03/07/1993
Dear Jennifer,
I am sorry that I did not get a chance to write back to you sooner also. Many things have come up within the missionary labors. I have a new companion now. His name is Elder Humphreys. He is fairly new and is looking forward to the work to be done in this area. I guess the reason it has been quite hectic in my letter writing situation is because I recently had a large flow of letters due to it being my 21st birthday on the 4th of March.
It is crazy to think that I am 21 years old. I don’t feel that old. I don’t even think I look that old. I am grateful it is my birthday because I get to hear from more people I wouldn’t normally hear from. They all have said kind things to me and even some things that I don’t feel I have done well at, they admire my efforts graciously. I am indeed blessed by having such good friends.
Well, I am pleased to hear that the move you made was successful and was accomplished without too much difficulty. Is the new apt. different in size or anyway? Is it basically the same?
I really am sorry to have to hear that you didn’t get the Concordia scholarship. It sounded to me that you were pretty excited to discover the results. I know what it is like to face a rejection and I would like to think that a young lady like yourself will not give up now but that you will press on, and do so with a smile. I don’t know all that much of anything but at times like this I try and look at my talents and the resources that a loving Heavenly Father has given to me and reset and reaffirm my goals. My intent is not to tell you what to do at all, but to present some ideas as a caring friend. SMILE! (a good friend told me that)
My companion of one month (Feb.) was Elder Cook. He was a great guy who really helped me see where it was headed. He was transferred from here (Dubuque) to a little town that you may have heard of called Decorah, Iowa. It is still in the same district Dubuque is in so it is kind of a strange transfer. My new companion now, Elder Humphreys, is from California. He has been out for 5 months and is quite excited about the work. He is really easy to get along with and I hope to become his good friend.
So, you want to hear a favorite missionary story. My favorite would have to be the conversion of Helen Anne Cofer, of which I had the chance to participate in. The day we met her was on a day where we had been rejected 5 or 6 times and nothing seemed to go right. I thought for certain that our appointment to meet her would be the same. Well I am overjoyed to say that it most definitely did not. She listened very humbly and intently and then thanked us for coming. She told us she would do the things we had asked and then we left. The best part was the second discussion. When we asked her to be baptized she not only said YES but she bore her testimony to us that she knew that God had guided us to her and her to this time. I cannot really explain the whole story as it is too difficult at this time to express, but let it suffice to say that I was definitely experiencing a “fullness of joy”!
Although I have many favorite scriptures the one that brought favor to mind that night was D&C 18:15. It’s true! It’s true!
I thank you for your faithfulness in writing to me, the love and friendship you express through your words, and for your constant encouragement to a boy you don’t even know. Thank you very much!
Do you know what I want? For a birthday present I would really like a picture of yourself. I don’t ask for much. Just one snapshot of Jennifer Shepardson. Could you please, please, please send me one?
Love with a smile :-)
Elder Greg Woolf
“Happiness is not the absence of conflict in our lives, but the ability to cope with it.” -Unknown
I am sorry that I did not get a chance to write back to you sooner also. Many things have come up within the missionary labors. I have a new companion now. His name is Elder Humphreys. He is fairly new and is looking forward to the work to be done in this area. I guess the reason it has been quite hectic in my letter writing situation is because I recently had a large flow of letters due to it being my 21st birthday on the 4th of March.
It is crazy to think that I am 21 years old. I don’t feel that old. I don’t even think I look that old. I am grateful it is my birthday because I get to hear from more people I wouldn’t normally hear from. They all have said kind things to me and even some things that I don’t feel I have done well at, they admire my efforts graciously. I am indeed blessed by having such good friends.
Well, I am pleased to hear that the move you made was successful and was accomplished without too much difficulty. Is the new apt. different in size or anyway? Is it basically the same?
I really am sorry to have to hear that you didn’t get the Concordia scholarship. It sounded to me that you were pretty excited to discover the results. I know what it is like to face a rejection and I would like to think that a young lady like yourself will not give up now but that you will press on, and do so with a smile. I don’t know all that much of anything but at times like this I try and look at my talents and the resources that a loving Heavenly Father has given to me and reset and reaffirm my goals. My intent is not to tell you what to do at all, but to present some ideas as a caring friend. SMILE! (a good friend told me that)
My companion of one month (Feb.) was Elder Cook. He was a great guy who really helped me see where it was headed. He was transferred from here (Dubuque) to a little town that you may have heard of called Decorah, Iowa. It is still in the same district Dubuque is in so it is kind of a strange transfer. My new companion now, Elder Humphreys, is from California. He has been out for 5 months and is quite excited about the work. He is really easy to get along with and I hope to become his good friend.
So, you want to hear a favorite missionary story. My favorite would have to be the conversion of Helen Anne Cofer, of which I had the chance to participate in. The day we met her was on a day where we had been rejected 5 or 6 times and nothing seemed to go right. I thought for certain that our appointment to meet her would be the same. Well I am overjoyed to say that it most definitely did not. She listened very humbly and intently and then thanked us for coming. She told us she would do the things we had asked and then we left. The best part was the second discussion. When we asked her to be baptized she not only said YES but she bore her testimony to us that she knew that God had guided us to her and her to this time. I cannot really explain the whole story as it is too difficult at this time to express, but let it suffice to say that I was definitely experiencing a “fullness of joy”!
Although I have many favorite scriptures the one that brought favor to mind that night was D&C 18:15. It’s true! It’s true!
I thank you for your faithfulness in writing to me, the love and friendship you express through your words, and for your constant encouragement to a boy you don’t even know. Thank you very much!
Do you know what I want? For a birthday present I would really like a picture of yourself. I don’t ask for much. Just one snapshot of Jennifer Shepardson. Could you please, please, please send me one?
Love with a smile :-)
Elder Greg Woolf
“Happiness is not the absence of conflict in our lives, but the ability to cope with it.” -Unknown
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