If we want to apply the gospel, the Book of Mormon is one of the best places to start.

We had trasfers and I stayed here with my companion for his final transfer in the mission.

We had a member of the 70 come and talk to us a while ago. He shared an experience that he had when he was on his mission. He had 3 months left and he went to an area that hadn't had a baptism in the last year. He was in an interview with his president who was asking him if he was getting ready to go home. He said he was there to work and that he was going to baptize a very high number in his area. So that night he talked to his companion and they took off. He said they did divisions as much as they could and they talked to everyone. He said that in the end he baptized a little more than 2/3 of their goal (still a very high number of people.)

We are trying it out here. We set a high goal and we are going to be working toward that goal this transfer. We will see how it goes in the end but even since Friday I have seen differences.

Friday we started out doing divisions with some future missionaries. We left after the siesta and went out. We were able to get a lot more done than just one companionship ever could do. It was also really cool to get to work with a member that is just waiting to leave on his mission. He was excited and of course naturally nervous to talk to people. But at the end of the day he was way excited and said he had a good time.

I also learned that our attitude makes a huge difference. We are looking to meet our goal so we are talking to a lot of people and counting so much more on the Lord to put words in our mouths and help us teach. We also have success on days when we might say we didn't before. We have the faith that the people in our path are prepared to hear our message and we are doing so much more to try to help them out.

We also visited 2 active members of the church, and the 2 have been going to church a little bit less frequently recently. We asked how they are doing with their reading in the Book of Mormon and their prayers. They both said prayers, very good. Reading in the Book of Mormon, very hard, when we have time, and honestly not very well.

I also remember that when I was in my first area Campo Largo the last missionaries had honestly not done a very good job, the branch president was missing and less active and there were few active members. I remember one sister that was still active even though we weren't allowed to visit her daughter and that caused quite a disturbance in her family. She was reading the Book of Mormon every day.

I have a firm testimony that reading in the Book of Mormon every single day is one of the most essential parts of enduring to the end. It contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel, so of course if we want to apply the gospel the Book of Mormon is one of the best places to start.

Elder Dallin Skouson

Elder De La Pena, and a future missionary, Elder Skouson

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