the Doctrine of Christ is so Amazing!

Family,

Hey sorry I’m so late!! Cant tell you how busy this weekend has been. First of all HAPPY B-DAY Julie. Cant wait to have your party on Thursday!! When yall come pick me up bring your jackets if it is cold outside.

Well a little update on Laura... She decided that she wants to be baptized tomorrow, so we are going to have a baptismal service for her. She is amazing! She has had a tough time, Satan is working hard against her, but through faith she has seen miracles. It is the best thing in the world to see someone start to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The Gospel of Jesus Christ (The Doctrine of Christ) is so amazing! This last week has been so busy, but so rewarding. I have never had companions I loved more and enjoyed working with more than Elder Morrill and Elder Forbush, they are committed, humble and loving men. Cant wait to see you in a few!

(for the last time) Elder Hendrix

MY LAST EMAIL!!

Family,

Hello! I guess this will probably be my last e-mail, that is weird to imagine!

That will be fun to have so many freshly returned missionaries so close together! I am excited to see many great friends but One thing I would like for sure is to have some "Just family time" that night at the house.

Well this last week had been good, we have really made some strides in setting ourselves up for success. We did teach Laura and she is doing well. She will be baptized on the 17th, so I will miss the ordinance. I actually haven't been to the lessons that we have had with her because its just hard having 3 missionaries, another guy she doesn't know and her best friend sitting down to teach her, so I have gone out and visited other people while Elder Morrill and Elder Forbush have taught her.

I want to share with you a principle that I have learned a lot about recently. I have been pondering and applying Obedience in my life more diligently. Honestly I feel ashamed to say this, but I have learned a lot about obedience in my mission and I feel like I get it now, which i know is pretty bad timing. It all started a few months ago when Grandma Workman wrote me a letter reminding me of something that Grandpa told me before I left. He essentially said "you know your on the right track when you are looking for more rules/commandments to obey", instead of looking for ones that you don't have to obey. That is so True! Someone who lives that way would be someone who lives the doctrine of Christ and thus will be filled with the peace, joy and love that comes through the Holy Ghost. Matt 5:48 is a great scripture; in my own scriptures I added some words so that it read like this; "be ye therefore perfect(ly obedient), even as I, or your Father who is in Heaven is perfect(ly obedient)". God says that his "Honor" is his where he gets his power from, because he cannot lie or disobey, he wont do it. To access the atonement we must repent, that is the only way to be cleansed of sin. What we are repenting of is disobedience from Gods commandments. When we exercise faith, we are becoming more obedient. When we make covenants with God, it is a solemn commitment to be obedient to him. Thus the 2nd article of faith "we believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to laws and ordinances of The Gospel". As we obey we are promised the companionship of the Holy Ghost, which cleanses us and brings us peace and joy beyond anything we could create on our own. So in essence obedience is the Key to happiness and power! Pretty pathetic that it took me so long to figure that out, but I'm sure glad I did. And I have seen, what I just described actually happen! We should all, each day, look for opportunities to follow Jesus Christ, and our Heavenly Father more closely. Feeling the spirit in scripture study, prayer and church activity/service is the key to keeping ourselves "on the right path". The Gospel is true and I cant wait to see you all in just 10 days, wow I cant believe this journey is so close to being over. This has been the best two years for my life. I would not be true if I did not thank you, my family, for setting such a great example when I was lost! The Lord opened my eyes, through your examples (ALL OF YOU!), so that I could see his plan for my life. I am eternally indebted to you for this experience and the blessings that will flow from it forever. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I Love you all!! See you soon.




Elder Jeffery Dan Hendrix

THE ONLY WAY!

Family,

Well this was a great week! We aren't getting the storm, but we are getting a bunch of cold weather because of it. But I know that yall are getting even more because i saw some pictures of the snow. The BYU game was fun to watch and the missionaries behaved pretty well. It was cool because we went with the attitude that We are representing the Lord at this event in front of thousands of people.

We had a fantastic week! We had a visit from a guy from SLC. He taught us so much and I just wish I had more time to apply it. He taught us alot about the Doctrine of Christ and It kinda opened my eyes to a new perspective. That Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism (or covenant making), receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring faithfully to the end, is THE ONLY WAY. It is amazing how plain and pure and precious the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. We will talk about it when we get home. God is real and he had called us to serve his children.

We had a girl come to church this week who wants to be baptized, he name is Laura, we are teaching her for the first time tomorrow. I love you all!!! Keep being such great saints!

Elder Hendrix

New Companion Elder Morrill:)

Family,

Hey sorry no e-mail yesterday! We are having a visit from one of the guys from the missionary department Tracy Watson (He spent time with Garrett in Ghana so he probably knows who he is). He is the director of proselyting for the church and he is amazing!! Anyway we met with him all day yesterday so we didn’t e-mail. Thanks for the birthday gift mom!!! You are the Best!!!

We are going to the BYU game, so look for us on TV. Tell the Coopers to find us, it shouldn’t be hard there are going to be 80 missionaries at the game. Hey ask him if he is going to be tailgating before the game. If he is e-mail me back as soon as you can and give me Pres Coopers number. I know that sounds crazy but ill run it by the president before I call, but Bro Watson gave us some awesome Finding Ideas yesterday and we are trying to use them.

We got a new companion on Sunday. Since Elder Forbush and I leave so soon we decided we needed to bring in someone new so he could have more experience before we both leave. His name is Elder Morrill, he is from Texas, so I get to make fun of Texas (the state) and Texas A&M, he went to school there. We have become great friends out here because he is just a stellar guy, and a great missionary. He has the exact same story that I do, he is older too, and fell away pretty hard after high school. So we have helped one another a lot because we can understand one another so well. Anyway he is awesome and I’m sure we will stay in contact after the mission, but he has like 9 months left in his mission.

Lastly Elder Fishers wedding was moved up to this Saturday. So I wont be going to the wedding. But we should go to Grandmas still. I loved Julie's Picture with D-bo's deer, that was awesome. A guy in our bishopric told me that Darren met his daughter. He mom is actually a Hendrix (or her mom was a Hendrix) and there ancestors come from Lund NV, Crazy huh!

The Gospel is so True!! The Spirit is so awesome and true. It is completely consistent and the men that lead this church are so inspired!

Elder Hendrix

GA Tech here we come!!!

Family,

Haha, that story was AWESOME Julie. Tell Darren that I’m proud of him, and also that when I get home I will teach him how to shoot, and tell him not to ask Brad! That was the best e-mail I have ever received on my mission :). Julie, you and I will have to go Hunting when I get home.

Mom you are the best. The wedding is in the SLC Temple. I would love to have a slumber party at Grandma and Grandpa's house and stay till Sunday and Go to Mandi's farewell! That sounds like fun. Talk to Pres Fuller and set up a time to be released on the 15th. It would be nice to be released before we go down to Utah. How was your Elk Hunt? Did you buy me anything?

Well this week went by very fast. It was a very busy week, this week was suppose to be a week that was less busy, but I’m sure the Lord didn’t want us being Idol, so He gave us plenty to do. It was a hard week, because we spent a lot of time dealing with issues with missionaries making mistakes and one having health problems and had to go home, which is never fun to see. Ill tell you what though, I have started reading the Book of Mormon front to finish before I go home, its 15 pages a day, and the Book of Mormon is so awesome. I am looking for all of the promises it gives and it is just full of wonderful promises. It is a true book, and A man will get nearer to God by prayerfully reading, pondering and living it that by ANY other book. I’m gonna keep it short i have to call GA Tech and get tickets for the missionaries to go to the Game : ). Look for a big group of missionaries on ESPN! Love ya!

Busiest Week of My Mission

Family,

Yes conference was great! I felt like the theme of this conference was serving our fellow brothers and sisters, wherever they may be. Truly that is the message of the Savior, he said "by this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another". I feel that in serving others we come to learn who we really are, and thus we can understand who "God, and Jesus Christ, whom [God] has sent" (John 17:3). I felt so inspired by Elder Ballard’s invitation to The Church, to ask God to show them an opportunity to serve someone each day, and then to return and report weather or not they had "done any good in the world today [or] helped anyone in need". One can not help but get emotional to think of what this world would be like if every person were to act on that invitation. I invite anyone who reads this e-mail to act on that. As Elder Ballard taught, it will change your heart, you will feel the effects of the Atonement.

This last week had been very challenging. It has been the busiest week of my mission. We had transfers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then Thursday and Friday we had meetings all around the mission and it was just jam packed with so many little details. I felt like we had a P-day, then all of the sudden it was Saturday. I was so thankful for conference!! It has been a good week though. I learned a lot this week. A lot about myself and about serving the Lord in his priesthood organizations. One great thing that this week brought about was the opportunity to see every missionary in the mission. Elder Forbush and I were eating a late dinner on Thursday night, and we were discussing the last few days and were both overcome with emotion and Love for the missionaries. I cannot tell you how great our missionaries are!! I can truly say that our leaders are "mighty men in the faith of the Lord". They have pure intentions, none of them have overriding selfish desires. They truly serve the missionaries that they are called to serve. And it doesn't just stop there! I feel love from the missionaries in every meeting we go to, or every time we get the opportunity to see them. They always lift my spirits. They care about people!! Not about things that are just superficial, or that make them look better than others. We have a real brotherhood in this mission, there are no "clicks, or groups"; and there is rarely disobedience. I love the missionaries in the Georgia Atlanta Mission, they make me want to be better!! I wish you could be here to see there examples. Keep up the Good work! Heed the words of living prophets! I love you all so much!

Elder Hendrix

Share and Study the Book of Mormon

Family,

Hey y'all. Mom no Pres. Harding is not the one that Dad was thinking of. His family did come. That is pretty different, last night we were over there pretty late and they had to worry about putting their son Stockton (9) to bed, and their daughter Kandis (24) was watching some show on TV, I have never seen that TV on in my entire mission. Sis Harding is awesome, she seems very sharp and on top of things. They are such amazing people. They got here on Saturday. We aren’t sure about the game yet, but iI think we might be able to go.

This last week was awesome! We had a meeting with the Zone Leaders this week. So President decided we should all go to the Temple together. So we all went to the Temple (16 Elders), and heard from the Temple President who spoke to us for about 30 min. It was just so awesome to be with all of the Elders that I have come to Love over these last two years, all of us dressed in white and seeking revelation from our Heavenly Father. I learned a lot. Then after the temple we met at a church building right by the Temple and President presented his vision for the mission. All I have to say is that I am so bummed that I have to leave and wont get to serve under his leadership. He is a fantastic leader and a visionary man for sure. He was a big-wig for Franklin-Covey and a bunch of other companies that go around to the biggest companies in the world and train leaders how to be leaders, so he knows his stuff. Not to mention he has the faith of the brother of Jared. It has been such a testimony builder to me to see what the Lord has been doing with this mission. Pres. Harding has met with a ton of the brethren in SLC before he came out, like Pres. Eyring, Elder Holland, Elder Nelson and more. And the vision that they have for the Atlanta Area is big time, like this is a place the the Lord is telling them needs to get stronger and be very strong for the Church in the South East. So with that as I look at the Leadership of these awesome mission presidents that we have had, it is clear that the Lord has prepared this area and mission for some amazing things to happen, for the work to move forward like Pres. Hinckley envisioned it could. Each of the things that they taught built upon each other and each of the things they did were directed by the had of God, for sure. It is just too cool, it is SUCH a blessing to have been able to be a part of that. I hope Darren gets called here.

It is Transfers this week. We are gonna be very busy, but transfers is always an exciting time. This also means that this next transfer will be my last transfer. I have had some weird feelings. It will be sad to leave, it is wierd to think that I wont be part of the mission anymore. But this next few weeks are going to be so awesome. Pres. Harding is putting the pressure on that we who are going home in Nov, do miracles and progress the work farther than it has been before. So it is just gonna be amazing. Mom also don’t make any plans for that first weekend. John Fisher is getting married on the 17th and he wants me to come to the wedding. The wedding will be in SLC though, so after that is over we can do whatever and see whomever down in Utah. Are my brothers and sisters coming up to the airport on the 15th? I’m not sure what time the wedding is but you can just ask Fisher and then you can plan whatever you want, i will be game. I Love you to death. Keep up the awesome work!! Share and Study the Book of Mormon. That book is amazing!!

Elder Hendrix

Going to the BYU-Georgia Tech game???;)

Family,

Wow I tell you what, I cant believe the caliber of men that are called as Mission Presidents! Each of them have been so awesome, they have all been filled with love toward God and his missionaries. They have all cared about doing this work the Lords way, and just been men of integrity. I have to be one of the most blessed missionaries of all time!! This stuff is just too good to be true. I would have to say that President Harding is the best yet... because.... He feels like we ought to be able to go the the BYU Georgia Tech game here in Atlanta! :) haha. Ok that was a Joke, about him being the best for that reason, but its a good reason ;)

So we picked him up from the Airport on Saturday afternoon. His first Idea of what to do was to go strait to the Temple. Essentially his quote was "As a symbolic start to this next chapter, before I go to the my house or your house or the office, lets go to the Lords House", so we did. We did some Initiatory Ordinances together and spent some time counseling together in the Temple. Since then until late last night, he has wanted to go and meet as many missionaries as possible so we have gone around and he has lifted our spirits with his faith. It is amazing how much faith he has. He is a deeply spiritual leader. He is so inspired! One very very cool thing about his vision and Ideas, is that what the spirit has been prompting him to do and focus on are all the same things that the Lord has been putting on Elder Forbush and I's minds. Things are going to get better. The only bad part about all of this is that I come home In 7 weeks. But I know that what I will do and learn, especially what I will learn because of what I will do.

One thing that I have learned from him so far is how powerful it is for us to know who we really are. Divine identity is so powerful. It effects what we even believe in. Joseph Smith taught that to have true faith, you first have to have a correct understanding of who God is. If we know him, then we know ourselves. Knowing who we are effects everything we do. It effects the way that we see the actions that we do everyday. It changes our outlook on how we treat other people, and how we serve in the church, how we look at education and family. "Remember who you are", is really a good ideal to live by. Especially for missionaries. If we really understood that we were literally representing the Creator of all things, in the Atlanta Georgia area, it would change the way that we talked with every single person. It would change the way that we looked at obedience and prayer, it would change the way that we looked at studies, and teaching and planning and companions. Few of us, if any, understand who we truly are as children of God, therefore it is imperative that we study the scriptures, pray every day and attend and serve in the Church. The gospel is so true. This next week we will be doing a lot of talking and planning, and then after that we will be runnin and gunnin. Thank you so much for your prayers and Support! I love you all so much!

Elder Hendrix

My Week Flew By

Family,
Mom, My week flew by as well! These last few weeks have just been a blur! We traveled around the mission again, but this time we were all sick and we had to get up super early and it was just non-stop all week, just like last week. But it was so good. It was great to be with all of the missionaries, it was great to be with President and Sister Snow, and it was great to feel the support of the spirit not only spiritually but physically as well. Driving to each meeting it was near impossible to stay awake, and I was coughing up a lung (we all felt the same). But when we went into our meetings, those feelings were suppressed and we had energy, we were able to teach with power and really help everyone (especially ourselves) make some connections with the Holy Ghost and how we can help the Lord more in his work. These next few weeks are going to be even more busy. This week we will be setting up transfers a couple weeks early and we will be getting prepared for President Hardings' arrival on Saturday. (we are going to the temple this week too, I'm so excited i haven't been since last summer) The Snows are leaving Saturday afternoon, and we will be picking up President Harding at the Airport and its go time from there. Then the next week we will be spending time with him, helping him to get to know the mission and finalizing transfers. Then Sister Harding, her 24 year old daughter and 8 year old son will be arriving, so we will be helping them move in and welcoming them. The next week will be transfers, which will be a wild week, followed by taking the Harding's around the mission so that they can meet everyone. On top of all of that we will be trying to be working in our own area, and working with other missionaries in their areas. So I'm pretty sure i wont even have time to think about home or anything like that, and my mission will be over before i even realize it. I am excited to come home, but to think that my mission will actually be over... wow. Out here you always are looking forward to the things that are in the future, new areas, new companions etc. Because they all represent great opportunities, and to think that they are almost over is sad in a lot of ways. Yesterday we had stake conference and a recently returned missionary talked and it made me ponder what i have learned on my mission. I think the central theme of what i have learned, and what it seems most of my experiences have taught me, is The Worth of Each Soul. I would define the worth of a should like this: That the creator of this universe and all of the complex systems that govern it. The maker of EVERYTHING, is totally concerned with our lives every moment of every day. He knows us, and His most important task is to guide us to happiness and eternal life, were we can have all that He has. That is true doctrine!!!!!!!! He is a real being, and we are really his children! It is our duty, and our delight, to serve, lift, help, encourage, bless and Love his children. We should act just as he does in our relations with our brothers and sisters. I love you all so much! Pleas pray for Elder Forbush and I this week, we will need it. Hopefully the bottom doesn't fall out on this mission with Pres. Snow leaves. I just don't want to screw it up!! ;)

Elder Hendrix

Julie,
Hey there Bud! How are you doing? Mom says you are playing volleyball and having fun with it, do you like it a lot? Do you like your team? How is school, what are you learning about? What did you learn in church? Are you helpful to Mom? Will you give her a big hug and a Kiss for me please. I just was wondering how you were doing, you are so awesome! Be good ya crazy little pill!

Elder Hendrix

Grandpa Hendrix,

Hey Grandpa! I hear that you have been staying in Idaho. I'm surprised that you haven't gone crazy yet being away from the Ranch! I don't think that place could keep running without you there. I think about you a lot, and all of the great times we had out at the Ranch together. I loved be able to go feed the fish with you and be able to hear all of your awesome stories. In fact let me tell you an awesome story. The other day I was with another missionary (not my companion) for the day and He was having a very hard day. I knew that he was and I kinda new why. So before we got together I prayed really hard that the Lord would help me to know how I could help him. The scripture in D&C 121 came to my mind, but not the one a priesthood holder usually thinks of when it comes to helping people. I thought of the part that said "[use] sharpness, when moved upon by the spirit". So as him and I talked, I listened (i know that you know the importance of listening) and then felt the spirit prompt me to use sharpness. But i was afraid, because I didn't want to make him mad, before this week he and I had been frustrated with each other before, so I was nervous. But I followed the spirit and used sharpness and he was thrown back and sat there and thought for a long time. We talked for the next couple hours and by the end of the day he was thanking me for being strait-forward with him. Its funny because we are closer friends now. The scriptures are so inspirational, and the spirit is so awesome. I often wonder what it would have been like to see you as the stake president there in Fallon, and how you tried to help the people. I'm sure that I would learn a ton from watching your example! Grandpa you are the best, I pray for you that you wont feel lonely, if you ever do, you just think of you and me driving around the ranch, talking about the good ol' days! I love you Grandpa, you keep up the Good work. Cant wait to see you!

Preparation is Power

Family,         

Well it sure has been a good week, but also a very busy week. We Traveled around the mission with the Snow's and did some training, while President did Interviews with all of the missionaries. I learned so much!! The spirit was in every meeting, and I just have to tell you that God is in this work. We talk about how God prepares non-members' hearts, but he prepares missionaries hearts too. What application I have gained so far from these meetings is how vital it is for us to be prepared. Each training went exactly like it was suppose to, the spirit was there, and each missionary left with something the spirit had told them to do and they were filled with inspiration to do it. And as Elder Forbush and I talked about it yesterday we realized that it was so easy for some reason, usually its hard for us to be that effective (cuz we are weak). But we came to realize that it didn't have to do with what we knew or what we did in the meeting, it was all because of the preparation and plan that we had established for the training. As we planned the meeting we felt very inspired and the Lord told us why/how/what we needed to do in these trainings, so really it was his plan that we learned from him by revelation, and then we were obedient to that plan and he was able to do his work through us. President Monson said "Preparation is Power", and that is a true principle. Ya know God didn't just say "hey, we have spirits and we need a place to put them, so lets throw together an earth were they can hopefully figure out how to become like me". No he created it spiritually before he created it physically. In fact he called a council (or in other words, a revelatory process), and we all talked and learned and made some decisions. Preparations were made before any action was taken. We should all learn to set goals and make plans to fulfill what the Lord requires of us, "Preach My Gospel" teaches us that. Preach My Gospel was actually the focus of our training this last week, and man I tell you what: when grandpa and grandma workman invited us to study that as families, they didn't just do that cuz it was a "pretty good idea", that was a divine Idea. That book was written by Prophets, and it will draw each of us closer to Christ, in fact that is its purpose, to draw the missionary to Christ, so that they can know how to draw others to Him. If you have been having poor gospel study, use that as a guide and I promise it will have a powerful influence on the spirit of your studies. We will be doing the same training this next week, so it should be great! We found out that President Harding comes on the 22nd of this month, we are excited. But we are going to miss President and Sister Snow. We have grown to love them very deeply. They are great people, I have learned so much from them. They have cause miracles to happen in my life, and in this mission because they have faith in Jesus Christ! OOh read, NO STUDY, the talk by E. Christofferson in the Sept 2012 ensign, pg 53. That is not a suggestion that is a command! Its so good. I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for all of your letters, packages, and prayers. I feel your love all the way in Georgia!

Elder Hendrix

Preach My Gospel!!

Family,

Well how is everyone doing? We are doing just fine. All is well. Ya know I just don’t really know what to write. I know that we have been busy this week, but nothing too exciting. We are having wonderful times and Elder Forbush and I are leaning so much. This next week we are going to be traveling around the mission doing some training about Preach My Gospel that we are pretty excited for. We will be doing the same training like 20 times. We also found out that Pres Harding will be coming on the 22nd of Sept. We are excited, but most of all we are sad to Lose President and Sister Snow, they are so Awesome! I love you all the Gospel is True and the Church is True.

Elder Hendrix

The Gospel is so simple

Family,

Well its been a good week. We had our transfers and everything went just fine. I know its incredible, I didn't screw anything up. This whole time with Pres. and Sis. Snow has been such a neat experience! I have learned so much. It is interesting how the Lord puts the right people into your life at the right time. I believe he puts us in each situation, with the right people, with the best opportunity for our growth, always. And all that we need to do is make sure that we are keeping our covenants. If we are then we will learn what we need to learn. I have learned things from each companion that I have had, and as I look back it was tailored to exactly what I needed. As well I needed to learn from and serve with Pres. and Sis. Satterfield, to be able to become what the savior needed me to become. And I have learned things from Pres. and Sis. Snow that I really need, that I wouldn't have learned with the Satterfields. I testify that God knows us and will give us the opportunities that we need to grow to become like He is, as long as we are keeping our covenants.

I have just learned some great principles lately about the Gospel and the way the church works through serving along side the Snow's. First of all, the Lord has a way of doing things. It is always simple. And it is not hard to find or do. I don't know why we miss it so often, I have throughout my mission in many ways, even though I have been being taught them by my leaders. They are found in the scriptures. Too often we read other books, even if they are books written about the gospel and gospel principles, and we fail to study the scriptures. I have also recently learned how powerful the Missionary Handbook is (its the little "rule book"). It's not even a rule book, its a handbook for how we do our work. Just like the Church Handbooks, they are how we do the Lords work in his church. Often times we are content with doing things the old way. The way we have always done our work, and we quit studying to check ourselves and make sure we are doing things as we should. Usually we go to those book when we have a big problem or need an answer. But doing it that way (especially with the scriptures) makes it difficult to live the Doctrine of Christ, and exercise faith. Which leads me into something else that I have been learning a lot about. Because to exercise faith, is to act. But to act we must have good and evil, we must be enticed by the one or the other (2 Nephi 2). But to know good from evil we must be looking for the truth, and once we see good, from evil, we must exercise our faith and lay hold upon every good thing. This pattern is how we become like our heavenly father, it takes faith, repenting, making and keeping covenants, obedience to God and His Spirit. The Gospel is so simple, but so profound.... because its simple!

We started teaching this Girl named Katie. She was a friend of a member in our ward. She has been coming for a long time and she was finally invited to learn about the Gospel so we set up some appointments with her. We had 2 great lessons, the spirit was so strong as we taught her about the experience Joseph Smith had as a teenager. It was so awesome, because at the end of the lessons she said, "I know exactly what I need to do...I need to find out on my own if this is true". She is really prepared but also worried about what her family will say and do if she decides to be baptized. After that lesson we haven't heard from her, but we will get back in contact with her, but please pray for her to have the courage and faith to follow the spirit. Love you all your all awesome!!

Elder Hendrix

Julie,

Hey there buddy! I'm so proud of you for being a little missionary. Just remember to love everyone, that is how you do missionary work, be as nice as Jesus wants you to be. (which is about as nice as mom is). I will send you the recorder, I'm proud of you and cant wait to see you!

Love you tons crazy cat!

Elder Jeff Hendrix

Book of Mormon is the most spirit filled book we can read!

Mom,

I love you sorry i didn’t write last week and I only have a minute to write this week. But yes things have been crazy!!! We are changing so much with this new transfer and we have to engineer all of the transfers and changes. We have had a great time. That is pretty funny that Fisher and Jakob Parker came over to see you. I love those two guys. Don’t be worried i only sent him a short e-mail of some pictures.

WOW! it is exciting to hear about the Robisons! Isn't missionary work just awesome!!! Mom the spirit is so great. It is so real. I have felt it more consistently in my life and with more power the past couple of months than i think i ever have. To have that gift it is so simple, just keep the commandments, do what is right, and the spirit is promised to be with you. That takes faith because doing what is right is not always easy, that is why we are saved by faith. I love you so much. I know that this is the Lords Church, and that the book of Mormon is the truest most spirit filled book we can read. The Doctrine of Christ is the way to salvation and it is so profound. I know that My Heavenly Father and Mother sent me to be with you and Dad, I know that for sure!!! I love you so much keep being an example to all. Invite over a family from the ward for dinner this week!

Elder Hendrix

PS: make sure i get d-bos e-mail i have been meaning to e-mail him but i just always have a lack of time. also I will be sending a bike for a missionary who is going home this week (Elder Burke) to the shop. He will come to pick it up in like 3 weeks. I will give him your number and he will call you. I think it comes UPS. Also a while ago you asked me about a birthday present, and anyway i just heard from a bird that Targhee has some pretty cheep student passes. if you need any student info from me, just let me know. It could also work as a Christmas present :)

DO what the spirit prompts!

Family,

Where is D-bo going to college!? Well it was a good week. Lots of work to do, we are super excited for this next week. I tell you what I have been learning some powerful principles of the Gospel lately, i wish i had time to tell you all about them. Ill just have to unload when i get home. The Gospel is so true, the church is so true, and Heavenly Father is so True. He loves us! Please STUDY your scriptures! Please pray that God will show you what to DO as you read. Please DO what his spirit prompts you to do. If you do I promise that the spirit will be more abundant in your life! I love you all so much!! Keep serving your fellow man, look for someone to help each week, even if they are active in church. Pray for Elder Forbush and I we have a very important week ahead of us. I love you!

Elder Hendrix

Importance of "the word"

Family,         

Hey there we had a great week, very busy. We are really working hard to get things going in our area. We don't have any investigators right now, but the members in our ward are really trying to help out a lot and we have been able to teach more this week than i have been able to do in a long time. Teaching is the best no doubt, there is not a better experience, on a mission, than teaching under the influence of the spirit, well actually there is: when the person you teach acts on the message that you shared with them, and they feel the spirit on their own. We had a great lesson with Evan this last week. His life has been pretty crazy, he has just had bad thing after bad thing happen to him. It has discouraged him and made him lose his focus on the simple and important things. We were able to finally sit down and teach him. We have been learning a lot about faith from president Snow and so we recognized that lack of Faith was his real issue. So we had a powerful lesson on Faith. Then yesterday he was so focused in church. He was taking notes like he did before he was baptized and he just had an awesome attitude. You could see and feel the difference in him. This last week I have had some great studies. I have learned a lot about the importance of the "word", it is the beginning to every miracle it seems. The scriptures bring the spirit into our lives, and having the spirit should be our main focus of the day for sure.

Mom i got the package, we don't have an Elder Wright in our mission, are you sure that is the right name. The weather is super hot and muggy!! Well I love you all so much! Share the Gospel, with you kids especially, and with your friends, even if they are members!

Elder Hendrix

Everyone needs their faith strengthened!

Family,                                                                                   

   We had a great week i don’t have any time to e-mail this week, sorry maybe i can later in the week. We are very busy, things are going well. Lots of changes and I am learning so much. My faith has been increased a lot this last week. I love the scriptures they are awesome, and it is just amazing how much we can learn from them. Mom you mentioned that your missionary work is struggling, but missionary work is not only with non-members. It can include less-active AND active members. Everyone needs their faith strengthened. I remember how you and Dad always had desires to invite a new family over for dinner, or a family you don’t yet know very well, that is missionary work. And we should be strengthening the members of our wards often, apart from the work we do in our callings. I love you all so much. Keep up the good work.

Life is Good!

Family,                                                                                               

  Well I know it’s been a while since I last e-mailed you but I don’t even know what is going on. We have been so busy lately, and it’s not going to stop until Nov 15 (That is the day I am coming home now). Ya President Snow is awesome! How he has taught me so much in the last 2 weeks or whatever it has been. He has really opened my view of the gospel and of missionary work afresh. He is a pretty intense person, I don’t believe he does anything half-way. But he is also himself, he likes to have a good time and be a little goofy, I love that about him. He is a very spiritual man and very obedient but also very much real with his personality. He knows a lot about missions and has toured around 100 of them while serving as a Seventy, so he came in here and made a lot of changes, I mean a lot. It’s almost a different mission already. That has been really interesting, it was something I didn’t expect and thought I would have a tough time with, but I have learned that it is not up to me to decide what is right and wrong, but we can go to the Lord, He makes known unto us His will and what is truth. I have felt that, I have learned a lot because of Gods teaching through changing times. I thank Garrett for giving me some great advice on what it’s like to get a new mission President, He said, "expect change, it’s refreshing". I have found that to be very true, it has been a great blessing to me and will be to all of the missionaries.

  I guess you know about Elder Fisher that is so funny that he came to the shop already. Wow I was sad to see him go. I love that kid! He is one of the best men I know, he's up there with the men of my own family. He has taught me a lot. I have been extremely blessed to have served with him and become good friends with him, I’m glad you got to meet him. He said that he thought my family was really awesome after meeting you and he wants to hang out. Dad you should call him up to help you unload worms, no but seriously. His number is 678-520-3977, really do call him. He will probably come help and it would be so funny cuz I use to tell him that he could come help us one time when we do that.

  I’m glad you were able to see the Satterfield’s too, and that you were able to understand as I do what wonderful examples of devotion to Christ, his gospel and his church they are! I love those people so much. I miss them as well, and consider them angels that God sent to me on my mission. They will forever be people that I look to for guidance and direction. We will have to set something up where we can all meet them together.

  I know I didn’t get to say much about Grandmas passing but it has been interesting to know that she can now see what I am doing. She is probably helping me and prompting me to be better and I’m sure she is doing the same work I am, just on the other side. I loved her so much, and I think that it was such a blessing that I was able to spend so much time around her the two summers before my mission. She was a very humble lady. She knew who she was, and she was always so kind to me. Never in a visit to her house did she not try to make me some food, even though she couldn't hardly make her own food. I will miss her. Tell Grandpa that he was a perfect husband, for a perfect Wife, she always spoke highly of Grandpa. 

   Elder Fisher and I had a special experience last Monday. He had no idea but Melaine set up her Patriarchal Blessing so that Fisher could be there with her when she got it. So last Monday we were very lucky to be able to be with her when she received her Patriarchal Blessing. God knows his children for sure. Melanie is an Elect person. Man I am blown away. She has been a member like 3 months and she does more work in our little singles ward than any person in any ward I have ever been in, and I’m not exaggerating or being at all boastful, that is the honest pure truth. She has more faith than anyone I have ever seen that isn’t one of my Grandparents. I can’t wait for yall to meet her. She is coming out to Rexburg at the beginning of August. 

   Other than that Life is good. Oh my new companion is Elder Forbush, I have wanted to serve with him for a long time. He is from St. Anthony, he is awesome. He goes home about a month after I do. I love you all!!

Elder Hendrix

Speak by the Spirit

Family,

  Sorry I have not written too much. We have been very busy. Send Grandpa my love and thanks for his prayers on my behalf. We truly lost a treasure of our lives with Grandma, I hope that we all continue to learn from her example as we stud her history and life. I am thankful that I was able to get to know her before I left, the spirit prompted me to do that and I am thankful to God for telling me that, and preparing those opportunities for me. I am thankful for Amazing parents who taught us the importance of getting to know her and Grandpa, I feel like we all knew grandma personally, and it was in large part because of the examples of Mom and Dad. Well I love you so much. And I will ask God if grandma can help me today....I will need it.

   I will write more about President Snow another time. But that guy is AMAZING, i feel like I am in the presence of and apostle with him, no joke! Today we are having a Zone Leader Council (in 30 min) and the plan for the meeting is for Fisher, Me, Him and his wife to all sit in front of the Zone Leaders and have them ask questions the entire meeting, and we all are only allowed to speak when the spirit tells us what to say.  It is a 6 hour meeting. Oh boy it will be interesting. Love you!