This week's letter and a letter to the mission president

January 25, 2010

Dear Family,

Attached are a few audio files for you to hear about some events in my week. I will also send my Dear President from this week to give a different perspective. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYBODY!!!

I am so proud of you Ammon for being such a missionary. If every young man were to prepare for a mission by being a missionary, the church would grow at an alarming rate.

My rice cooker is doing good, but if you could send be some quick rice seasoning recipes that I can just throw in the pot, that would be really appreciated….I don’t cook very much anymore…
Dad, I hope you get better.

Oh, Sister Gjika made me a scarf! She found out that I didn’t have one and started croqueting one that day! It is a beautiful blue…

I think I covered everything in the audio attatchments… I am not really sure what to say… Elder Shields is a good companion. Miracles are happening here in Fier. My companion is from southern California. He has been in the country for 1 year. I’m not sure what more to say about him…

Today we plan on playing Chess in the Xhaxhi park! It will be fun to see all the Old men swarm and help us play the game. The play chess a little different here: you have to say when the QUEEN is in check as well (makes it a bit more difficult).

Love you all! I hope everyone is doing ok.

Love,
Elder Fredrickson

(I'm still trying to figure out how to attach audio files in blogger. Sorry to those who are keeping up with this! If you know how to...PLEASE tell me!--EK)


Dear President Neil,
This week has been a busy week. We have been doing our best to always be finding however we are far from perfect. Nevertheless, we have been getting new contacts. We contacted a man on the street and set up an appointment at his stand for last Friday. We arrived, and it seems he had laid a trap for us. There before us were 3 Jehovah’s Witness missionaries along with the man we contacted. Thankfully we had a civil conversation and simply exchanged pamphlets. Because of this experience, we had questions about their doctrine, and decided to go to a member who was a former Jehovah’s Witness. We met her with her Grandmother, who is a current Jehovah’s Witness, and ended up teaching her (the grandmother) more than she taught us. We gave her a restoration and plan of Salvation pamphlet and she read them! I believe she is a very potential investigator. I don’t think we would have attempted such a meeting had it not been for that experience always finding.
Emili came to church yesterday! I firmly believe it is a miracle. She was able to convince her boss to switch her schedule and work in the evening instead of the morning yesterday. I pray she will see the blessings from it throughout the week and work towards coming more frequently. Her mother is almost officially active again too! She just needs to come a few more consecutive times, and she will be officially active. She has made up her mind to come to church each week. As I mentioned, President, miracles are happening in Fier.
President, I had a question for you: what should I do to become a great missionary like Elder Anderl? I saw how great Elder Anderl was. I saw how much you trusted him, and how much the Lord trusts him. I desire that for myself and I am willing to work for it. I just need to know what to do. Please, tell me what I should do to accomplish this desire. What can I do to gain the trust of the Lord?
I came to a somewhat troubling realization the other day. I feel that I have been looking at specific aspects of my mission (for example: the MTC, my time with Elder Anderl…etc.) like a giant treasure trove, full of gold and jewels for me to obtain. However, the catch in each of these instances is that I can only take what I can carry, and I only have a limited time in the cave to find exactly what I want or need. Looking back on the experiences, I can’t help but think of all the precious jewels lying there, which were ready to be taken, but my opportunity has past, and they are gone; I missed my chance. On top of all of this, I feel like there is a hole in my pocket, and my precious jewels are slowly slipping away. I fear that I will look at my mission in a similar light. I do not want to have any regrets about my mission. I will never get this chance again.
Thank you President for all that you continue to do for us. Thank you for your continued support and the support from Sister Neil. Thank you for all that you have done for me personally as well; it is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Elder Fredrickson