April 21, 2014 - "You know, I sink zat I feel really warm in my heart and it's very nice."

 Heyyyyoooooo Fam!!  Man it's was great to hear from you.  You would've thought I'd have become used to the excitement email time brings but nope still giddy as Braden's 13 year old girlfriends are about him!  So to answer some questions.  I had a terrific Easter.  I woke up in the morning in a great "vapor of smoke and of darkness."  I thought I was having a 3 Nephi 10 experience at first but then I thought for a second and realized it was 4/20 in Colorad

o.  Haha man you wouldn't believe how bad it was.  We'd send a lot of "Happy Easter" wishes to people and in return we received "Happy 4/20" wishes.  I'm going to take a video one of these days because within one mile there are 8 different mary jane dispenceries.  

Things with Hamilton area great.  Pops, if you could give Bro Brunson a shout out, that letter came in big!  Hamilton really enjoyed it.  We actually had a lesson with the Bigelows last night and Hamilton began to testify of God's love for each of us and used the fam and friends back home as an example of feeling God's love for him.  IT'S WORKING BABY!  Like you said dad, for once in his life he's beginning to feel like he is supported by his team.  Thanks for all of your efforts!

 Chen is still progressing wonderfully.  One of the sweetest experiences I've had with an investigator recognizing the Spirit came this past week in a lesson with him.  After testifying of the restoration we asked him how he felt and it took him awhile to find his words but he said, "You know, I sink zat I feel really warm in my heart and it's very nice."  (in his Chinese accent) so Boom goes the dynomite.  Andy, Mark, and James are all still learning and growing, not too much to update on them.

 I do want to share an experience I had with you this last week that taught me some sweet principles of light.  We took a wrong turn as we were looking for a less-active lady and came across a HUGE gathering of bikers near a warehouse by the Platte River.  We rode up to figure out what the hooplah was and when we got close you could feel the darkness enter proporational to each step we took.  We talked to a couple guys and they mean mugged us and told us that it was a breast cancer charity drive for the leader of the national Banditos gang.  A guy walked up to us who was about my size and tried getting within my personal bubble and asked us to leave.  We ended up talking a little bit with this guy, his name is "Sick".  He was actually way cool.  He wasn't having the gospel related anything but he said we could walk around and check it out with him.

As we did everybody, I mean everybody was mean muggin us, it was crazy.  I saw the Sons of Silence there, the Banditos, and the Mongols, all with their 1% badge on their right side of their vest with wrenches in their back pockets.  It turns out these guys are in the top groups of outlaw gangs aka pretty scary folks.  They had their gangs and we were representing the Lord's gang.  Anyways we left there and went to a session of stake conference where Elder Golden Jr. of the Seventy spoke. There was an absolute tangible difference in the amount of light and darkness in each setting.  I came a way with a clear understanding that those who sit in darkness and seek out the darkness cannot receive or perceive light.  D&C 45:29.  The further we are from the light the harder it is to discern it and recognize sin.

 Jesus Christ is the "light which cannot be hid in darkness" D&C 14:9.  If we have our "eye single to the glory of God" (D&C 88:67) and "walk in the light of the Lord" (1 Nephi 12) we will be "filled with light."  As we live the gospel, truly live it we will receive light.  It will show in our countenances, we will radiate it. " Light cleaveth unto light" (D&C 88:40) and "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." (D&C50:24)  So the takeaway is essentially I recognize now that even little decisions and little thoughts either add or take away light from us.  I want to be cognizant of those little things like controlling my thoughts, taking time to help out another, read the scriptures each day, and pray in a sincere manner all so that I can receive the promises that the scriptures give us, that we can radiate the light of Christ.  As we radiate this light others will look to us, be led to us, and the hastening of the Lords work will happen in our personal lives.  Fam, thanks for the light that you do have. It's shaped the course of my life so that I can sit here as one who is authorized to stand as a representative of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I love Him so much.  I want to feel close to Him throughout my life and I know I can do that as I strive to receive of His light.  Love ya fam, have a terrific week and shine the light!

Elder Traasdahl

"On top of the Grant St building in downtown Denver"

He looks kind of like batman watching of the city...  but instead, he's an Elder watching over Israel.  I always knew he was super hero.  Who needs a cape when you get to wear a black name tag?