Goodbye Elder "G" - 07/23/12

Hello? 

Elder "A" will be my new companion, starting around 11:30 tomorrow morning. Until then, I have to hang out with some other Elders. Elder "A" started his mission about ten months ago, but had to go home to Utah due to medical reasons. Now that his back problems are fixed, he's coming back to Riverside Mission, and I'm going to be his first companion during this phase of his mission. So it's not like I'm actually training, but it will probably take a little bit of adjustment for him to get back in the swing of things. I'll do my best to get him back up to speed.

"SK" got baptized on Tuesday, July 17! She's been working at this since February with Elder "G", and we are so pleased that she finally got her special day. I would send you a picture, but there are a few technical difficulties with our library situation right now. "SK" and "S" are both going to be excellent ward missionaries. In fact, they taught Gospel Essentials as a team last week and did really well. They were also the last family to say goodbye to Elder "G". They mean an awful lot to him. They exchanged some gifts, and took pictures, and shed a few tears. I know that the end of my mission will be here before I know it.

 

In fact, that very thought started to scare me a little bit last night. I have just a few quick months to teach and serve, and then it's back to the dream world I came from before. I'm not sure I like that ... and when I was busy worrying about this, I decided to pray for help. And at that moment, I realized that nothing is set in stone yet because there are still so many options out there for me to choose from. The decisions of the future can be made in the future, after my work here is done. God will provide a way. I am of more value than many sparrows.

 

Well, Elder "G" tried his best to baptize our entire investigator pool so that I wouldn't have anything to do when he left, but I think I've outsmarted him! We now have two investigators on date to be baptized in August. "OW" is an octogenarian that has been visiting with missionaries for a very long time, but finally fell off the fence when we brought in some ward members closer to her age to push her along. "AG" is married to a less-active member that we found while running errands for the bishop. Believe it or not, she actually put herself on date. She asked what she would need to do to join the church, and then asked if she could be ready in a month's time. We sometimes try to put people on date in the first lesson, but it's never supposed to be that easy!

 

"BC" keeps on amazing me. She came to church and found her new best friends in the Relief Society Presidency but ended up sitting with a woman that she met at the grocery store once. Then she answered some questions in Gospel Essentials and impressed all the regulars with her level of faith and understanding. She's going to be an awesome Mormon someday. I just know it.

 

My life has gotten a little bit more organized recently. I inherited some of Elder "G"s' stuff, including the crates that he used to organize his stuff, a small fan, and a CD player. If anyone wants to send me some good missionary music, I could use some. Cleaning the apartment is actually kind of fun, but I still hate dishes. We'll see how my new companion feels about cleanliness. Today as I was cleaning, I realized how foolish I was to ask Mom to send me one of my cookbooks. I never cook anything. I usually have a pretty simple breakfast, and leftovers from previous dinner appointments for lunch. I haven't even made a sandwich in weeks. I bought a 12-pack of ramen my second week in the field that is still completely untouched. I would say this is ludicrous, but I guess it's a huge blessing that everybody is always feeding me.

 

Well I love you all dearly. I'm off to see the "Y"s and the "N"s say goodbye to Elder "G". I love them to pieces, by the way. "HN" had a lot of fun at Girls Camp and on her first temple trip. The "Y" family may be giving me an old bike of theirs... we shall see. Godspeed, brethren.

A new era - 07/16/12

Changes are on the way.

Another week. Another seven dinner appointments. I've always felt like my perception of time was different from the perception of most other people, but the passage of time on the mission enters a different paradigm entirely. I was warned that mission time is like prison time: the days feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days. I'm not sure I like the idea of comparing the mission to incarceration, but it's the best analogy I can bring to mind right now. I can't make up my mind as to whether it feels like I've been on my mission a long time or no time at all.

Strictly speaking, I've been an Elder for three months. Simple enough.

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to push two different broken-down cars. One of them was a Domino's delivery guy, who told us he would get us free pizza sometime. I'm more stoked about the fact that one of our potential investigators saw us pushing this car. I think he'll be more likely to listen to our message now that he's seen us getting our hands dirty for the benefit of other people in need.

This week was my week to act as the senior companion, as part of the 12-week training program. It wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. I did what I needed to do, and I fulfilled my responsibilities without fear of what would happen. I wish I could be a little bit more decisive when it comes to making the most of our time. There were a couple of times where I didn't make a decision about our backup plans as quickly and efficiently as I would like. It's easier to make plans in advance rather than in the moment, and when our original plan falls through and there are multiple options added to our original backup plan, I get bogged down.

I'm never going to be satisfied with my ability to teach everybody exactly what they need. But I guess that's a good thing. 

We taught a great lesson to our friend "BC", the Jewish lady. We explained the Atonement and testified of the divinity and love of Jesus Christ, and we all felt the spirit for most of the two hours we were with her. It was a very sacred experience. Of course, then she called us up a couple days later and said that she had prayed and decided not to continue her studies. I'm used to her filling our hearts with the Holy Ghost, and then avoiding us for a few weeks, but this was an especially high upswing and a very abrupt downswing. We invited her to a fellowship dinner and got her some friends - namely the entire Relief Society presidency - who I'm sure will fellowship her back into sincere investigation eventually. I just have to keep on loving her and hope that she comes back to us with a desire to be baptized.

Elder "G" has prepared a new suit, new shirt, new shoes, and new belt to wear home. I don't know if I'll really care to look good at the end of my mission. He's still far from packed, so next P-day will be a bit hectic, I'm sure. He managed to lose his memory card for his camera, so I let him borrow my extra for the time being. He's lost two cameras already on his mission, so perhaps I won't see that memory card again. But that's okay, I'm sure God will provide a way. 

I am loving my mission and the people that I've met! Soon I will have to learn a new companion, and perhaps a new area, and that's both exciting and a bit sad. But I'm looking forward to whatever comes next.

Mother and son baptized - 07/09/12

I definitely understand the value of planning out my time now. My goals and measures of success will be different in my post-mission life, for sure, but I hope to be a bit more organized in my lifestyle moving forward.

Facebook has ruined me. I just realized that I used shift-enter to insert a break, which is completely unnecessary in anything remotely resembling a word processor, but not the chat function on Facebook. Curse you, Facebook chat.

 

Today I'm going to be teaching a FHE lesson concerning prayer at the "Y" home with the "N"s there. That should be pretty fun. The "N" situation is still slightly complicated. I was warned by the Ward Mission Leader that this area might be whitewashed to keep them from becoming too dependent upon our missionary visits. While I hope that doesn't happen, I can see how President Smart might think that way. The twins go crazy and beg us to stay every time we leave a lesson, "H" cried one time because she didn't want us to go. It's a tough spot to be in. But Elder "G" and I just do our job, and our job is to save souls and preach the word.

Yes, I could recite my purpose. But we do that just about every meeting, and it's kind of boring.

The mailbox has been especially good to me this week. Sister Hillary Smith wrote me back! As did Amy Jo, Kristen, Tom, Lori, Ruth, and Morgan. I don't know how many letters I'll get around to writing today, but hopefully the majority of them. There's always next p-day.

This week was highly unusual in that I saw the other elders in my district every day except one. On P-day, we ate dinner together and ended up going on exchanges in the evening. Tuesday, my companion had to drive Elder "F" to a doctor's appointment, so we exchanged again. Wednesday, we spent the whole 4th of July together, starting with a service project at 8 a.m. wherein we were fed breakfast, District Development Meeting, studies and proselyting for a couple hours, dinner appointment, and a multizone activity since we can't proselyte after 6 p.m. on holidays. I was surprised to see Sister missionaries in t-shirts at this activity.  I totally ignored them and played board games with some Elders.

On Thursday, we would have had baptismal interviews, but the "L"s canceled their baptism on us via a text message at 2 a.m.  Don't worry, we got them back on track in time for their baptism on Sunday. Friday was our zone temple day. I love the Redlands temple! It was so fun to do a session and walk around the temple grounds. Then Saturday, Elder "F" had another doctor's appointment, so we exchanged again. All in all, a very strange week full of lots of distractions. But we still filled the font!

"CL" and her son "E" have been talking to missionaries for a year and a half. Somehow, they overcame all of their hurdles while "G" and I taught them, and they finally took the plunge this Sunday. The husband did the actual ordinance. It's so good to see families coming together! I'm so proud of them.

Next week, "SK" gets wet! And if anything gets in her way, she will kick butts and snap necks. Can't wait to see it happen!

Happy Fourth of July - 07/02/12

Happy 4th of July to everybody! I'm enjoying the mission still.

It seems I'm still not completely living in the present. It hit me that I will have to leave this area eventually, and I probably won't see the friends I've made here ever again. That really bums me out. It also hurts a little bit to see Elder Gowers packing up stuff to send home so it will be there when he gets there. I think I'm pretty well trained already, but it's weird to think of doing missionary work without him. I joke about how I've used all my good-companion-points already, and the rest of my companions won't measure up.

It's surprising to me the close friendships I've made out here. I really, really love a lot of the ward members that I work with on a regular basis. I know that the Lord has put me in a good place. He truly knows me.

It's also a bit surprising who I haven't heard from since I've been out here. The people that have written me are pretty faithful, and they have my gratitude.

I know I shouldn't be thinking as much about life after mission, but it's hard not to daydream about visiting California after the mission. I try not to worry about how I'll get a job and get my education after my name tag is removed, but I do think about it sometimes.

I had a pretty cool thought in Sacrament meeting yesterday. In Ezekiel 10, we learn about how the Savior will be coming from the East to enter into his house. This is why the angel Moroni points east on all of the temples except Nauvoo, which points towards Salt Lake. But even on the Nauvoo temple, the ceremonial entrance, which says HOLINESS TO THE LORD, THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, is pointing east. Jesus Christ will enter his house through that door. When he comes, we may be sitting in the temple wearing white. White, because our garments will be pure through the blood of the lamb, as mentioned in Alma 12. But Christ will not be wearing white in his temple. He will be wearing red, as told in Isaiah 63. How wonderfully symbolic and meaningful those little details are.

I love you guys, and hope you have fun at the reunion without me. Love you tons! All of you!