed with great companions.  I love you all so much! Have a great week!!  Love, Elder Aiken.

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.

Another transfer - another new companion

     Good afternoon everyone!   A much better week than last, other than the fact I lost a great companion!  Another transfer has come - one where I thought I may be transferred.  But Elder Workman - who was my companion only 6 weeks - was transferred to the Cougar Mountain area.  It's in the same stake so we'll still get to see each other quite a bit.  He was a great companion!

      My new companion is Elder Lindeman from Alpine Utah, I am his follow up trainer. He has been out for one transfer and just seems like a great person! 

Elder Lindeman from Alpine, Utah - a football player?

     This transfer will be great. I have been called as a district leader and am excited to take on this new responsibility!  We had only one person transferred in our whole zone which was Elder Workman so it will be great to still be with the same Elders. They are all really great. This past week we have been working a lot with Natalie and her two sons. They have been investigating for about a month now. They are amazing.  I can't exlpain the joy that it brings to watch people as they begin to learn and grow in the gospel. 
     During the week we were able to take her on a church tour and as she entered the chapel she said “This feels so peaceful.”  It's so true, the spirit that resides in the church building is terrific!  Words can't adequately describe the past week.  I will someday be able to explain in person to you all!  I have never felt the hand of the Lord so closely. 
     As the week wore on and I began to get better from being so sick, my mind was opened to the tender mercies of the Lord. This week I was able to truly understand the meaning of the Atonement.  As I have talked about before, we know the Savior didn’t just die for our sins and weaknesses, but he also died for pains and sicknesses we will go through.  Last Sunday when I got really sick the doctor said it would take a few days to get back to normal.  For days it seemed I couldn’t think straight or focus.  It was a scary time.  My dreams of being a good missionary and continuing to learn more about the gospel all seemed to be lost. I felt like I had lost half of my brain capacity.  During the week one day while on exchanges I just still couldn’t think straight, I couldn’t remember things as well as I used to.  As we went to lunch at Subway I went into the bathroom and got on my knees (don’t judge me I know those bathrooms can be gross) and got on my knees and said the most humble hearfelt prayer I could, pleading that he would life this burden from me.  A feeling that I will never be able to describe came over me! My body was healed from this sickness!  I cried as I just completely felt better!  I felt the Savior was lifting this from me. I wanted to run out there to the line!  I was so blessed!  Each day following I have become more grateful for this life and my health!  
     I want everyone to know of the power of the Atonement and of Christ.  It left me with the strongest determination to let everyone know about this! T his is the most amazing blessing we can ever receive, the gospel is.  It heals and lifts people up!  It’s the greatest thing in the world.  I am eternally grateful to be born in the covenant!!  I just want everyone to know that I know Christ does live!!  He died for each and everyone of us.  I hope that we will always stay on the straight and narrow to return and live with him again, its so freeing.  
     I love you all so much. Have a great week!!!  Love, Elder Aiken

Bad week to get sick!

      Good Morning Everyone! Can you believe that it is March already (though you wouldn't know that by the snow here!) Time is flying by!  We have transfers again already next week!  

Very dehydrated - needed an IV for fluids!

     This week has had nothing new - just been sick! But I am getting much better! I was sick with a bad cold and ended up having to go to the Urgent Care on Sunday because I was dehydrated and I couldn’t really speak clearly.  EVERYTHING is great now and I am feeling 100 percent.  In the hospital it was amazing, I felt as though my family was standing in the room around me praying for me as they began to run tests. And as we left the hospital I felt that I wasn’t alone.  The Lord is trying to teach me patience! Haha there is nothing worse for me than to have to sit inside all day. 

    I love you all and hope you have a great week!  I will have a much better blog post next week!  Love, Elder Aiken.

(Letter from Elder Workman)


This week has been really interesting/crazy/intense.  Yesterday was zone conference so that's why our P-day is today.  But lets see... first we'll start with the beginning of last week.  So tuesday was a big snow storm, (I guess that's what I get for telling you we had no good storms).  We were out giving this non member a blessing when it hit.. and we got a message telling all the missionaries to go home and park their cars.  So at about 7 we started heading home.. unfortunately the lady lived pretty much on the top of the mountain and so going home as slow as possble down a steep hill didn't help much.  We ended up sliding off the road and right into a ditch.  No damage done to the car or us, but we were completely stuck.  So we called the zone leaders and they had their bishop come tow us out in his brand new four runner after about an hour wait.  (We ended up helping this guy put chains on his tires who was coming up the hill so it was cool).  THEN on Thursday Elder Aiken got sick with a cold/flue, but being the hard worker he is refused to take a day off and so we ended up tracting and riding bikes up these huge hills in the snow.  (my bike being a borrowed one from the ward).  Friday was a major sickness rebound and so we took it kind of easy.. still went to a few appointments.  Elder Aiken slept a lot of the day while I hounded down the zicam so I wouldn't get sick.  Then Saturday was a pretty mellow day too.  I pretty much had to make him stay in and convince him that even missionaries get sick.

But to top off the week, sunday was by far the craziest (and don't mention this to his Mom because he wants to wait to tell her)

He was feeling pretty woozy at church and couldn't focus all 6 hours.  So after church on our way back to the apartment he had this pressure come to the back of his neck and his whole body go tingelly.  He had some slurred speach going on and so we got to the apartment and I started making calls to try and find out where the emergency room was.  Finally I got a hold of a ward member who went with us to the urgent care.  Right when we get there they take him back in a wheel chair as he is like passing out.  While i'm looking through his wallet for ID and an insurance card.  

Long story short they started doing some tests, put him on an I.V., and everything got better.  They said it was from dehydration and exhaustion.. poor guy, this week has been rough.  But they let us leave after awhile and the past two days we've taken it easy.