Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve!!!! It was amazing

Yo everybody,

Hey this week was spectacularly slow. We are trying to pick back up on the work but some of our investigators are starting to lose some interest. We're re-evaluating our efforts. We also had an amazing experience! This last Friday we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve!!!!! It was amazing. For a couple weeks they told us to study these talks that he had given. One of them was Ask in Fatih, which he gave in a General Conference a couple years ago, and the second was a talk entitled 'Seek Learning by Faith' which he gave at a CES educator fireside in 2006. I strongly suggest that everyone read (study) the second one. It is really enlightening. But anyway, the mission told us to read those talks and study them a coupel weeks ago, and then they told us last week he was coming to talk to our mission! It was awesome. Elder Bednar spoke almost entirely about faith and agency. He was also cracking jokes right and left. Most people wouldnt think it but he's hilarious. It was more of a discussion than a talk. He asked questions and looked for responses. He called it a 'revalatory experience,' not a meeting. He brought out a lot of very good points about the Faith and how we apply it and help our investigators apply their own faith to develop their own testimony. Anyway, it was amzing. I spoke yesterday in a sacrament meeting entirely on his talk learning by faith. It was a good talk, but I couldn't do Elder Bednar's talk justice. Oh well. Read it for yourselves.

Not much else to report. Elder Lundwall is still learning the area and how to talk to people better. I'm still trying to help him in his confidence and making his own decisions. He really comes down hard on himself after we teach lessons and he keeps doubting his ability to teach. I'm trying to help him develop a sense of independence.

Two dinners last night. UGH! downsides of salt lake mission. TOO MUCH FOOD! I guess it's a good problem.

I love you all. dont change too much while I'm gone!

Elder Wright

A lot of changes this week.

HELLO everyone!

 I have lots of news this week. first...

I was permanently reassigned to the Salt Lake City South Mission. It has been dissapointing to know that I wont ever be leaving for the other side of the world, or in fact that I wont be leaving the Salt Lake valley at all. But when I applied to to be a missionary, I did so knowing that it did not matter the people, or the place to where I would be serving. I know the Lord has different purposes for me. I will serve Him and His people wherever I am called.

 Second, we had Transfers!!! Elder Swanson was transfered about 5 minutes south. I am now companions with Elder Lundwall. He's a huge change of pace compared to Elder Swanson. Instead of 5' 6", he's about 6' 6". He's kinda quiet, he has a REALLY deep voice, and he's a little monotone. He doesnt express his emotions much. He's been out about 4 months. His past companions havent been the greatest, so it feels like I'm teaching a new missionary. He says that I'm the first companion he has has companion study with. He's also not too super aware of his surroundings. He has had two bike crashes and been hit by a car in the 5 days that he's been here. He's learning his new area quick though. I'm trying to get him to memorize the streets and the wards and the people here. I'm helping him improve his confidence, which he doesnt have a lot of. He's a good companion though, he wants to work, which is the best thing in a missionary. There are too many lazy missionaries and it is a blessing to have one that can get up on time, that can study, and can work.

 Third, I was made district leader... Wonderful... It's interesting. I dont do a whole lot. The biggest thing, I give trainings (lessons) every tuesday to the 8 other missionaries in my district. I feel like a really young district leader, especially because there are a couple missionaries senior to me in the district. I also go on an exchange with the each companionship once during the Transfer. I take calls at night time to check up on each companionship. It's really humbling to be a leader of missionaries that are all working so hard, and I have to somehow lead them when they are all already going a million miles an hour.

So, A lot of changes this week. I'm trying to deal with them all at once but it's tough. This last week was really slow, party because Elder Lundwall doesnt know our area, so I cant really rely on Elder Swanson like I used to. I thought this last week I felt really lonely through all of this, with nobody to really voice any of my feelings to without scaring Elder Lundwall. I feel I must rely on the Spirit and on the Lord to be able to accomplish the tasks I have been given. I hope to magnify all the aspects of my calling.

I love you all, I hope everything is peachy at home

Love,

Elder Wright

we had jason pyes baptism, I almost forgot. He's awesome. When the Zone leader interviewed him, the zone leader was awe struck and said jason would porbably be a general authority. score for the win. the strongest convert I have had the opportunity to teach on my mission so far. he had lots of return missionary friends that helped him a lot.

New Assignment as District Leader

THE CHURCH OF

JESUS CHRIST

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

Utah Salt Lake City South Mission
8060 South 615 East
Sandy, Utah 84070

March 12, 2010

Dear Brother and Sister Wright;

I am happy to inform you that your son, Elder Rudy Wright, has been entrusted with a new assignment as the District Leader in the Cottonwood 1st District in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. I feel very confident that he will use and further develop his leadership abilities.

In this calling he will be expected to be an example to other missionaries under his direct supervision. He will also instruct them in a series of lessons on how to teach the gospel and be effective as a missionary.

He will need your support and encouragement to do his best in this new calling. He is growing in spiritual knowledge and wisdom and you have every right to be proud of him.

May the Lord bless you with the satisfaction that can accompany the sacrifice you make to have your son in the mission field.

Sincerely,

G. Steven Laney
Mission President

I've been out in the mission field exactly 6 months!

Hey everybody!

I've been out in the mission field exactly 6 months! bragging rights I know. It's gone by way to fast so far. People still consider me a *greeny* though. That's alright. I'd like to think that it's been a tough 6 months but I think allaround it's a pretty cushy mission. There are members everywhere that help us out and give us rides and give us handouts. We're still working way hard, but without all the help we get from the members I think it would be near impossible. I think one of the things that makes this mission so nice is the fact that we dont do a whole lot of tracting compared to other missions. We work primary off referrals from members. It's not all that uncommon for a member to walk up to us and tell us they have a friend that wants to be baptized. So in that sense, finding people is easy, but there are usually the complications of people not keeping commandments or commitments. Maybe the hardest part for me is waiting for my visa. No news about anything. maybe reassignement? maybe stay? nobody tells us anything. I dont think about it a whole lot but it usually gets brought up from time to time.

 As for this week... We pulled out the bikes again. Elder Swanson really has a loathing hatred for riding bikes and he'll look for any reason to not ride. I enjoy it a lot more than walking because we can get so much more done. also I dont have to listen to Elder Swanson talk for hours and hours about how awesome his life was at home (not really that awesome). Transfers are coming up next week. Something better change around here. If president keeps us both here, he'd have the most twisted sense of humor of anyone I've ever known. we've been together for 5 1/2 months now. It's wearing on me. Anywho, we had an amazingly terrible Thursday. One of our investigators decided to put off their baptism for 3 weeks. Another decided they didnt have to come to church on Sunday, and another decided they didnt want to see us anymore. That was way cool. We pulled through the rest of the week though. We plan to have some really awesome lessons this week and it's already been pretty well booked up. We put Jason Pye on date to be baptized on the 13th of March. He's probably the coolest investigator I've ever taught. He's getting baptized even though his parents are baptist and they dont want him to, and he has the strongest testimony of the Holy Ghost ever. He can really feel the spirit hit him hard every lesson, and he says he wants that gift to be with him all the time. WOOT! we're way stoaked.

Anywho. Life is good. I love my mission. I hope the world isnt falling apart from earthquakes.

Love you all,
Elder Wright