Hola amigos y familia,
Last Tuesday for preparation day we played basketball with the Buffalo Ridge Elders. I felt like I represented the United States. Although Elder Garcia is from Blythe California (I've driven through there many times and didn't know people lived there, I make fun of it a lot haha). He has Mexican heritage, and then Elder Uffland is from Canada and Elder Chinbaatar is from Mongolia. I didn't put my country to shame, and only lost 21 4/5 times.
Wednesday I was on exchanges with Elder Garcia in my area. We only had 1 appointment that night, so we spent a lot of time finding. We tracted a LOT, and we finished a huge street with no real success (I mean we did have success, the success is in the invitation :), but you know what I mean). We walked back to where we parked a car, and a lady drove to the side of the road and parked right behind us and sat there, and we kinda just looked at each other and read each other's mind and started walking towards her. She rolled down her window and we talked with her and she ended up taking a book of mormon and we taught her about it. She had heard of it before but didn't know what it actually was and she said she would read it. We got her contact info and everything, and we said bye and she drove away. I think she just pulled over to look at something on her phone, I don't really know. But I do believe the Lord guided her to us/us to her. Although it felt like a waste of time tracting a huge street with nobody interested, the Lord blessed us for our efforts and because we were both in tune with the Spirit we went and talked to her.
Thursday was a good day, we had district council then went to do service as always. That night we had a lesson with a family of members that wanted us over and it went great. Their 10 year old boy was speaking that Sunday at stake conference!! He said we helped him with his talk so that was cool. Also that night we had a dinner appointment with our Elders quorum president, but his wife had a meeting she had to go to so he ended up just taking us out wherever we wanted. Chick-fil-a is great. Even though we were at chick-fil-a we shared a message with him after dinner. I don't know why, but the spirit was so strong, and tears were shed at the restaurant that night! I think most of the time the only thing keeping us from feeling the spirit is ourselves. If your focus is on the savior Jesus Christ, the spirit with always touch your heart, whether you're in church or at Chick-fil-a.
Friday night we were out finding people in the freezing cold. I think people are getting nicer when they see us out in the freezing cold, although sometimes people say "I don't want to waste your time and make you freeze out there" and shut us down real quick. They could let us in but....oh well! We met a cool guy that night. We told him we had a message about Jesus Christ and he said he would be interested in a message about Jesus, but he doesn't agree with what we believe about Jesus. I asked him what he doesnt agree with (usually I don't because then it opens up a can of worms with people who wanna bash) but I asked him. He told us that he believes that Jesus Christ suffered for our sins and died for us and performed the Atonement. I sat there looking at him, waiting for him to get to the part where we disagree but he stopped. We told him we agreed and he said that he was confused and thought we were Mormons when we said "Latter day saints". We told him that actually we are the people referred to as Mormons and he was VERY confused. Kinda funny situation, BUT he did invite us back to see what we really believe.
Saturday was a good day! A while ago we knocked on the door of a guy named Relph. I may have talked about him before. So the first time we knocked on his door he didn't speak to us, just kinda mouthed the words that we should come back. We went back and he spoke to us that time, but barely. He told us he had a stroke and can't speak well, and he speaks better in the morning. We were able to get his name that time. So we've tried contacting him with no success but Saturday morning we caught him as he was leaving for the store. He told us to come back in an hour, so we did and he invited us in and we started teaching him. He had a stroke in 2007 and used to not be able to speak AT ALL. Throughout the lesson he was having a hard time because he wanted to ask questions but couldn't get the words out, or think or the words. Its kinda sad but he is a great guy! We set a return appointment for Monday morning earlier because he said he will speak better then and I was able to download the book of mormon on his iPad so he could listen to it because he can't read very well or at all. One really cool thing about Relph. He told us that we are the first people to understand him at his door. Usually people don't understand him and just walk away, but he thought it was really cool that we came back and understood him. I can understand him fine, and I know that is because of the spirit.
Sunday there was stake conference and it was fantastic! Our mission president was there and spoke and did something really cool. He had everyone get out their phones and think about someone they wish was sitting beside them, and to text that name to the missionaries. He had our zone leaders go up and say their phone number so they'll have to organize and get all the members of our ward to us. It was AWESOME all they had to do was send a name and it's our job as missionaries to follow up, I'm pretty sure they got about 200 names or more.
Spiritual thought: Something that really stuck out to me during stake conference was something the stake president said. He started talking about how important it is for us to DO things. When you think about the Saviors life, He taught a lot of great things. But what really sticks out is what he DID, and what He did that night in the garden of Gethsemane is the most important thing! We can go to church and learn and read the scriptures that's great, but DOING is SO important. I kept thinking about that especially as president McMurray asked everyone to DO and get out their phones and text a name. I also thought a lot about my missionary work. The miricles happen and lives are changed as I go out and work. I also was reminded about a scripture I shared when I gave my "farewell" talk. James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves". The Lord expects more than just learn of Him, we must become as Him. I promise that as you go out and act and serve, especially this Christmas season with the light the world initiative (go to lighttheworld.org if you don't know what that is) that an increase of joy will enter your lives. Blessings come as we DO, we change as we DO, and give something back to our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ for the biggest thing anyone has ever done. I know there is someone reading this right now that knows there is something they need to do, the spirit has already impressed upon their mind what it is. Go do it!
Fun stuff:
-Wednesday there was a really cranky street, one lady told us she called the sheriff and her neighbor walked us off his front yard. He kept yelling things at us as we went to the next house, and it was really hard not to laugh when he said "trick or treaters go home when it gets dark!"....thats when they come out?
-me and Elder Chinbaatar got Christmas packages and we have a Christmas tree set up with stockings :)
-I went into a blind lady's house to pick up spaghetti-never done that before
-all of our regular service isn't on Saturday, but Saturday was the worldwide day of service for light the world, so we went and picked up trash in the freezing wind it was super fun! :|
-we were teaching some members commandments. I shared Ether 11:14 "and Moron did that which was wicked before the Lord" and the mother looked at her two kids (teenagers) and said "HA-he called you two morons!!"
Pictures: I promise I'm happy just cold, Merry CHRISTmas, Elder Chinbaatar said I looked like an egg and took a pic and I totally did...call me Elder Egg, Elder chinbaatar took a picture of me at service, #lightthehoodofthecar, I drew a picture of jesus on our table
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