Challenges and Teaching

Dear everyone,

First, an interesting street intersection we passed through the other day on the way to district meeting. We're recognized in Marble Falls!  Look closely at the street direction sign on the stoplight cross pole.  Mission Hill or Mormon Hill, which to choose?

M is doing ok. As her fellowship progressed, it seem that her family (who provides financial support for her) found out that she was meeting with us, Her move back was put earlier on her calendar. She was originally going to move later March, but they are pushing her to get out as soon as she can. *sigh*, At times opposition can come from anywhere, even from family. Prayers are welcome, as we will try to allow her to keep her current baptismal date, and bring some fellowship from her new area to prepare her for the move. It won't do any good for her to have great fellowship here, move out there, and then have little to no connection with anybody anymore. 

Another piece of sad news is that her daughter called her out to pet sit over the weekend, and as a result, she was unable to attend church. Go figure. Next week, then.

We are also working with a couple A and M. Those two remind me heavily of Brother and Sister Johnson who passed away. I did say that right? Yes, I did report that. I believe. Hopefully, anyway, they do not have quite the same concerns as the Johnson's did, but it may be a little bit of a flashback.

The other night, I had a dream that I was assigned to speak Italian in addition to Spanish on my mission. Cool, but I don't think I've met a single person, not including return missionaries, who speaks Italian. There were some other weird things that came into my dream as well. But I now can't remember. Everything is bigger in Texas, even the dreams.

I still haven't gotten my journal back from my last area, and it has become increasingly hard to motivate myself to type my journal. The paper to pen experience is completely gone. Hard to know what to do. So I guess I need to just saddle up and write. Write, write, write.

This week we will be participating in a worldwide missionary broadcast. Who knows what they will teach us, or announce, maybe there will be many new things going on, or possibly none new, just great reminders of the gospel we already have. It'll be quite fun.

I finally found an iPad repair place in the area. Last p-day, we went to the nearest Apple Store that really wasn't so nearby. When we went in, they told us that they would replace the iPad, and that they didn't do screen repairs. I stomped off, a little singed in the pride, and we found a Japanese grill place to eat dinner. We saw this Pokémon store, and I felt like visiting.

But, we found a place that will replace the screen, so that after I'm done emailing today, I won't have an iPad for a few days, most likely. Might not even have it for the world broadcast, which means I might have to go classic pen and paper for the meeting. That would feel weird, considering how much I've used the iPad for note taking.

Finally, here is a picture of Elder Greene who exchanged with me. He is Elder Jason Bushman's cousin, if any of you know him.

Questions and Answers

How have splits with members worked out this past week?     

It has worked out fine. We didn't get anyone to come with us this past week, but we are getting signup sheets going around in the coming weeks, and we should have to shortage of success with them.

Also, in our district meeting of last week, a proselyting senior couple trained us on the use of a survey that is supposed to help us meet new people. We visit houses or talk to people outside, and share a short survey of ten questions, that by the end should open them up to learning more, watching a video, setting a return appointment, etc. We've only had the chance to try it a few times last half of the week when we had it. We haven't taught anything after it yet, but it does open people up to telling us a little bit more about themselves. After all, people don't enjoy so much hearing about you, but telling you about themselves.

Over the long run, how have your challenges shown you Heavenly Father's love for you?  

   

Well, it's like the weight of an exercise machine. Too much will not work, but just enough shreds our muscle and prepares it to grow.

Y'all probably noticed the somewhat anxious quality of my emails at the beginning of my mission. Through a variety of ways, God has trained me to do more with my confidence, and to displace dark anxiety. Being anxious, isn't completely of itself bad. It can motivate us to work if it is used in appropriate amounts. Now it is manageable, now I can use it to my advantage. Now things work quite well.

Does living in an apartment with multiple Elders make your work different in any significant ways?     

Not too much. It's still the same work. Sometimes it helps to have someone else to bounce ideas off of, or someone to talk to other than your companion, but it generally doesn't change too much. More food in the pantry and more mouths to feed?

Have you seen any lizards lately?     

Why yes, I think I -- no. Just kidding. No lizards.

Elder Hall

Texas San Antonio Mission