We taught about 16 lessons this week, have 1 baptismal date (many potentials), had 9 investigators in church, and marked 13 new investigators this week

I am so sorry about the back up of letters from the missionary field, we have been having internet problems for the past 3 weeks, so I am doing my best to get these posted while it is up and going right now. Please forgive my lateness in getting these posted, but please enjoy them. 

Lori Eckman

Dear Everyone,

I'm writing letters this week--I'm sorry for the delay.  Expect them
in a few weeks.  I love you all, I'm just crazy busy here.  The good
news?  Life is incredible!  We started the week with NO investigators.
 So, we got to WORK.  Elder Clifford has like 2 blisters from all the
walking we did.  And we saw fruit!  We taught about 16 lessons this
week, have 1 baptismal date (many potentials), had 9 investigators in
church, and marked 13 new investigators this week.  The Lord blesses
hard work and I have a firm testimony of that.

Elder Clifford is awesome!  I'm really enjoying working with him and
we get along pretty well.  I'm afraid that I'm working him a bit too
hard...  But he's a champion and eating it up.  We've resolved to be
the best missionaries we can be together.  Training is cool, but no
big deal.  Some people take it too seriously.  He's already been
through an intense 2 month program and learned a lot.  We learn
together--I'm NOT that much more experienced.  We're equals and that's
that.

I'm really redoubling my efforts to be EXACTLY obedient lately.
That's not to say that I've been gravely disobedient or anything like
that, only that we can always strive to do more, to follow better,
have a bigger smile, a whiter shirt, to get in one more lesson, leave
a member's house just a few minutes earlier, etc.  I'm starting to see
the blessings.  The Lord will bless us when we follow His will.  I'm
trying to make my new life motto:  I do the Lord's will.  With this
phrase in mind, who could sin, disobey, or walk along erred paths?  I
echo Nephi's words:
O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his
condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much
mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of
sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of
mine afflictions?
Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give
place no more for the enemy of my soul.
Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength
because of mine afflictions.

My call to you all is the same promise that I've made to myself this
past week:  Let's do the will of the Lord.  Nothing else is worthwhile
and nothing else brings the promises of happiness, life eternal, and
strength that He's promised us.  O then, if we have see so great
things, if the Lord in His condescension unto the children of men hath
visited us in so much mercy...  Why should we droop in half-obedience
and incomplete dilligence?  This world is tough.  There are
temptations everywhere.  We can't live a half-mormon life.  We can't
leave it for others to do.  We have to be examples of the believers.
We have to go forward in faith trusting in His mighty hand and use His
power to change our surroundings.  As members of the true church...
Don't you think signs should follow us?  I testify that they will if
we live a 100% existence instead of a 99% one.  What kind of member
are you?  Are you a walking testament to the truth that you know and
love?  We are not to be apologists for our faith.

Well.  That ended up being a lot longer than I wanted it to be.  I
trust that all of you are already that incredible member that I wish
to be.  If you find fault in yourself, change.  The Lord doesn't worry
too much about our past selves--He's concerned with what our present
is allowing our future to be.  Think on that.

I love you guys.  I hope everything is perfect.  I've found that
shouting the gospel from rooftops is quite satisfying and invite you
to do the same.

Love and blessings,

Elder Cody R. Eckman