Bound by the surprise of our glory days - 03/24/14

A lot happened this week. Let me just preface all this by saying that I am really, really looking forward to my final week in the mission, the week that I extended past transfers in order to see my convert sealed in the Newport Beach temple. In my last face-to-face conversation with President Smart, he told me that my last week in the mission would be fun. So I'm expecting a change of pace for that final week. President knows full well that he's sent a lot of tough companions my way, and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

From today's encouraging personal email from Pres: "You are a wonderful companion and a tremendous resource for our mission. I have relied on you many times. Thanks for being willing and able. Your good attitude has really helped me."

From the email that everybody gets from Pres: "PS - Those achieving the Standard of Excellence this week are: ... Elders Hansen and "P", .... In addition, 60 other missionaries achieved the Standard in all but one category. Thanks to all of you for your dedicated service. Have a great week!"

Nineteen other companionship hit standard, but I don't think any of them treasured that achievement as much as Elder "P". He was calling all his past companions and sharing the news last night until he fell asleep. 

For those keeping score at home, the Standard of Excellence is our mission's goal for what an excellent missionary can accomplish in a week. For us, it's four investigators at sacrament meeting, seven lessons to investigators with a member present, twenty lessons in total, and a full week of twenty street contacts a day. 

The thought never really crossed my mind that we could hit that goal and get our names in the email (that's our fame and glory, woohoo). But on Thursday, after three member-present lessons fell in my lap, and I realized that we had a handful of non-members that came to church just about every week (I didn't know a couple of these people were unbaptized before!), Elder "P" and I decided to go for it. And we exceeded it. We ended up with 28 lessons, 8 of which were member-present, and 7 investigators at church. I don't think he's ever had a week that good in his life. 

I 100% believe that the prayers of people back home made this entire week possible. Can I make it happen again? I sure can. I just hope that "P's" abundant joy and enormous pride doesn't turn into the kind of arrogance that will get us struck down and humbled by God.  You see, because the whole reason Elder "P" performed well this week is because he thought he was in danger of being sent home. That kind of attitude is what really rubs me wrong about this guy. 

Tuesday was a bad day. We had a district meeting, and my companion threw a fit. Well, he doesn't like that phrase, so I will be more precise: he threw his scriptures, his coat, and his name tag at the car in anger, punched the car a few times, and ran off on his own behind the church building. Two elders went after him. I just stood there. As far as I can tell, after talking to him about it, the thing that triggered that explosion was that six of our elders (the ones living together because they are avoiding the stalker) all decided to wear yellow ties to district meeting, and my companion felt left out of the cool kids club and thought they were bragging about how much cooler they were. So yeah, he punched the car in anger over a yellow tie. 

I was advised by my zone leader/best friend to call Pres and get this kid 5150d. First I had to deal with the fact that we were all at lunch and my companion was convinced everybody hated him and he didn't want to sit next to anyone with a yellow tie on. I did end up calling President later that night, and we determined to let him know that this kind of behavior is unacceptable, and is the kind of thing that will get him sent home. President spoke with him on the phone briefly, too. Suddenly everything changed. He called up everybody he could think of in the zone to apologize to. He was the first to suggest that we plan ways to get more lessons. He became a number-mongering missionary overnight. 

Things were still a little bit rough. I had to take him to the doctor, sit through 2 hours of Jerry Springer in the waiting room, convince him to buy and take his meds, and listen to him talk to the members about his problems. He got a letter from his parents that basically reinforced everything Pres and I said about him needing to shape up or be sent home, and that was scary for him. But like I said, he tried to be on his best behavior, and when Thursday rolled around, I felt inspired to do everything in my power to hit the Standard of Excellence. And so we did. He couldn't be more thrilled about that. 

The best part was on our way home Sunday night, one of our investigators that we picked up this past week called us up and told us that she wanted her and her children to be baptized in our church. Elder "P" wasted no time in putting her on date for baptism over the phone. Her kids are still in foster care and we've never met them, but she wants to talk to her social worker about being able to bring them to church. So that's pretty good news, in my book. 

Again, I can tell that the prayers of everybody on our behalf are making a huge difference. Thank you so much for caring about me. 

I'm reminded of D&C 35:34.  "Keep all the commandments and covenants by which ye are bound; and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and Satan shall tremble and Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish;" When God wants something to happen, he can make the heavens shake for our good.  I feel like I'm sitting under a fruit tree and everybody has been shaking that tree for me, and the fruit just fell out and hit me on the head. Thank you so much.