What more can [I] Say?

Than to you [I] have said? I'm drawing a blank. I guess I'll report on the week. It was a relatively uneventful week with new years and everything. Our teaching pool has dropped even lower, but even in all of that, we are still seeing blessings from the Lord. My companion, Elder Harper, said something rather profound. I believe it was inspired by a talk we watched with a family, "Pride and the Priesthood" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. In that talk he was speaking of Humility, and he said "humility is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking less about yourself." Elder Harper made the connection that Even if he does his best, and sees no baptisms, he's just as blessed as the missionary who does his best and sees 100. The Lord does not bless based on results, but on effort given. The same way the lord does not necessarily bless the Rich man more than the Poor.

So no matter what our situation may be, if we give our all, and obey all the commandments we have been given, and repent when we do not, we will see blessings, no matter what our circumstances may be.

I love and miss you all!

You're a mean one, Mister Grinch

Sorry about the lack of email last week. We had the oppurotunity to go to the temple and I honestly thought I was going to have more time to email.

It's been an eventful and wonderful Christmas season, and of Course the temple, as always, was amazing, and Even with a companion that isn't the biggest fan of Christmas, it too, was amazing. Some of the highlights of this Christmas seasons was: 1) Our Pilot light going out on our heater on one of the Coldest nights thus far (31 degrees. I know, not that cold, but it sure feels cold.) 2) Our recent convert, David, who is 17 visiting our apartment on Sunday morning, accidentally/somewhat purposefully lighting his hand on fire, frantically waving it out whilst tripping over my stereo, and crushing one of my CD's. 3) The many exciting and eventful phone calls that took place calling home to family. Overall, it has been rather fun.

Things are starting to wind down in the area, and, oddly enough, so is my mission. I swear the two aren't connected, but it sure seems to have worked out that way. Sure hope my President doesn't think I'm getting trunky. However, I'm going to keep plugging away.

I love and miss you all!

Expect Trials, Expect the Lord to Act

Its been one of those weeks. One of those weeks that make you excited that is, cause when everything goes wrong, you know something good is coming, and all the trials are just the groundwork for it. I mentioned something about it to Elder Harper one day. It seemed that every single person we taught was experiencing some sort of extremely difficult trial, and a lot of them weren't doing everything the were supposed to.

It got pretty discouraging. We went by one house that same day. Turns out our solid investigator had moved and didn't tell us. We left that house to go visit an investigator at another house. Turns out there power was shut off, and all the kids were sent to a different house to stay till it comes back on. The lord knows what he's doing though, it just requires me to be as flexible as possible, and just do the best with whatever comes into my hands. Even if it means getting my proselyting clothes dirty while raking leaves, or talking to crazy people. I know the lord will bless me for doing my best, but even more important, I know the Lord's Will is being accomplished, even if I don't exactly see how.

On a positive note, Kaylie came to church, and was confirmed! I also remembered to bring my memory card, so everyone can see a picture!

I love and miss you all!

A lisence... a lisence to drive!!

Thats what I spent an hour and half doing at the DMV this morning. Let me tell you, DMV's are so much fun! Definitely somewhere I would go to hang out. Not. We got there and the line was out the door. Luckily I had an appointment. Took and almost frighteningly easy written test, and that was it. Only took an hour of waiting for 15 minutes of actual doing something.

This last week we finally mangaged to see Kaylie baptized! It was something special for sure. I think it was the first church activity that her mother has been to since she was baptized almost 20 years ago. Now we just need to get her to go to church.

I'll tell you one thing right now, it is very easy to become prideful as a missionary. As missionaries, obviously our number one focus and concern in life is missionary work. We become very good at it, and we know and recognize everything that it takes to make a good member missionary. It becomes very easy to point out all the flaws that a ward has in its missionary work. What we tend to forget as missionaries is that these people aren't stupid. They know what makes a good member missionary too, but they're trying to juggle it with a Spouse, kids, work, financial troubles, car problems, house problems, other church callings. The list is endless. Theres a wall of inexperience that I can't see past, same as when I was a teenager looking at Adults. All I can do is understand that these are people most likely doing the best they can, and be gentle in my urges to cry repentance.

On a somewhat smaller note, I've noticed theres one thing that my missionary brain cannot seem to retain, and that is names. People I've known for years I have to strain for several minutes to remember a name. I couldn't remember any classes I took my Sophmore year of highschool for almost an entire day of thinking about it. So If I come home, and can't remember you name, just remember that I haven't forgotten you, just your identification.

I love and miss you all!

Happy T-day, foo!

So Thanksgiving has come and gone. I feel a few pounds heavier.

This week we had a somewhat amusing setback with our baptismal candidate, Kailee, who is 10. Due to the holiday weekend, we weren't sure that her baptism would be very well attended, but we were going to try and go through with it. Well, the day we were supposed to interview her, turns out she wasn't home, she was at her grandma's house. Well, we talk to the Bishop, and he asks us to hold off a bit so we could be better prepared for the baptism. The next day, Kailee calls us to let us know she's home from her Grandma's house, and we tell her that her baptism is going to be postponed a week. About an hour later, we get a call from her mother saying that Kailee is very upset and distraught that she wasn't able to be baptized that day, and had locked herself in her room and refused to come out. So we went over there to see what we could do. Upon arriving, Kailee had hung on her front door a note that read

"Go Away
I don't want to see anyone
No baptism today
I'm sad, mad, DISAPPOINTED!
by: Kailee"

We talked with her and helped her to understand it wasn't her fault or her mothers that she was being baptized a week later. It seemed to do the trick. But, one thing it did help with, is alleviate the fear that her mother had that she wasn't ready to be baptized. God really does work in some mysterious ways.

In more temporal news, I've had some problems with my right knee. Well, I've always had problems with my right knee, but they seemed to get worse after I got hit by that car. Then it seemed to be ok, but then I played football. Yeah, probably not the best choice. So sometime in the next week or so, I'm going to be taking a roadtrip down to Fresno to get my knee x-rayed and meet with a doctor. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

I also found out that Elder Harper and I will be spending another transfer together! Yay! It will make him my longest companion I've had on my mission by 3 days!

I love and miss you all!

Always look both ways

So another week down in the mission field, and not too many left.

Unfortunately, we did not see a baptism this last weekend, BUT we're making up for it this coming weekend. Kaylee Boyd will be baptized! Other than that, not too much to mention. Oh, I did get hit by a car. I guess I could elaborate more on that for a moment. So Elder Harper and I were just riding down Orangeburg Ave, minding our own business. As we were riding, we were coming up on one of the side roads, and there was a lady in her little black honda civic getting ready to make a right turn. In her defense, we were going the wrong way down the bike lane, but she didn't look both ways. She was looking to her left, getting ready to make the right turn. Elder Harper Passed in front of her, followed by me. Right as I got in front, she hit the gas. Took the bike out from under me, and I rolled off the hood. We were probably going about 18 mph, but I'm fine. By front tire wasn't doing so well though. Luckily she pulled through and bought me a new one, so all is well.

In other news, I've noticed that one of the most stressful days for a missionary is Sunday. Its the day were you're waiting to see all the efforts you put forward payed off. Everything seems to go wrong. But in the end, it always seems to work out. I love it. And I love and miss you all.

I Hate Cigarettes!

Seriously, they're pretty much terrible. I mean, everyone already knows they're terrible for you, but almost every single person we've talked to in the last three days is struggling with it. Its sickening to me to see how much it controls their lives. We're trying hard to help get all of them off of it, but some people just don't seem like they have the will power for it. I have no doubt that the advesary himself is the mastermind behind this sad addiction. But I promise, there is a way to quit! You have to be committed! It just makes me sad.


But, on the positive side, yesterday was my birthday! What did I get you might ask? A bad cold! Yaaaay! But, even better than that, our investigator Kaley was baptized on saturday, and confirmed on my birthday! Yaaaaay! So it wasn't all bad. God also answered my prayers in the form of a giant bag of Ricola cough drops, which arent' nearly as nasty as Halls. I feel loved.


I love and miss you all!