October 24, 2011

FAMILY! :)

Hiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!  I can't believe Week 1 of my 3rd Transfer in the field is OVER!  Wow.  This has been quite the interesting week.

I will start with the Food Report:

Monday: Crockpot Beef

Tuesday: White Chicken Chili

Wednesday: Salmon Grilled on a Wood Plank

Thursday: Ham

Friday: Bow Tie Pasta

Saturday: Pulled Pork (at L's)

Sunday: Hawaiian Hay Stacks (Sister S said she was worried about making anything Hawaiian because she thought I was Hawaiian and didn't want me to be offended. Haha.)

So...Because there is just so much to talk about, I will just go through a quick summary of my week.

Monday: Bye, Bye Elder T! :(  So sad.  It was strange to have to say "Good Bye" to someone you have lived with and spent 24/7 with the last 3 months.  But, I got my new missionary companion, Elder S.  He is awesome!  He is 19 years old and from the east coast.  He is excited to be out in the field and he has an incredible and great enthusiasm to do missionary work.  I love it!  I think it has been quite an adjustment for him.  He has never lived out of the home, so I've been trying my best to not only teach things pertaining to missionary work, but also to teach life skills.  He grew up with a dishwasher in his home, but has never washed a dish before.  I taught him how to wash a dish, put it in the dishwasher, and start the dishwasher.  I also taught him how to do laundry and how to work the washer/dryer.  The mission president always asks every incoming missionary, "Do you know how to and can you ride a bike?"  Elder S said, "Yes."  But, the answer should have been something else.  Since our whole area is bike, I've been trying to teach him how to ride a bicycle.  I've been learning a lot of good patience skills.  He has crashed a few times and gotten scrapes and bruises.  I wish things could be easier for him.

Tuesday: I gave Elder S kind of a "Half P-Day" so he can do his grocery shopping and unpack his things.  Tuesday night we taught a lesson to W' s kids, B and H.  We taught them the first half of Lesson 3.  They are so attentive and pick up on concepts really well.  It will be a happy day when they can be baptized.  Elder S did a good job on his first lesson in the field.  He was able to participate a little and share a personal experience.

Wednesday: We taught a lesson to R about the Priesthood.  Other than that...Tracting and Visits.

Thursday: We did a lot of tracting and visits.  We had a lesson with S planned, but she was put on some new medication and didn't hear the doorbell ring or our phone calls to her.  It has been very difficult to get a hold of her lately.  Hopefully we will be able to see her soon.  She didn't come to church on Sunday either. :(

Friday: We had a "Train The New Missionaries Training Meeting" with President B.  It was a great meeting, and I got some good insights.  Because Elder S does not know the key points of the lessons, I figure that would be a good thing to get down first and foremost before we start studying anything else.  So, we have modified the training program to address his most important needs first, then hopefully we will be able to go back to the training program outline.  Elder S has been diagnosed with ADHD but does not take or have medication.  So, there are some challenges but we are working through it patiently and with love.

Saturday: We taught a lesson to V and D who we met while tracting a few months ago.  They were finally able to meet and we were very excited to teach them.  I just knew that they would start investigating the church and LOVE it!  Well, we went over, and it was like an ambush.  The mom, V, was very contentious and every time her daughter, D, would say something like, "Ohhh...That makes sense," V would say, "No it doesn't!"  It's interesting how when I was talking and answering their questions, I could really feel the Spirit so much that I started to cry as I bore my testimony about the Spirit World, yet V could not feel the Spirit because she made the decision beforehand to not allow herself to feel the Spirit.  I guess that is just the beauty of agency.  It was a very interesting experience and I learned a lot from it.  I have a deep love for V, and I wish her heart could be softened.  There is always hope.  Then we had dinner with L and family.  It was a lot of fun.  It was great just to be in the company with the family I know and love.  It was fun to chat with T and A her kids.

Sunday: We were told last minute that we needed to teach Gospel Principles class.  So, we taught the lesson.  It went really great.  I really enjoy teaching and had a lot of fun.  Right after getting home from church we got a phone call to visit F and D (who are recent converts that moved into the ward about a month ago).  D requested a blessing, so I gave her the blessing.  It went wonderfully and she was very thankful.  She asked us to come back and teach her more since she is still "new".  So, this is exciting because we have more people we can visit and teach.  I think it will provide for some great teaching opportunities for Elder S AND me.  Also, a non-member family has been coming to the ward.  Their first Sunday was last week, and I was right on it.  I introduced myself and told them we are the full-time teachers for the church and offered to come over and teach them more.  J. H (the Dad) was unsure about it and kind of dodged the invite.  So, I decided that I would just give them the space they needed, and when they want to learn more, they can come to me.  Well, after Elders Quorum, he came up to me and asked us to come over and teach him, his wife, and family more!  AHHHH MIRACLES!!!  I am so excited to start teaching them.  We made an appointment for Tuesday evening.  Also, we set up a lesson for today to teach a teenager boy, J.  He is a non-member and has been coming to church with his friend in the ward.  He loves the church, and so we are excited to teach him.  His Mom was killed right in front of him just a year or two ago, so it is a very sad story.  I believe his Dad left him, so he is living with some friends right now.  He seems very nice.  More to come...

This will be a crazy, busy week.  I am so excited to teach J and the H Family!  Sister B is coming over tomorrow to do an apartment check.  Wednesday the District Leader is coming to do all day splits with me.  Thursday is the Waterfall Trunk-or-Treat.  Friday is the Aliante Trunk-or-Treat.  So, it is going to be busy busy busy (which is SOO GOOD!)!  We love busy.

Well...I will end now with a spiritual thought for the week:

I was reading in Mosiah this last week.  Alma the Older's son, Alma the Younger, was going about seeking to destroy the Church.  An angel appeared to Alma the Younger and rebuked him.  Alma the Younger was "astonished...so great that he became dumb, that he could not open his mouth...he became weak, even that he could not move his hands," (Mosiah 27:19).  He was taken to his father, Alma the Older who "caused that a multitude should be gathered together that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and also for those that were with him," (Mosiah 27:21).  It goes on to explain how Alma the Younger, because of this experience, had a change of heart.  He repented of his sins and no longer sought to destroy the Church.  Instead, he saught to build the Church by becoming a missionary and teaching truth.  I love what it says about Alma the Older's excitement over what the Lord did for his son.  The key word being "for" and not "to".  The Lord does not do things "TO" us.  He does things "FOR" us.  Our blessings, our afflictions, and our experiences are all FOR our benefit.  With this outlook, I believe we can grow spiritually and learn the lessons the Lord would want us to.

I love you all.  Thank you for your letters!  I read them and cherish each one.  Please tell all friends and family, "Hi!" and that I love them.

I LOVE YOU!!

Love,

Elder Sean Edwards