Last week was just a day to day normal stuff seems like all week. Carson had practice I went back to the garage project and got the center bay emptied of stuff. Now all I have left is to move the 2 shelves on the Yukon side of the garage and paint under them and move the flat grill and all that stuff out of that corner to paint there and do one more coat in the middle bay. But for now things are put away and all the cars are in the garage for the first time in 3 months. (At least for a couple days). I'm not sure what I'm going to do to get it all finished because I don't want to cleanup the paint stuff more than one more time😕. I still need to finish painting the window frames on the window wells we replaced and put some new rock in the bottoms and we need to replace a couple sprinkler boxes but that isn't going to happen this week- it's supposed to rain Til Wednesday. I'm not excited about that.
Carson played his last little league football game yesterday. They lost but Carson played well. They are planning on going to mesquite again the 2nd weekend of November so we will be doing football for another month. I am guessing that wrestling will be starting in the next week or so too so whatever projects we are going to get done I think that will be about how much time we will have to get them done. Wrestling always seems to take a lot more time than football. I guess we will test it out since we won't have to chase high school Just maybe once during the week and Saturday.
It was Ethan Bunderson's farewell today. We didn't make it out there but thought you would want to know.
I got a new calling a couple weeks ago- no I didn't get release for the music calling-- I am the secretary for the scout committee. I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do but I went to my first meeting today. I was feeling pretty out numbered - 8 men and me😊. I guess that's just my place in life. The only girl at home, 1 of 2 girls at work -- everywhere I go and I wonder why I don't relate well to other women most of the time😂😂. I'm good with it, makes life have a lot less drama I think.
We had our home teaching dinner today. Baker's and Greene's ended up not being able to come, so it was us Bailey's, Burt's and Taylor and Kayla. Always a good time. It's good to have friends to visit with and know that if you need something you can call them and they'll be right there to help. Taylor and Kayla went to the temple yesterday for the first time since before they got married. It was pretty awesome. I'm so thankful for the dedication that they have to each other and to the gospel and the choices that they make each day to keep them on the path back to Heavenly Father. They are awesome examples of how the Atonement can work in our lives if we let it and allow ourselves to be forgiven and move forward doing the things necessary to make that happen. It is amazing to me the overwhelming love that the Savior has for us. It is actually unfathomable, but awesome!!
Our lesson in relief society was about being committed to the gospel. And I was thinking about it and I think I've always had a testimony - I know the church is true. Some things I probably have a stronger testimony of than others at different times in my life. But overall I know it's all true. Honestly I don't think I have ever questioned any of it. Not Joseph smith, not the Book of Mormon, none of it. But, my level of commitment varies sometimes from day to day. I know that I should be more positive about things, I know that callings come from the Lord- even though I don't know why I have the one I have- but I have made a more conscious effort to try and have a better attitude about it - and then today your dad was making fun of how I lead the music in front of everyone at dinner. It really hurt my feelings. I'm already nervous and know I'm not good at it because I really don't know what I'm doing, but I didn't say no to the calling even though with everything in me I so wanted to. I know that I'm supposed to learn something from it. Being the young women's president was hard, but at least there I felt like I could make a difference and do something good. I don't know what my purpose is now, but I still go to church and try to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. I don't miss spending so many hours at young women, but I miss the girls and the women that I worked with and the connection that we had. #thestruggleisreal. 😂
So, how was your week? How's the new comp? It sounds like he is really good for you. I'm glad to hear that you are being obedient. Good things will happen when you do what the lord asks of you.
Did you get your package? I tracked it again last week and it shows that it was delivered to its final destination on Monday October 10. So I'm hoping that you at least got that one. I'm kind of waiting to see what happens with that package so in can decide how to send your stuff for Christmas. I'm still pretty upset that you haven't gotten the first package that I sent to you yet. It's been 2 months maybe even a little longer.
I hope you know how much we love you and how proud of your we are. You are a great example to Carson and to your cousins and I know there are many others that look up to you as an example of what they want to be like when they grow up. You really have a lot going for you.
I kind of chuckled a little bit about you saying you might want to teach school when you complete college. I think you will be awesome at whatever you decide to do. And really at this point that is the least of your worries, But as a teacher you are in a position to influence many lives. It's good to have some things in mind that you might want to do when you get home.
Love
Mom
So this was a super fast week again. We worked really hard and we found a little success. We were supposed to baptize a girl who is 11 however, the mom is a member but the dad is Catholic. So we thought the mom would just sign because everyone told us that she wears the pants in the relationship. But we then found out that she doesn't like the church and likes the Catholic church more. So she wouldn't sign. There goes our baptism... Next we taught a lot of lessons and I swear freaking everyone here needs to be married. They just shack up!!! And never get married. It is really hard. But my companion is okay. He is really difficult because he is kinda a douche when people tell him no. He throws scriptures at them and says you need to do this and that. I just don't like it! He also drags the lessons out. They could be 30 minutes but are like an hour and a half. It gets boring. I definitely don't feel the spirit so I don't know how our investigators feel it. Then one day he told me to respect the time. I about punched him in the mouth. Other than my companion troubles I am learning Spanish and things about the gospel. In D&C 50 it talks about how you should teach. It helped me realize how I need to teach. I really strive to teach like that. Oh my Spanish is pretty good. I understand everything but I just have troubles speaking it now :) So the first part of the week mom I struggled because I was worried about you. My mind wasn't on the work but then I put my mind on the work and I had a better week. Well I love you :)
Here is the voice recording ( I tried to just attach the file, but it wouldn't let me so Here's the transcription)
Well, Mommy How are you? How the Heck are you? Let's just be honest right now. Well, I've had this for a while and just haven't used it. I'm sorry. I think it might just be easier, I might just write a little bit and just send these voice recordings because it will be a lot faster to send them than it would be to write. I think. I think? Well, we'll see. Anyways..
This week was - well- it was a little different like I wrote in my email. The beginning of the week was a struggle for me because of you and everything you know- a little struggle for me. but I'm fine now. Especially now. Like about Thursday 1/2 way through the week I was pretty good. I was comforted, like I said in my letter. I was just comforted by the spirit that you were going to be ok and hopefully that's the case. Hopefully, I'm not saying this and you send an email and you have something super bad happen to you. Knock on wood, you know. But, I still have not woken up in the middle of the night hating my companion not knowing how to speak the language and wondering why the heck I am here and wishing I could be running Chan fir. Because I definitely don't wish that I could be running chan fir right now. You can tell Wayne that right now, or text Amber and say "I don't want to run chan fir STILL, like it's still not that bad, the mission is still not that terrible!" There are parts that suck. Like I said in my letter, my companion likes to talk on and on and on. One time, I honestly fell asleep in a lesson. and I woke up right in time and I was "Oh, crap- what do you want me to teach?" He was like - It's alright (something in spanish) we are out of time. - OK Sweet.
We were teaching a lady and she was like everybody here says 'Soy Catolico' -I'm Catholic no quiero eso ( I don't want this). My companion was Catholic so he says ' no you're fine, you can be Catholic, but we just want to teach you about Jesus Christ' and then he kind of rips 'em open about it. He's kind of mean to them and tells them that their church wasn't founded. I mean it's true, but that's a little harsh you know. Whatever. It doesn't but me. Well actually it does. Sometimes we're with investigators that I've been with for a little bit and we've just been friends with, and he rips 'em open and I'm like whoa! A little mean there aren't ya. But you know if that's how he's going to be, that's how he's gonna be right?!
Anyways, we're just livin' the dream in Zacatecoluca El Salvador.
You know, I've learned a lot of things on my mission already. One change, Huh, The biggest thing is probably teaching by the spirit. I'll have to say that teaching by the spirit is the most important thing on the mission. I think. You can be the greatest teacher in the world, but if you're without the spirit, you're nothing. You're absolutely nothing. If I could be disobedient and teach by the spirit then I'm still better than an obedient kid that can't teach by the spirit. Even though that would never happen. If you aren't obedient you won't have the spirit so you can't teach well. Also, kind of got ripped on today because there wasn't a baptism in the whole zone. The assistants ripped on us, well just one in particular. he's kind of a dick. I don't care if that's bad to say, but yeah, it's probably bad, but he's a douche. and if he hears this he can come talk to me. Elder Lancaster in Zacatecoluca right now. you can come talk to me Elder Stout I think you're a douche sometimes. so Mom- Sorry- just How's it going. Maybe you could send me one of these sometime. I'm not opposed.
One thing we learned is how to make ties skinny. I think it's super Chivo (super cool) Super Chivo because I like skinny ties. Well I don't like super skinny, skinny ties; I like slim ties, not fat ties. I have some fat ties I've cut up and made skinnier. One of them I can't make skinnier because it's the patch tie- that one has to be saved. Well- that's all I have to say for now. 6 minutes not 5 minutes. Well, I love you Mommy. Maybe next week I might just send these instead of writing a long letter, that might be a little bit better. Nah, I'll still write a long letter. Love you Mom- Bye.
Mom: You don't need to worry about me --I'm fine!!
You should ask that Elder how
many baptisms he had last week. Obviously he didn't have any his week
either.
Teaching by the spirit is
exactly what you're supposed to do so keep it up. And just because what your
companion might say to the people about being Catholic or whatever might be
true. It doesn't give him the right to judge them and if he thinks treating them
disrespectfully will further the work of the gospel there - he is dead wrong- if you
want to sell the gospel - which is basically what you are doing-- you have to be
an example and bring them along with you not degrade them and think they are
going to think 'yeah I want to join that church' because their missionaries are
jerks. And word of mouth makes or breaks more sales than anything. I can
guarantee that the people he is rude to are telling all their friends that the
missionaries from the Mormon church are real butt heads.
Jackson: I've told him that. Oh thanks for the M&M`s they are amazing. I
still haven't got the first package so make sure you spend the extra money..
Sorry you did always say that I was the most expensive child right? ;) Promise
you're fine?
Mom: I promise I'm fine. How about the cereal? What are you going to do with
the recorders-- did you use one of them to send the recording or did we send a
recorder with you? I can't remember?
Jackson: I have the nice recorder. I've sold two already. I think I might
need one more for another elder. If you could send it in my Christmas
package.... Love you mommy :)
Mom: What are you doing in the grass with the stick? Nice shirt? I don't know
about your taste in shirts. How much were the shoes? Carson wants some ;)
JK. Nice socks LOL I'll have to see if we can find you another pair. Who are
the elders in the picture? I recognize some of them but there are a couple I
haven't seen before.
Well-- You are out of time-- Have a great week!! Don't worry about what
the AP says. Just get out their and be a great example of who you are. A
representative of Jesus Christ!! Not the judge, jury and executioner. Your job
as a missionary isn't to baptize people- Yes that is a great benefit if it
happens-- but your job is to show people what the gospel is all about and share
the message of the Plan of Salvation and the Plan of Happiness that will guide
them back to our Father in Heaven.
Work hard and remember that we believe in you and know you are doing a
great job!!
No comments:
Post a Comment