Howdy friends and family,
Sorry I didn't send an email last week, that's my bad!
Things have been good here in the FOCO mission! As you know things are crazy, but know that the missionaries are still working! It's just different. But again I testify that missionaries being more effective and learning to use technology was way overdue, and all of this is helping. We have seen miracles and will continue to!
But it is different. We have lots to do but sitting within the same 4 walls of our living room is exhausting and quite depressing! We live pretty close to our church building, so we take time to walk to get a change of scenery. Our walk is actually along a lake and it's pretty nice. In the evening there a view of the sunset, the mountains, and the lake. And sometimes there's bald eagles on the lake. ANYWAY. Last Tuesday we took a walk to the church building. We can't approach anyone and talk to them about the gospel which breaks our hearts....honestly quite painful. But as we showed up to the church building, there was someone sitting in the parking lot in their car. They got out and approached us. Turns out it is a recent convert of about 3 years, who is trying to decide/figure out how to go on a mission. He was sitting at the church reading the Book of Mormon and saw us. We helped him first refer a friend of his to missionaries in California, then we continued to talk to him for quite some time about him preparing for a mission. Really cool experience. Was needed by us probably more than it was needed by him.
These last 2 weeks we had a couple lessons with a kid we're teaching, his friend who's a member, and Elder Hughes! Elder Hughes/Nate was pretty close with this kid we're teaching. So with our technology that we haven't used very well until now, we're keeping Elder Hughes involved. A few of the lessons we've just read from the Book of mormon together. His member friend sent us a text after one lesson thanking us and saying that it was super cool to hear his best friend read the book of mormon!
We've been having "virtual exchanges". We can't have missionaries come over and spend the night with us and spend the whole day like usual, but we've figured out a way to still do somewhat of an exchange. For certain activities we FaceTime each other (like comp study, some teaching, etc.) It's actually been successful. I've gotten really close with a few missionaries I've gone on exchanges with, and they've taught me a lot (even thought it is just through a screen).
We're teaching the people we've been working with still, and we've started teaching members MORE. Members have time, and we have time so we teach! We've had more teaching appointments and it's been really nice. Recently we had a lesson with a family who were actually in different locations, but all joined in the lesson over zoom. One son actually just got back from Ecuador and is awaiting reassignment. It was cool to talk to him and see his example to his siblings.
Spiritual Thought: Elder Garrison is great, I'm quite bummed I'll only be spending one transfer with him. The conversations we have are pretty fun, and recently we've had an ongoing conversation about how you grow the most as you forget about yourself and focus on others. We put up a couple quotes on whiteboards we have around our apartment:
“We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to ‘find’ ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!”-Spencer W. Kimball
"self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendance"
-Viktor Frankl"
"whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" - Jesus (Matthew 16:25)
Sorry for the random quotes a just threw in, but I've liked them a lot. And there's wisdom in this concept that I hope you understand. The most miserable times in my life have been as I've been focused on myself. And the happiest and most fulfilling times of my life have been as I focus outwards. Ive realized that is why my mission has been the best time of my life so far. I've figured out how to forget about myself and go to work. That is a secret to a happy life. Love others and give of yourself. You'll be better off, I can promise!
Pictures:
-found these glasses that I think belong to a sister
-Windsor
-why am I in Laramie, WY?
-idk
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