SO I'm peace'in out of Longmont and leaving Elder Brimley here. Our mission president actually told us we've had fun together and we can't have too much fun so he's splitting us up (he was joking). BUT I am going to Windsor to be with Elder Hughes. He's a cool guy, should be fun! I'll miss the AZ BOIZ though...
We had a meeting with the whole zone Wednesday, it was a good time. Talked a lot about looking outwards. Been on my mind a lot. The solution to a lot of problems is being selfless and looking outwards, as Christ did. And in turn we become better ourselves. BUT if we're self centered, we don't improve ourselves. Interesting concept, very hard to explain over email....sorry! We had a lesson that night with a priest about to go on a mission and a guy we were teaching who got baptized this week. We taught him at the stake center and showed him the font and everything. We planned on teaching about the Priesthood and temples and turned out the priest had just gone to the temple that day and was the perfect person to help us teach about both of those things! The priest shared his testimony on the Priesthood and how it gives him purpose and it was powerful!
Thursday morning we went for a walk and met a guy who didn't speak English. But of course that doesn't stop us. He asked us if we were "Chris"....I think he meant Christian. So we said yes and he tried explaining to us that he has many bibles BUT we didn't let him go, he left with a pamphlet. That was fun, it's strange how many people we meet in Longmont who don't speak English. Later that night we went to visit somebody we are teaching. We saw an ambulance in the parking lot of his apartment complex as we drove up and we kinds joked about it being for him. Then we got to his door and it had a note that said something about how he has the flu virus and not to come in...so then we realized it actually could be him. THEN at a stoplight the ambulance drove past us and through the back windows we SAW HIM! So that was kinda crazy, say prayers for him!
Friday we took a drive up to a place called pinewood springs. We got a referral to see this old couple who lived up there. So we went to see them and talked for a while. Honestly visiting old people is the best. They just make you feel good and you don't even have to talk. The wife even said "my husband doesn't talk to me much, so it's nice to have visitors". We just sat and listened....being a listening ear actually does make a difference. You don't need to solve ever problem people come to you with, usually you SHOULDN'T try to solve their problem. Just listen.
Saturday was super busy. We ended up moving apartments all day (yes, right before transfers...its a long story). So that took a whole, then these members offered to feed us lunch so we went over in our service clothes to lunch. Felt really weird, but it was good. All while moving we were planning a baptism for that evening at 5pm and making sure the font was filled and everything. The baptism went great. Something sad/cool from the baptism: Manny had invited his family to come. Unfortunately I don't think they realized how important this was, and nobody showed up. But the ward was so involved, many members came and spoke and welcomed him. A member even performed the baptism. I was talking to him afterwards and he mentioned how he wa sounds bummed about his family BUT he had his other family come. The ward family! Again, just listening and being a friend. It makes a difference.
Sunday was really cool, Manny was confirmed and it was powerful. When he sat down afterwards he said "wow". Had an interesting experience, some members asked us to help them teach their Sunday school class and we agreed to help. But they never told us what to do. So we showed up and they were teaching then said "Elders, we'll turn the time over to you for the rest of class". Haha...wut. BUT it worked out. I don't know what happened but we opened up the scriptures and the Spirit took over. Afterwards we had a really good conversation with this priest who is preparing for his mission. We had taught something about Laman and Lemuel not wanting to let go of Jerusalem. And how the lord takes away something good that we have, puts it an ocean away and gives us something better. The priest came up to us and asked us what our "Jerusalem" was/what was hard to let go of to go on a mission. Ended up being a really cool conversation. I realized the reason we were able to teach so well on the spot was because of the spirit preparation of the people we were teaching, and only partially the spirit preparation from us that comes with being a missionary.
Yesterday was a good day. It SNOWED nonstop so we took the opportunity to go knock doors and make people feel bad for us. Had a fun time, enjoying these last few days surg Elder Brimley! Visited some of the members I'm going to miss. It was a good day!
Fun stuff:
-it got up to 80 degrees Sunday and we were wearing short sleeves and were BURNING HOT.....then we woke up to snow Monday morning and it is getting closer and closer to 0 degrees..
-at our church building in Lyons there are often lots of geese that hang out there. Causes lots of problems, they leave poo all over and members Shovel it before church. ANYWAY...everyone throws rocks at geese right? So that's what we did last Friday...grabbed a few handfuls of rocks and we're scaring them off before heading inside. Well...elder Brimley threw the perfect rock which hit a goose directly in the back of the head. It hobbled a little bit, flapped it's wings, then laid on the ground. We felt like monsters....but didn't know what to do...so we just ran inside. By the time we came out it was GONE. So either it just got a concussion and hobbled away....or a wild animal got it...
Spiritual thought: 3 Nephi 12:13-16. This is a famous set of scriptures, the same thing is found in the Bible. The savior mentions how we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. I haven't always realized this but as disciples of Christ we are meant to stick out! In school often my goal was to blend in. So fly under the radar. And unfortunately sometimes, lower my standards to make those around me more comfortable. To fit in. That is wrong. We are the salt, we add flavor. Our job is to lift all those around us HIGHER. We are a light and we truly can light the world (yeah even outside of Christmas time). I got a fortune cookie from pandas yesterday that told me my smile lights up a room (not very much of a fortune, kinda lame but...). BUT smiles DO sometimes make a big difference. Keeping the commandments, living righteously, and being kind make you different. But that's how it is supposed to be. Embrace being different and lift those around you higher. You make a bigger impact than you think.
Pictures:
-meeting last week
-didn't plan to match
-some valley boiz pics
-basketball?
-stake president John 🐐
-Mannys baptism!
-E. B.
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