Blessingz with a z!

Dear Family and Friends
Wooohoooo my first baptism was this last Saturday and it was such a great experience. It really does make all the hard times worth it to see the person step into the water and act in faith towards the Lord and be baptized. Elder Craig did the actual baptism and I was able to do the confirmation. I was really nervous because its in front of the whole congregation during sacrament meeting. It went really well except that the kid that was holding the mic accidentally hit me in the mouth, it didn't hurt but it just made a poping sound in the mic and it was kind of funny. haha. We continue to search out to find the elect who are ready to accept this gospel but the fruits are few and far between. We have been really blessed to find 2 this week already and we are praying that they will progress and want to be baptized in the future. I hope everyone is doing well back home and Thank you all for the letters and packages that I have recieved (Aunt Judy and Loni) I really really appreciate all the mail I get and it always brightens my day.
So this sunday ( the same day as Ronells confirmation) was the primary program for the Harlem 1st ward. The whole Sacrament was done entirely by the primary children and it was so amazing. The spirit was so strong and my testimony definitly became stronger through hearing the words of a child. The children really are our future and we must continue to help them find and stay on the right path, sometimes the youth think its ok to stray off the path so they can gain knowledge of what not to do. They think that if they leave they can quickly come back to the straight and narrow and be a better and stronger person for having strayed and learned what the "world" has to offer. They are sorely mistaken when they think this because it is much easier said then done to make it make on the path of righteousness. The straight and narrow is the way to eternal happiness and eternal life, their is never any need to stray from it or to let go of the iron rod so you can be stronger. The Lord is the one that makes us stronger, not the world. Everyday here in Harlem I see youth who live lives of destruction and sin, I truly do not have place to judge them for I don't know thier circumstance, but I can see the pain that it brings into their lives. Even though I don't know their situation I do know that the Lord and Savior has His arm extended to everybody, everywhere, in every situation. We can always choose to follow the Lord and it will ALWAYS be the best thing we can do. The Savior lives and He loves all of us. I am so blessed to be able to bring this knowledge to people each and everyday for 2 years. Even though sometimes it might become hard, frustrating and seem unbearable, we are all children of God and we all deserve to have the truth in our lives. I love all of you and pray for all of you. Sorry if I can't write many letters, i am working on getting more written but thier is a lot to do on Preperation day. Stay safe and choose the right.
Love
Elder Keldon James Shepherd