MY FAMILY!!!
First thing's first...I LOVE YOU!
Okay, so I depart on Monday, so I will try calling from the airport. Our flight leaves at 8:30AM Utah time, so I will call probably sometime between 6AM and 8:30AM Utah time! I will try using the calling card Mom gave me. Because Mom and Krista will be in Utah at the time, I will call them, and because Dad will be in New Jersey at the time, I will call him. I will call Mom's number to get a hold of her, and I don't know Dad's cell phone number, so you must get that to me somehow.
I have had some really really REALLY incredible experiences this past week. I GOT TO TEACH A REAL INVESTIGATOR!!!! Okay, so at the MTC, there is something called the TRC, where missionaries are assigned to go in and teach "investigators". Pretty much all of them are actors, and missionaries are to treat it as if it were real. They did tell us the first time we went in last week that every now and then, a member will bring an investigator friend, and it is real. Then they said, but the chances of that happening are slim to none, but treat it as if it were a real investigator anyway.
Well, Elder N and I go in to teach, and we treated it if it were a real investigator. The investigator's name was Amanda, and she was with her member friend Biff. They were actually driving up from Summerlin, Las Vegas so that Biff could bring Amanda to see the Salt Lake City Temple. So, they are actually from my mission boundaries! Cool!
Well, Amanda said that she had just had the first lesson recently, and that her baptism date was set for August 6th. So, we proceeded to teach her the 2nd Lesson, The Plan of Salvation. I was getting SO EXCITED in the lesson, giving High 5s to everyone and yeah. Biff and Amanda both commented that they really liked my enthusiasm. Well, after the lesson, I asked Amanda where she was in reading The Book of Mormon. She said that she just finished reading 1 Nephi 10. Then, I got EVEN MORE EXCITED! I said to her, "Can I share with you one of my favorite scriptures from that chapter?" Well, I read to Amanda, 1 Nephi 10:18 where it talks about the Lord being the same yesterday, today, and forever. Before I could say anything, Amanda said, "Oh, I was just telling Biff yesterday about this scripture and how I thought if God gave the ancient people 12 Apostles, then he will do the same thing for us today." AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! This was the SAME SAME SAME SAMEEEE EXACT THING I WAS GOING TO TELL HER! Like, woah! It was so beautiful to see someone so ready to recieve the gospel. Huge testimony builder.
Just after leaving the lesson, missionaries always go up to the secretary and ask whether the "investigator" was real or not. And, she always tells them, "No, they were actors, but I'm sure you did a great job." Well, I don't like to find out if the investigator is real or not, because regardless, we should always teach as if it was a real investigator. Just before walking out of the building, the secretary motioned for Elder N and I to come over to her, so we did. She then proceeded to say to us, "You know...You got the only real investigators that have come in all day." SO AWESOME! OHHHH SO AWESOME! :) Maybe I'll get to see Amanda and Biff on my mission. I hope so! They are part of Red Rock Stake.
Okay, I know you're all probably sick of reading this already ridiculously long e-mail, but I have another cool story.
Yesterday, our district was in our classroom doing personal study as per usual. I have NO IDEA why I asked this, but I said to the district, "Can someone explain the Olive Tree symbolism analogy thing that is in Jacob?" The missionaries then began to explain it to me. Well, while Elder N and I were teaching an "investigator" we finished our lesson a bit early because we had taught the first half last time. I asked the investigator if we could read The Book of Mormon with him. He said, "Yes, I am reading in Jacob right now about the Olive Tree." WHATTT!!! Okay, that is incredible. The Lord works in such amazing, wonderous ways that we could never foresee. But, it is so cool! Another great testimony builder for me.
Oh, I met a Sister missionary who just got to the MTC from the Freehold ward. I was walking in to get the mail for our district (one of my District Leader jobs), and she came up to me and said, "Are you from New Jersey?" She knew who I was. She is going to the Colorado Denver Mission, Spanish Speaking. She's really pretty.
So, we all know, I'm not the most athletic person in the world, but I think people look at me and underestimate my POWER! TOTALLY KIDDING! Haha...I'm not good at sports at all. But yesterday I was playing Volleyball (with the less athletic Elders) and ALL of my serves went over the net and within the boundaries. AND the other day I hit a HOME RUN in softball. YAYYEAH!!
I saw President B conducting the Devotional music. I was so excited and proud to tell my district that he was my Stake President.
"Krista" means Christ in Croatia (I think).
I taught my first official District Meeting this past Sunday, and the Presiding member of the Branch Presidency pulled me aside afterwards and told me that I was a great leader. I don't know how he figures, but it was a nice thing to hear from him.
I encouraged my district to come up with goals to work on to make us better missionaries. We came up with the acronymn, FLOPD (Flopped). F=FOCUS, L=LOVE, O=OBEDIENT, P=PATIENT, D=DEDICATED. I've also REALLY REALLY REALLY been pushing the issue of Language. I've talked about it with my district 3 times now about using appropriate missionary language. We wear Christ's name on our badge, and we are representatives of him. Our language should express that as well. The language we use is a direct display of our faith and love for the Savior. And, I believe having the Spirit with us is conditional on the language we use. I feel very strongly about that, and I hope all of my district's language can improve.
A missionary is someone who leaves their family for two years so that someone else can be with their family forever.
Family: Thank you for sending me the care package.
Extended Family (Aunt Terry and Uncle Rod, Uncle Don and Aunt Jenny, Uncle Lou and Lesa, Aunt Donna and Larry, Grandma and Grandpa, and EVERYONE): I LOVE YOU!!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR MAIL.
I LOVE YOU,
Elder Sean Edwards
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