"God shall be with you forever and ever"

Hello there everyone!

So it is preparation day once again! But not on Tuesday! So I hope that all is well with you! I miss you all so much and I hope you all aren't having too much fun without me! The mission life is great! Loving it! Man the weather here has been absolutely crazy!!! Like seriously though it is just insane! This whole past week has been like death heat and an insane amount of humidity! Oh yeah! Yum! I love humid weather! Haha not! It is so humid we go outside and I describe it as getting punched in the face but a hot wet towel haha. So try to imagine that one :) Haha just kidding! It really isn't too horrible though! I mean hey I only get to enjoy this amazing sticky weather for two years right? So I might as well love it while I can! :) What was crazy today though is we get outside and boom!!!! Dumping rain! It was raining a bunch! And now it is sunny and super humid. Like yeah weather is very random! :) Haha I am loving it though! It keeps me on the spontaneous side I guess :)

So this past week has been pretty good! I am not sure if I said this last week but when Elder Goates and I were on a train all of a sudden this guy walks in and starts talking about how he isn't a begger or anything and then he just started singing! and then boom! I realized WHAT THE HECK???!!!??? I KNOW THIS GUY!!!!!!! I couldn't remember from where though exactly at first and I was trying to remember and then it clicked! He auditioned for American Idol! Boom! It was just crazy because I was thinking "Dude I definitely have seen you on TV!" It was pretty crazy! I was gonna talk to him but then he left! Ah! So anyway everything else is going pretty good! We are now in week 4 of the transfer and it is crazy! This week as a district we are starting our elliptical activities and I am so very super excited for that! I really hope as we continue to work hard we can find people who are searching for the truth of the Gospel. I mean that is what I am here for right!! :) I am glad to be here! Yes it is quite tough a lot but I am trying my best to continually be positive and have a good attitude about everything! New York life is interesting. There really is nothing quite like it. Very different from anything else that I have ever experienced but so good at the same time!

We are trying to find some more people to teach and to help and serve and I really hope we can continue to do so! I am glad that I am here! I know that I am here for a reason or many reasons! I just want to be the best that I can be to help those who need it! I love being a missionary. It really is so weird sometimes to look at my nametag and see Elder Waidmann. I am just like hello! I am a missionary! I have to remind myself every so often! :) I love it though. Most importantly I love our Savior Jesus Christ. he has done something for us that we couldn't do ourselves. He was perfect and yet choose to suffer for so many people who are imperfect. His love is infinite and I hope I can develop just a slight little bit of that love for everyone here in New York. I am so glad to have this knowledge. It makes me so happy to know that I always have someone to lean on who knows how I am feeling always. I love my Savior so much and also my Father in Heaven. He is such a loving God who just wants to be happy in life. And the way to true happiness is following His son. It is so simple but yet so true! I love that I know this because as I think about it I really am truly happy. I love life! It is beautiful! It is tough but overall so amazing and worth everything that we go through. We have trials to help us progress I know this to be true with all of my heart. I read something by Richard G. Scott in an Ensign this week and it seriously describes why we have trials so well. I LOVE IT!!! It reads:

“Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit."

It is so true! I love this so much! And scripture of the week! The last part of doctrine and covenants 122:9. It reads" Fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever".

Love you all so very much!!!

Love, Elder Waidmann