3/26/2018 Week 21: Too Many Cookies

I eat so many cookies on a daily basic its not fun anymore. 

 Anyways, hello everyone this week was interesting. I will start off with telling how I got sick. So we were doing service and I got and we were finishing up and they had some drinks that the volunteers could take if the want, and I did. I took a Diet Coke and I started to drink it when we got back to our apartment. Of course I didn't check the expiration date or anything because a food pantry will typically throw away anything bad so I didn't bat an eye. I noticed it tasted a little different (just goes to show how much soda I drink I guess) but I look at the expiration date and it turns out it expired in September.. 2016. That was an amazing experience. So I stayed inside all day because I was sick. I basically went crazy because I got so bored of just doing nothing but sitting and I could focus on my studies because I was constantly uncomfortable. So that sucked but whatever. 

 Earlier this last week on Tuesday we finally got rid of our couches. It was difficult because obviously a couch that had been owned by 18-20 year-old's is not going to be in the best shape. It was falling completely apart and we had to put it in the bed of a truck so what we did was we pinched the couch together on both sides and had someone lift from the middle as well. I have moved more furniture from my own apartment than from people in my ward. I am going professional. 

We are teaching about 5 new investigators. We have set appointments with some and Friended the rest on Facebook for better contact. The weather is super bi-polar and always cold is, but I am getting used to it and can go out in 40 degree weather with a short sleeve shirt and be fine. Those two stories make this week sound bad but it was fun. 

 Also funny story, Salt Lake sent me a package that I didn't order, had my name and everything but I wasn't charged for it. So I take it inside and open it up and it was a box of 32 seminary graduation diploma cases. Just randomly sent to me. and I don't know what to do with them so I tried to offer them to the seminary teacher in our ward because we had dinner at there house last night. I still don't know what to do with them because I am not sure if he wanted them. So this box is just sitting in our room. I don't have a use for them and they have zero value because I already graduated and I don't need another. So that's an adventure waiting to happen.

 We have been teach people lately and finding people a lot easier. Which is always good. It is always fun when you have an appointment or just stop by and share a message with these people. They all usually believe in God which makes it easy to strike a conversation about religion. Even if they tell you that they aren't interested you still get to talk with them and hear there story and testimony and also share yours. 

 Speaking of testimony, I feel like I should give mine in this email. I know without a doubt in my mind that these things are true, they always have and always will be true. I have seen adversity in my mission in many different forms and how they have affected different people. There will always be adversity and with that there comes doubt. This doubt as I have found is a strong tool to draw us away from what we know is right. It makes us feel inadequate and useless. But I know with all the knowledge in my brain and all the feelings of my heart that whatever may be a problem today will, with faith, be vanished. And though I can't give an exact time of when it will be gone I can promise that it will be. I think a good scripture to go with this is Matthew 28:17-18 and it states, "And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth." I know this is true because He has become my salvation, I will trust in him and be not afraid, because the Lord has become my strength to move forward and my song to sing above all else and he has shown me the way that I might continue and show others the same. I have prayed to know these things and as I have prayed for these thing I have had a physical shaking from the joy and peace and happiness which I had felt and I had started so swallowed up in prayer that I had become unaware of the world around me that I though feeling like an minute ended up being closer to an hour. I have desired to learn more and not only have I received and answer of the truthfulness of this but I am continuing to receive that answer as I desire more. Faith is the only thing needed find these truths. Without it, there is just doubt.

Anyways that's all I really had for this email I will put pictures at the bottom. Talk to yall next week. Bye.

Heck Yeah!

Diploma Cases

3/19/2018 Week 20: Wow, I Can Swim Laps In Our New Teaching Pool!

Okay all bad jokes behind. Hello. How are you. Good. My week was pretty good a couple things happened this week.

 I got another free bike which is good, funny story. So since I was using a bike that was owned to a previous missionary I didn't need to buy one. But then the mission found out I had it and took it from me even though I was using it. I mean it was a pretty bad bike considering there are a lot of pot holes here and the bike didn't have shocks so I felt everything. But the missionary who owned it left it here because he knew this area needs bikes even though it contains mostly large hills. Anyways they took it without and advance notice, and left me without a bike which I didn't mind but then when one of the areas around me was offered a bike they said to give it to us so I got another one now, just as bad if not worse then the last but I don't care. 

 Also since all my replies to the last email asked about the geese I will give an update. The geese are no longer coming towards the door since I put down salt since I am a genius.. But they have moved to a different part of the parking lot and made there nest and laid eggs. We had to fence off the area around where they were so no cars park near and kids get bit. Now the eggs have hatched and there are little goslings waddling around, I need to name them still. 

 We are finally getting rid of the couches in the apartment and in the process we turned one on its front so I don't lay on it. Those couches are gross, I didn't really expect someone would want them, but they do. Its crazy.

 Also this month I have found 107 pennies on the ground. I guess people here think that pennies are the most useless form of money like I do because when they go outside they just throw them. I am going to buy a pizza with them when I get 600 pennies. They are useless really. 

 Also I think I have found the reason why the mission feels like it goes so fast. So before my mission I measured my years that to the school year so it would be slow because it was a long time, but on the mission you measure your time by every transfer, 6 weeks, so obviously 6 weeks would feel shorter that about 9 months. I am a genius. So Smart.😂. But in reality you just don't look at the time like that anymore because you are so busy you don't have time to think of time other then a reminder of where to go when. 

 The work is going well, we have a few new investigators who are wanting to learn and willing to keep commitments. So that's good. That family of 9 I emailed about a few weeks ago moved so that was interesting, and our only truly committed investigator we gave to the sister missionaries in our ward because we aren't able to meet with her a whole lot so we had to move on so she could progress better, but we do still stay in contact with her. 

 Also I don't know if I ever posted this but our mission this summer is absorbing to other stakes because the Cleveland Ohio mission is being dissolved so we will be getting the West Dayton Stake and the Toledo Stake, which means my mission has the possibility of covering in 4 different States. I am already serving in both Kentucky and Ohio technically because my ward boundaries barely go past the Ohio Kentucky border. So yeah that's pretty cool.

That is all for this week I guess. Talk to y'all next week. Bye

3/12/2018 Week 19: Creating A New Branch...Soon

That's right we were able to get permission to try to make a new branch. We had the first meeting yesterday. And we will probably have another one next month. Good turn out too, we had 49 people come out. To create a branch you need at least 30 people and 6 people with the priesthood. It was just a normal sacrament meeting but who cares because there are so many people in our ward who are incapable of getting to church. It's really sad but our ward is so big geographically that it's just impossible. We have 400 members and about 100 are active, about 150 are not able to get there, 100 who are just inactive, and 50 others. It was great to see the smile on the peoples faces when they were able to attend. I have never had sacrament twice in a day. Also I hate geese. I now have a personal vendetta against them. There are 2 geese that live on our church grounds and when it gets cold the come and try to nest at the door. So they will poop and stuff all at the door and it's disgusting. Eventually I had enough and I had to chase them away with a shovel. I didn't hit them because I saw the female was pregnant. I am human and I would feel so guilty about hurting them. Especially how I go around all day, every day telling that families can be together forever. I feel like I would be a hypocrite.. but I just really hate geese.. It was conflicting for me. I named the geese too, Humphrey and Harriet. But I have had to chase them a couple times. They have tried to attack me through the window. I had enough, so I shoveled their poo and launched it at them. They went back to their normal spot after that. Me-1, geese-0. Anyways we have had a pretty productive week. We have been teaching and preaching l. We have new Sisters in our ward, Sister Wilder and, get this, Sister Moore. That cannot be a coincidence. The Lord's humor is amazing. The hole day at church I had to explain that no we are not related that I know about. I have been having a lot of fun, of course it has been really stressful with people, companion, day light savings, cleaning, etc. By the way we slept in yesterday on accident and my ward mission leader text woke me up saying he will be there in 3 minutes to pick us up for church. That was stressful. I am really happy he is my ward mission leader. He is a great guy. Teaches me something new everyday. Multiple times a day. Also I made the goal to read a General Conference talk every day. Any suggestions for the next one if not I am just starting from October 1971. Also I am reading every single standard works, and the preach my gospel, and writing a book about what I am learning, it's pretty fun. We need to call to get rid of our couches today so that will be fun. Also it's getting warmer and cold again constantly and it's really tolling. Just a couple days ago we had every season in one day. Facebook is still a confusing thing I am learning about, so I can't just message someone unless it's missionary related and "fulfills my purpose". Those of you who don't know, a missionaries purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the flees tired gospel through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy ghost, and enduring to the end. I'm fine with not using Facebook all that much but I think when they train us it will be more applicable. I am excited to learn more. I found another grey hair on the side of my head. Either I am really stressed or I'm getting old. I think it's the second one. Also we got a bunch of free guest passes to a fitness place. We might go there and play racquet ball. That's all for this week, talk to yall later, bye. 

This is Humphrey. I hate him.

3/5/2018 Week 18: Why Am I Still Here, The World May Never Know

Just like with a tootsie pop, it is questionable how long I am going to be here. I am staying in Highland heights 1 more transfer. Its funny because by the end of it I will have residency in Kentucky. I dont mind staying I am just tired of the rain. I like the area it just rains too much for my taste. Fun fact: it rains more in Kentucky than it does in Seattle. fun. I do like it here, I guess the first area is always a special place in a missionaries heart. Its no longer flooded thankfully. But it has dropped back down into the 30s which isnt super fun. I am having trouble because of the horrible circulation in my hands. The phone is good. I have a Facebook again and I will not stop randomly using it like the last one. Follow it if you want it is just my name and a picture of me. You can comment on my post. I just have to make sure that I look dignified. lame.  I saw a hilarious looking truck the other day with absolutely no suspension. It was great. I hate typng ists so ineffecatowefjkhads;lrug. sorry. the work is good. I am super tired and I am planning on taking a good nap after this email. I got a haircut. We had a fire side last night that we had to sing in. wasn't that good sounding but the desert and speakers were great. I had fun. President Welch is a great speaker. I didn't really have much happen this week I just send a picture. talk too yall later, bye.