Priesthood Power!

     Good morning I hope you all have had a wonderful week! I hear many complaints about the rains in Utah! I think the Lord is trying to show you all what rain is about. I am glad about that.     

     This week has been one of the most touching weeks of my life! The spirit of the Lord has been so strong and so present.  I know that God is at the helm of this work!  Laly, JJ and Lorenzo will be baptized this Saturday. I am so excited!  I love them with all of my heart! They are so excited for the baptism.  They truly see all of the blessings that have come into their lives and how it has changed them. On Wednesday we had a great lesson with her! That truly touched my life forever. As we talked about the Book of Mormon I felt really impressed that I should share my testimony of that book to her. As I bore my testimony, the spirit just flooded the room of the truthfulness of that book.  To all of us.  She began to cry as the spirit came in the room.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is truly what makes me happy on a down day.  I love that book with all of my heart!  

     The past month or so I have been trying to better understand what faith in Jesus Christ means.  I have always thought that Faith in Jesus Christ just meant to believe and know that he lives. This week as I was truly trying to better understand that and the Atonement, I was deeply touched by the spirit.  As we sat in a leadership training, President Larkin said “faith in Jesus Christ isn't merely that he lives, Faith in Jesus Christ is having faith that He died to heal us from our sins and sicknesses.”  That is the truth.  I have never understood that.  We have to have faith that when we make mistakes, as we all will, that God can and will forgive us!  If we will only but turn to him and ask for forgiveness.  I know that Jesus Christ died for all of us, if we will turn to him in faith!  As we do that, He can and will heal us. 

     One more thing that touched me this week, was the reality of the priesthood.  Our bold message to the world is that the priesthood of the Lord, the same authority that Christ gives his apostles in the New Testament, has been restored to the earth!  That through that power God leads and guides His church!  That authority must exist on the earth, without it everything would be in disarray. The past few weeks I have had many oppurtunities to give priesthood blessings.  I have been overwhelmed by the love of the Lord for each and everyone of us and the blessings he is willing to freely give us.  As we take time, to really think about our lives, really ponder and recognize the blessings of the Lord in our lives, it truly fills your soul.  At that moment we can come to recognize that God does live and his Son did die for us. They bless us daily, if we will just count our blessings.   

     I know without a doubt in my mind that this is Christ's church on the earth, the exact same church he came here to establish before He died. The priesthood authority of God is on the earth.  It has blessed my life deeply.  I love you all.  Have a blessed week!

Love, Elder Aiken.

Temple Day - No letter.

     Monday was Temple Day - no letter this week.  So I thought I'd add a recent letter from a member of his ward:

     "Just a note to let you know how much we are enjoying your son.  He is such a spark in our ward and we love to have him in our home.  He has given us a 12 week challenge and so he and his companion are coming by once a week and giving us different challenges.  We love it.  He bares such a strong testimony and is very enthusiastic, we are so blessed every time they come to our home.

My son was just called to Brazil, he reports to Brazil on June 8^th so he has been spending some time with your son on splits and teaching a women in the other ward.  I am so glad he is getting some good training from a missionary who is energetic, obedient, loving and a hard work.  I couldn’t ask for a better young man to be exposing my son to mission life.

Consider this one of those mommy paydays because you did a great job with your son and we are feeling very blessed by your hard work. Thank you!

We love him!!!!"

Carole Noel

Oh Baby! A Blessed Week in Issaquah!

     Another great week in the City of Issaquah!  I hope that all is well.  I have had a very touching and special week.  I have so much to say and I hope that I can express it all. 

One of my favorite families - the Noel's

      I have been so spiritually blessed this week.  My heart is full and my faith built.  On Wednesday we had a lesson with Laly and her two sons.  They are just the most amazing family, I love them with all of my heart.  As we sat with Laly and the boys watching the Restoration DVD, the spirit was so tender!  For all of you who haven't seen it, it’s a video portraying the events that lead up to having a modern day prophet on the earth.  As we watched this special message my heart was so full!  I just knew that they had all felt something special.  I turn to JJ and I asked him what he felt!  He said, “ I felt like the Holy Ghost was watching it with me!”  It was so special to here such a young boy be so touched by the spirit. That is the spirit of truth.  As we then talked about baptism I asked him how learning about baptism has touched him, he said, “ I want everyone to know about this!”  They are the cutest kids! Their baptism will be really special!  We are working with four people who have chosen a baptismal date! A very exciting and blessed week.  

     The following experience touched me and will bless me all my life!  Elder Berry and I go down to a nature trail every morning behind our apartment for our morning work out!  As we walked down the path I saw my mission.  The fence far down at the end of path was the end of my mission.  And each succeeding step I took was a day in my mission.  As I walked down the path I envisioned people walking down from the hills on both sides and joining me along my way.  When I reached the end of the path I was with this great family!  A family that had become as my own, people that had entered the waters of baptism.  As we walk along our missions we are blessed to find and teach people that become family.  They feel like home.  And by the end we all leave with a bigger family than when we arrived!  Such is the path of life.  Our lives will all come to an end and we have the blessing of bringing a “Gospel family” along with us.  It's our choice to follow the promptings of the spirit and share the gospel with others, and gain a bigger “family”.  

     On Sunday I was blessed with a really rare oppurtunity!  I was able to bless a baby!  I didn’t think I would be doing that for a few years! A lady in the ward just had a baby a month back and her husband left while she was pregnant!  Shalmay asked me a few weeks ago if I could bless the baby!  It was amazing.  As Elder Berry, the bishop, and I held the baby in our arms in sacrament meeting my heart was filled with joy.  To stare into the eyes of this beautiful baby that is blessed to experience this great life.  The power of the Priesthood is real!  I loved that day and will treasure it forever!  I love you all!  This has been a great week.  All is well in Washington!  Love, Elder Aiken.

This from former awesome companion, Elder Workman:

"Transfers took a lot of lazy missionaries out.  We have 2 brand new District Leaders who are just excited as ever to be in leadership and willing to magnify their callings.  There are going to be some amazing things happening this transfer.  And we still have Elder Aiken who is dabomb.com.  That is where all the magic is happening!"

Shortest blog post yet!

Brother and Sister Graves

     Good afternoon everyone!  I am sorry I have to write a very short email home today!  It's been a crazzzy day!  We only have 15 mintues to email! 

     So I think I pulled an all time first....after one transfer I am back in the Tiger Mountain Ward!  The Lord knew I couldn't be away from them very long!!  I prayed and prayed I wouldn't be transferred from the Issaquah 1st ward but I definitely didn't think I would be covering both again! 

     I will hit my 9-month mark here at the end of this transfer in my greenie area!  I love it.  I was so worried I was going to be transferred but i am so blessed to have stayed at least one more!  I feel like Laly and her boys, a family we are teaching, are friends that I have known all my life.  I know that I knew them before we came to earth!  They are amazing.  I love you all.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  As we strive to live it, follow it, and abide by the things it teaches us, we can acheive a great happiness! Happy June.

Love, Elder Aiken.

Rob gets baptized!

     Goood Morning everyone at home! This week has been amazing! THREE DAYS OF COMPLETE…..100% BLUE SKY SUNSHINE!  I was so grateful for it. 

Elder Berry, Rob & Elder Aiken

Sister Young, Rob, Elder Aiken & Elder Berry

     This has been a very blessed week.  Rob was baptized on Friday. Rob means a lot to me!  He is evidence that this gospel is true and that the Holy Ghost is real.  Months back we tracted into him.  He was drunk when we knocked on his door, but he begged us to pray with him and come back the next day!  He was so searching for the gospel and sense of peace.  Over the weeks of teaching him, his life began to change before us.  He was happier and happier everytime we saw him.  For a few weeks we lost contact with him and prayed fervently everyday that we could be able to get back in contact with him!  And at the beginning of the month we found him again!  We have been teaching him in the Sparks home twice a week preparing him for baptism.  He gave up all his addictions and his life then began to change!  The gospel is true and the word of wisdom is real.  Rob's baptism was a wonderful experience.  To see this man walk out of the baptismal font and see his change was unreal. He has become the man that he wanted to become.  I love him with all my heart.  I know that his love for the gospel will now go on to help many enjoy the blessings of the gospel! 

     In the mission we have been talking a lot about the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.  Our mission president has quoted it a lot lately and has talked about its importance.  The story of the Prodigal son is easily my favorite in the whole Bible!  His son wasted his life away with riotous living and became so poor that he was eating with the pigs.  His life is in shambles you can only imagine.  Sad would be an understatement.  He wanted to badly to return to his father but was afraid he would never accept him.  I think our Father in Heaven is much the same way.  I can only imagine Him daily looking down the path, staring “A far off” waiting for his children to enter the pathway to baptism so they can be wrapped in the arms of his love and of the Holy Ghost!  I think at time we can feel much like that, we feel so ashamed, so turned away from God that he will never accept us back!  But that is never and will never be the case!  God is love and has created the perfect plan of repentance!  Asking for forgiveness of our sins!  All he wants is for us to turn to him!  He misses us and loves us and is never ashamed of us.  What a blessing that is!  None of us will ever be perfect, he just wants us back!  And as members of the church we have the blessing of helping others enter that path back to our Father in Heaven so they can experience the joy of the gospel!  I love this gospel.  I know that he loves us all!  We must never be ashamed and always turn to him. 

     Last week when we were praying we felt that we should go tract a certain apartment complex and found a nice lady who asked us to come back next week - which was Friday - to teach her and her boys!  We taught Laly, JJ, and Lorenzo.  She has been waiting until they were old enough to decide on a church with her!  They are one of the most amazing yound families I have ever met!  She is an great mom who just gets it.  And she understands the importance of the gospel and is looking for that “glue” that will hold them together.  JJ and Lorenzo are so mature.  As we shared the message of the first vision we asked what the boys felt.  JJ said “ I felt everything! I felt warm!” The greatest response!  The Lord knows each and everyone of us!  I can't wait to watch this family progress in the gospel!   I know that the gospel is the change that we all need.  I love you all.  Thanks for all you do and your prayers and letters.  They mean more to me than you will ever know!
Love, Elder Aiken.

3 days of sunshine!!!

     Hello to everyone in Utah! I love you all and hope that all is well. Everything is just great here! Its been a blessing of a week.  Three days of sun! Three!  It was just about the greatest thing ever!  I was so grateful for it! The weather was so nice we thought we would have our district meeting outside! 

     This week has been a week in my mission that I will never forget.  A time in my life for refining and growth!  So many lessons learned and things that will change me forever.  This past week I came to know the Church is absolutely true!  I always have known that this is Christ's church on the earth!  But now I know for a fact and will never again question it.  

     I am so grateful for it!  We have the greatest news and what a blessing it is in our lives!  This week I cannot wait to run and tell people about this!  

     On Friday we stopped by Natalie's to set up a time to share a message.  It was one of the most touching experiences of my mission.  As we talked to her from the doorway, she stood up and began to walk towards us!  She began to cry as she said “You guys I have been so worried about finding a job and the boys, and school and all I have to do in my life!  I have had the spirit since my baptism!  I am comforted in it all!”  She began to cry and said “ The Book of Mormon is true!  I read it every night and pray often! It's true!  I know it!”  She then asked us how she could have the missionaries sent to her sister and if she could take cookies to the lady next door we are teaching!  It's just amazing.  She is different now, her smile, her demeanor, everything is different!  The Spirit is with her and her life is just amazing. 

Best buddy Alfred!

     As we live our lives correctly and endure to the end, our lives can be changed for ever!  This life is so much easier as we have the spirit in our lives!  As we repent and purify out lives we can be lead by the Holy Spirit of the Lord.  Is there a greater comfort?  On Saturday we had another really neat experience!!  Rob told us he had a job interview! He has been looking for a job for months and months!  He only has one pair of clothes though!  A sister in the ward just stepped in and did amazing things.  She took us to a Nordstrom Rack with Rob down the street and bought him outfits for his interview!!  Rob has come so far.  He has come from a man lost and aquainted with grief to a man with hope and joy!  Every week he changes.  That is the fruit of the spirit!  It brings about a change in us and in our lives!  His baptism is on Friday, and what a blessing that will be!  
     I have been deeply blessed this week!  I know that Jesus Christ, our very Savior and Redeemer lives!!!!!  He loves each and every one of us and knows our pains!  I love you all!  I love this mission and all it has brought me!  This is true!  I know it and I sure know that God knows it!!!!  Love, Elder Aiken.

A beautiful baptism!

     Goood Morning everyone!!!  I hope all of the women had a great Mothers Day.  I just want to take a quick moment to let you all know how much I love you!!  I have been blessed with so many great Mothers in my life who have changed my life forever!  I truly love you all, thank you for being here for me and for your prayers and for all ways being there for me throughout my life. 

Elder Aiken, Natalie, Josh and Elder Berry

     This week I have learned lessons that will shape my life forever.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve this mission!!!  On Friday was Natalie and Josh's baptism.  It was a great evening!  To see this family's life begin to change forever was so touching.  We have worked so hard with this family for months and truly they are just amazing!  I am so grateful for them and that I was able to serve here at this time. They have become family.  Josh will go on to be a great leader in the church someday.  I firmly believe that!  He is a special young man with a tender spirit.  The Lord has blessed me dearly to get to know this family!!  This week I have been blessed with a few other great experiences.  The past week has been a bit tough, struggling with the weather here!  Not seeing the sun for months can be tough!  But I have felt the calming love of the Savior. I found this talk on the floor in the apartmeny by Joseph B. Worthlin. And in it, he talks about leaving the spirit world and in it he says this: “ We must have sorrowed that a veil would cover our eyes and the bright memories of our lives would be cloaked in the forgetfulness of mortality.  How we must have yearned to stay close to our Father in Heaven.  How we must have covenanted to ever reach after Him and commune with Him.  Undoubtedly our separation from our Heavenly Father was softened when He promised that as we sought after Him in prayer,  He would reach toward us.”  How true that is!  What a special knowledge to have that as we pray to our Father in Heaven he WILL reach toward us!!  I have felt that strongly this week. 

     Saturday I wanted to fast for some things and I kept feeling that I should fast for strength. “Fast for Strength!” kept coming into my head.  When I called home on Sunday I learned my dad had been ill.  My emotions were raw as I yearned to be with my family.  But the peace from fasting overcame me!
   This week my life has been deeply touched.  We all go through struggles, things that we feel we can't ever overcome.  But thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ, he has walked our paths before and is ever reaching down to lift us up! We must look to him and turn to him in time of need.  I love this life and this world.  At times our struggles seem to be that hardest thing we can go through, but at the deepest point in our struggles it always seems that the Savior lifts us up!  I am grateful for this church and this life!  And for all the Mothers who have lifted me up over the years.  And for my Mom!  She is my best friend and has helped me greatly throughout my life. What a special lady she is!  I love you all!  Have a wonderful week!!!

Love - Elder Aiken.