hello everyone :) i just talked this past week and said all my news and nothing has really happened since last week so that will have to suffice for now. there was something that really impressed me in church this last week though. we had district conference so there was an area authority and president and sister carlos there and sister carlos's talk was about prrayer. she talked about an experience that they had at a mission presidents seminar where elder evans the head of the missionary department was the one who was teaching at the seminar. they had apparently held a question and answer session in the seminar and after that they had a small break before their dinner and elder evans had returned to his hotel room and was praying and in his prayer he had asked if he had done anything that day that was offensive to anyone or to his heavenly father, and asked for it to be brought back to his mind. and he remembered a mission president had asked a question and his answer and reaction to the question of this mission president, although he hadnt realized or considered it at the time was kind of short and the mission president was hurt by the was he was treated by the general authority. so later that evening he found that mission president and apologized to him for how he had treated him. sister carlos then proceded to give a formula that can help inrease the sincerity of our prayers. she said set aside 10 minutes, start off by expressing to your heavenly father your love for him and his son and your desire to know them more, to learn more about them, and to feel more of their presence in your life. this will naturally lead to thoughts of things that you are greatful for in your life. next ask if you have done anything that day that was offensive to anyone or to him, and for him to bring that to your mind. then ask for the strength to avoid the sin in the future and make any corrections necessary for restitution of the sin. 

it had never occured to me before to ask him what i had done that day that offended him or others. i knew to ask forgiveness for what i had done but i never considered to take the next step and find out from his side what i had really done since hes the one who knows who i may have offended or what i did to offend him. i tried it. i dont need to go into detail of what the specific thing was that happened but there was something that was brough to mind that i also never even considered at the time. it was only a thought that i had had earlier that day about a member of the church that was offensive to the lord and i asked for the strength to not be so judgemental of people because i have no right to do so. i felt great peace and thought about what a great blessing it is to be able to repent. taking this extra step made a big difference in my day, in being sensative to the promptings of the spirit. 

try it. if anyone has any cool experiences i would LOVE to hear about them! 

anyways i love you all, until next week.... elder landeen