Elder Matthew Lawerence Knoop

I wanted to leave you all with a letter Matt wrote to hi ward just before he passed away. It is his testimony and it is a beautful letter. I love you all and once again thanks for all your love and support.

Hey everybody,... The time has flown, I have learned more in these 8 months than in my entire life, my body is tired, I have baptized very little, but I have never been so happy. I have such clarity in my life and I feel blessed.

The other day I realized that one day I would leave this place... and I don't know why but I felt such a deep pain in my heart. The only conclusion that I can come to is that because in these 8 months I have learnded to forget about me. Day upon day difficulty after difficulty and blessing after blessing I have chnaged. This truly was a defining moment in this mission and I will never forget.

I can only hope that I will continue on like this. That I will be the Lords servant until the end. That when I return to the temple in Salt Lake that I may kneel down and offer this work that I have done and that I may feel the sweet confirmation of the spirit touch in my heart as it so often does to tell me that He accepts. That this work that I do is accepted by my Father.

Moses 1:39 says that it is the work and glory of God to bring about the eternal salvation of men, I too have made this my work and my glory. And D&C 18 says that if we should work all our day and bring one soul into the kingdom of God how great shall our joy be if we bring many souls unto Him our joy will be greater still.

I do not know what is in store for me but I would like to think that I too would be able to glory in my tribulation in the last day.

My testimony is simple, but it does not have a shade of doubt. I know with all my heart that these things are true.

Love, Elder Knoop