Back in the Saddle

From Elder BJ Bernards, dated January 7, 2008

Dear Father,

I love you. Thanks for being my dad. I read through some old letters from you and gleaned great support from them. I love your testimony and your example as a father.

It was great to talk to you. Thank you also for the spending money. It has been a great support to me. I promise to take better care of it.

We have been seeing miracles here.

Let me tell you of my special calling I've been given. I feel that I have been called here to raise the moral and the spirituality and obedience and the faith of the missionaries here in West Omaha. My companion is Elder Hill who is from Burley, Idaho, and a great man. He lacks faith in himself, and gets discouraged. We have been working hard and have been seeing these miracles and been raising our bar. Before I was here this district was in shambles. We have a good new district leader who is from Sacramento, California, and some great elders here. We have the best wards in all of Nebraska in this district. We are going to see wonders here. We have an abundance of returned missionaries and strong priesthood leaders here to go forth proclaiming the gospel.

I have been able to see the growth that I am contributing and am fulfilled in my service. I know that even though I am not baptizing yet, we are doing a work that eventually affects that. Every week we have been getting stronger and stronger. I feel a fire that is unquenchable in my bosom that won’t let me rest or falter. It is the Love of my Savior. It is the seeds of the fruit of the Tree of Life that swells within me! It is a well of living water that quenches my thirsty soul and it floweth forever. I am grateful for your dedicated service for my behalf that has brought me to this gift. I am grateful for your righteous lifestyle of keeping covenants and upholding your priesthood oaths which have granted me access to the atoning blood of Christ.

I just wanted to say I love you and pray for you and apologize for my horrible teenage years. I am sorry for showing the kids such a bad example. I have made it my life goal to rectify those choices and show and be the best example to everyone I see. I never want to lead into unrighteousness again! I love truth. My heart rejoices in it! I cleave unto it and my understanding of it grows and grows. One day we shall sing in praise of our God and His righteousness and our praise will last forever and ever. We shall obtain the fullness of the stature of Christ by and by. We have great reason to rejoice because nothing shall separate us from the Love of Christ Jesus (Romans 9) That is one of my favorite chapters.

I also am grateful for Joseph Smith who I know is a true prophet called for us in these latter days.

Love,
Elder Bernards