09/29/14 - 4th LETTER FROM DUNCAN

Today, Tony and I are in beautiful San Diego!  Since we aren't working, we have been able to email back and forth with Elder Stock this morning.  It's really the best!!!!!!  Wish I could do this every week. For now, I'll be thankful that I am available for three Monday's in a row. This week Colton wrote us a private family letter and then one for the blog.  This is how he addressed everyone!

Dear Loyal Fans,

How's it going?! I'm still alive up here in Canada. The Island is awesome. great weather, very laid back life style, etc. And the gospel, as it always will and always has, is moving forward. The Lord is hastening His work in every single place of His vineyard. I have a firm testimony in Him and His power. As long as we put our trust in Him and walk by faith, knowing that He will provide for us, we will succeed. Granted, we're going to fall short, and we're going to make mistakes, but He is there to lift us back up, to help us to return to our Father in Heaven by walking beside us and helping us every step of the way. I know this to be true, because I've seen it in my life and in the lives of others already.

This week in Duncan was crazy. We did a lot of tracting, and had some awesome dinners with members. However: it seemed like no one was willing to listen, like no one was ready to receive this gospel. It was frustrating. But, the Lord works in His own time. I think something cool I've already seen out here is the fact that there are SO many different religions and faiths, all claiming to be the one way of life. And then when you come back to this gospel, and when you truly realize the eternal nature of it, and the fact that this is Christ's church restored on the Earth, and that He is at the head of it, and all other churches have parts of the fullness of His gospel, but we're the only ones that have it all, then it makes your work more urgent. I am literally the messenger of salvation and exaltation to these people. We should feel that burning desire to reach out to them and give them this gospel. It is the only way that we can find everlasting joy. True, we're not the only church that offers happiness. You can be happy by doing just about anything. That's not what we're offering: this gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, gives us everlasting joy and eternal life! Think of it: living in the presence of God, your creator, alongside your family, and then receiving all of the blessings He has?! Crazy stuff.

When you think of the gospel in its rightful respect like that, you just can't help but run out there and scream it from the rooftops. It's awesome. So, we've had some cool experiences. There are spiders EVERYWHERE out here. We go to doorstep and flippin' Shelob decides to show up.

(for anyone who isn't familiar, here's Shelob....can't you just picture this laying in wait as Colton walks up to a door?!?  For video click here to see Frodo's encounter with Shelob)

 I'm all, "Dude! Ask Frodo! I'm not affiliated with you!" And there are crazy people out here. We were walking up to talk to some guy about the church who was working on his car when these punks sped by, yelling, "I'm a Satanist!" the car-worker thought we said that so he got super scared. Not a good image for the church lol. Anyways, we're having tons of fun. Prayin' for everyone back home as well as everyone here. Lots and lots of prayer. I love it. I've never felt so close to God before in my life. The Lord is literally by our side as long as we let Him. Super insane to think about. Missionary work is awesome. It's crazy, terrifying, and awkward as heck sometimes, but it is the best and most important anyone can be doing. It is the way we can return to live with Him.

I love this gospel, and the strength it gives me. The power and clarity it offers all of us is something we can't simply overlook. it is Christ church restored to the Earth. Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet of God. The priesthood's real. It's available to us to bless the lives of those we come in contact to and those we love. This is the only way we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, and He wants all of us to partake of that blessing. I know this to be true. Thank you all for your support and don't forget to e-mail me if you have any exciting news or stuff like that haha.

Sincerely, 
Elder Stock

We're so happy for Colton and the experiences he's having!  This Wednesday, one of Colton's EFY friends will enter the MTC and two weeks from then he will fly up to start serving in the Canada Vancouver Mission too!  Elder McCown's dad took this photo after they both had their calls.