Life comes at you fast - 01/07/13

Tomorrow, I will be going to the mission office to pick up my new companion fresh off the plane. I will be training a new missionary. I have no clue what his name is yet, and I am humbled at the prospect of teaching someone the ropes in the second area of my mission. My mission president must trust me a lot.

 

My enthusiasm for the work in Murrieta has been growing even more. The thought of losing my companion's knowledge and having to train here would have terrified me three weeks ago, but I think I've learned enough to keep the ball rolling here. Mostly I think my attitude just needed a bit of adjusting. A little self-introspection has helped me a lot.

 

I went on my first hike this morning, up a little ridge to a outcrop they call Pride Rock. It was a short little hike up a brushy little hill, but it was my first outdoor excursion since the surgery, and probably the most exercise I've had in one go since then, as well. I took a couple of pictures. It was a nice feeling, making it all the way to the top. My pulse was quicker and I was sweating a bit, but I didn't feel like an invalid. It was nice.

 

I had to scold myself a little bit for not getting my paperwork filled out promptly for the baptisms we had in December. The mission office called us for them and we made a special hour-long commute to deliver them in person so they could get reported in 2012 instead of 2013. I should have stayed on top of those, considering I've baptized before and my companion hadn't, and I should have understood the magnitude and importance of getting the papers in. But we got them in on time for the 2012 deadline, and made our office staff pretty happy.

 

Now, we have to go back and pack like madmen for my current companion's first transfer. He is being doubled in training as a district leader in an area that was primarily neglected by previous Elders. That's pretty hardcore in my humble opinion. I was amazed that President Smart trusts me enough to train already, but Elder "C" is definitely leadership material despite being a transfer younger than me. He is looking forward to the new challenges and the new area. I am humbly asking that you guys pray for me to have patience, love, and discernment. I am way stoked about teaching a new guy but also very nervous about screwing him up. I guess I'm already a neurotic paranoid parent and I should loosen up a bit. We will see how this guy is when I meet him tomorrow.

 I met some very interesting characters on the street this week. There's a Starbucks barista that I really kick myself for not getting any information from, but I imagine if we hang around that Starbucks across from our chapel, we can find her again. She has Salvador Dali artwork tattooed on one arm, and Allen Ginsberg poetry on her other arm: "The weight of the world is love." Think about that one for a minute. Outside that same Starbucks, we met a musician.  His guitar playing was pretty intense, in an emotionally inspiring kind of way. He believes in the Torah, but isn't a practicing Jew. He told us he is almost certain that the events in the Torah can be proven by scientific understanding. That was an interesting idea to turn over.

 I know that God loves us all and wants us all to be happy. "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39.

Well, this is it. Let's see how things go with me and my greenie.