25. To My Family

An excerpt from a letter to my family in Nampa, Idaho, written from the Ramos area of Rio de Janeiro on Monday, October 20, 1969. In my journal I prefaced the letter with this explanation, “I wrote a letter to my family today and pretty much reported on the quarterly district conference and the goals President Johnson outlined. I continued:”

At the conference I saw again many wonderful friends from other branches I have worked in. Especially good to see is that every family I have helped baptize is active and progressing in the Church. Following the conference I had the wonderful opportunity to baptize a lady and her daughter we taught while working in the mission office. The father and son of this family we baptized in August. It was simply thrilling to see this lady finally enter the waters of baptism. Next Saturday we will baptize one more man we have just finished teaching.

I do not like to be the ungrateful type, and I am the first to recognize that any and all success we are meeting here is due directly to the Lord and the workings of His Holy Spirit on the hearts of men. This is His work, not man’s. It is the Holy Ghost that converts, not us. We are such unworthy servants.

Thanks for your support, love, and prayers. I love to receive your letters. Don’t forget us in your prayers. May heaven’s blessings be with you.