I got the football and barrel of monkeys you sent! Hahah. Thank you! This week was a pretty good one! No complaints. We were able to begin teaching an awesome young man in the second ward. We met him at D's baptism a few weeks ago and he is a pretty solid kid. He is a good guy at heart and knows what kind of a man he wants to become. His learning about the gospel is also blessing the lives of his friends and all the young men involved so it is pretty awesome. 

The work is going well here. Elder Woolburt and I are being obedient and the blessings are pouring in, as they always do. I am really grateful to be serving here. I really don't have a lot to say... I may ship some stuff home if I don't have space. Make a list of things you want me to make sure I bring home. Make a list of things I can leave or toss...

It's crazy crazy to be wrapping up. I can't believe it. I love you all.

- Elder Britton Winterrose

Hello Family,

Well this week was another week. People and their agency... It proved to be a very humbling and enlightening week, although those are often some of the most heart breaking and tough. Nevertheless, I know that the Lord is helping me get those little final changes in before I come home. The mission is quite the crucible and every time I feel that pressure bearing down on me I know I just need to search, and pray, and think.... and open my heart. I am blessed to have such wonderful roommates and I am grateful to have awesome missionaries in my district. I got to speak with Pres. a little on Sunday night too and that definitely got me pumped. He is an awesome guy. I can't spend 30 minutes around him without learning some valuable piece of gospel truth. Its pretty neat. I guess right now I am at the step-up or step-out point, but my mind and heart are firmly resolved to step-up, and I feel the strength that the spirit brings to me. Every night I have a different dream... every one a warning for my future. Then I am left to sit and ponder upon these things to analyze my weaknesses and check myself. Have I conquered this? Have I changed that? Have I learned to loathe that which was once appealing? The beauty is that most of the time the answer is yes, but these dreams, some of which are memories, give me the opportunity to relive the past and remember why I have chosen to change. They are helping me solidify within my heart and mind the Lord's will and they reconfirm the importance of making my changes - lasting changes.  3 Nephi 7:8 scares the crap out of me, as I feel it should scare anyone.

And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

Crazy. Six years... They couldn't even maintain for six years! Six years for me puts me at the end of my undergraduate studies. I have seen relatives fall off. People who fell to their own pride.  Assuming that they were strong enough... forgetting to strengthen their testimony and forgetting the Lord. The children of Israel struggled with forgetfulness. It seems like a crazy thing. How can someone who served a mission fall into inactivity and fall away? How can someone who once knew spiritual truth no longer feel its truth?  Alma drills it into his sons as he admonishes them to REMEMBER. That is my prayer. Simply that I never forget, that I may always remember Him, and always qualify for that gift of the Holy Ghost.

I have met and known many men in my life who seemed to be steadfast pillars of righteousness. I have seen the carnage wrought within the lives of their loved ones as their families crumbled... I have also witnessed the healing power of the Atonement and Repentance, and I know that anyone can return to the arms of our Savior. I am filled with gratitude as I ponder on the captivity of my fathers, as I remember the spiritual bondage that I passed through, and as I read and ponder the Scriptures, my Father in Heaven succors me and reinforces my testimony. My roots dig deeper, my spirit stronger, my agency more free.  There is no feeling in the world like knowing that your sins are forgiven, and that you are clean.... not perfect, but clean. I invite all who feel even the slightest twinge of guilt or pain, or those who are "past feeling" to come unto Christ in prayer and follow Him into the waters of Baptism.  Remember. Please Remember. It may be painful but it is necessary to repent, for no unclean thing can dwell in the presence of God.

I know that the heaviness of heart is serving its purpose. I feel it changing me, and I feel the increase in joy and love that is the result of my afflictions. I love God. I know this church is true. Serving my mission while clean and worthy is the best choice I have made since being baptized.

If you doubt my words, humble yourself.  Read the Book of Mormon and ask God in the name of Christ through sincere prayer.  He will witness the truth of His own work to your heart and mind. Don't be afraid to try.  Fear not.

I love ya family, can't wait to see ya!

Love Britton!

Hello,

Well D's baptism went well! The spirit was strong, there were lots of people there to support him.  His mom and sister were able to attend, and he only had to get dunked once!! All-in-all it was a very spiritually uplifting experience and there were many non-members that came which is always awesome! I will attach some pictures of the Baptism.

The work is going well still. Chaos erupts occasionally when you are working with YSA' s :) but for the most part they are a pretty solid group. We've been blessed with some solid investigators who really needed the gospel. Every one is just in a different state of progression at this point. Life is good though.

We had a meeting on Friday that we had to call in to, so we cooked some burgers, hijacked a spare battery from the backup phone, and headed off down the road to enjoy the meeting while eating burgers and chilling on the beach. It felt AWESOME to have the sun come out for a day! It was super warm too, like 45-50 degrees. The sky was pretty clear and the wind was calm... It was a neat meeting too. Lots of good leadership going on in our mission right now. All in all we had a pretty hectic week. No plans for our pday as of yet, but who knows what will end up happening.

I am really doing my best to finish strong. Satan tries so hard to just get you to coast out the end;to go from swimming to treading water waiting for the hour your service will end. True joy, however, comes from doing. Relying on the Lord,and conquering at length.

I have really enjoyed my mission and I am still having a blast. Not knowing if I've been accepted to BYU drives me nuts, but we should know by Friday. Hopefully. I wont forget dads b-day, haha! (It's the day before his so he usually remembers.)

Oh in other news.... I was out hiking and I suffered a fall, and the watch ended up saving my wrist from being fleshed open, but it broke the pin that holds the band to the watch face. I took it into Fred Meyers jewelers here and they said they don't have the pin but they could have the jeweler put a rivet in it.... I was like "No... I'll just call my mom and ask her what I should do." It was funny. Anyways I am going to be sending it back because most all the jewelers up here can't do it and all the big fancy summer jewelers are closed for the season. So yeah... keep an eye out for that one in the mail. 

I couldn't get the valentine because it was shipped UPS to the office... They got it and I just made a deal with Sister Campbell that they (all my Mission Grannies) could eat them if they would make me fresh ones when I end up heading back to Anchorage. I think it was a good deal! ;) SO YES THEY WERE DELICIOUS.

I really like Channing's notes from the dream he had. I have been having wacko dreams lately too. But all of them are to instill the fear of God in my heart to keep me from going astray when I return and I am thankful for them. Chan, Heavenly Father just wants you to focus on your work. We will get to see each other again, but only in the Lord's time. Keep your mind centered on your mission, your purpose, and your task (PMG pg 96).
It's so hard to stay focused right now.... BUT I CAN DO IT!!!!

Love Ya!!!

Elder Britton Winterrose

This week was a great week here in Juneau. We had a fun p-day and then Elder Woolburt arrived. He is way fun. He is from Camano Island, WA and we get along great. Similar sense of humor and of teaching... Its gonna be a great transfer

5 weeks.... 5 weeks... 5 weeks... Every day I wake up I have the number of days pop through my head till those transfers that are approaching so quickly. Every day seems to slip through my fingers and each day seems to go quicker than the last as we work and work and work. D's baptism will be this Saturday but we decided to do it in the church because it is a little easier to maintain the sacredness and spirit of the ordinance in the church building. I'm way stoked for the baptism though!! Its gonna be awesome! He has a solid testimony and is so ready to be baptized.

It is a little nerve racking  to be approaching the end so quickly but my heart is at peace knowing that I have grown and served according to my best ability. IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD FROM BYU!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHG!!! Oh well. I can wait.

So I have been thinking of things I would like to do after my mission because I want to make sure that I have constructive things to fill my time with. One thing that I would like to do is learn Chinese (Mandarin).  I know that Rosetta Stone has a 6-month money back guarantee if you purchase the software directly from them... So I was thinking that I would like to try it out and if it doesn't work than I would return it. It's just an idea for now... but I am certain that it would prove to be a very valuable skill if nurtured. Just one idea for a Christmas gift I guess!

Well I don't really have any profound spiritual things to say today. Just doing my best to keep on working hard and making the last few weeks count.

Love ya,

Elder Britton Winterrose