So wow, where do I even begin? Last
Monday Elder Cuenca and I split off from Carroll and Etilage so that way I
could do what I wanted to do before I come home, and that was go and see a
place up north called the Beach Boxes. That was pretty dang awesome, and we had
a lot of fun going there. And plus they were selling boxes of A&W root beer
for $10.00 for a dozen. I couldn't help but get a bit crazy with it.
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| One of my Favorite Beach Boxes |
Tuesday we had exchanges with the
Elders in Rosebud, and I went with Elder Ricks. He's an awesome missionary who
wants only to do his absolute best, but because his companion is nearly five
years older than him he gets pretty suppressed when it comes to it, and he gets
kinda shut out a lot because he's a bit more reserved when his companion is
very talkative. We did a bit of tracting, and all he really wanted was to watch
and learn how I tracted because he's very observant and absorbent, and he heard
that I was "really good at tracting and fearless at it" (I can't take
any credit for that because Elder Worsencroft taught me a TON about it and I
just try to mirror what he did). It was great, and plus we went to go see one
of the families I taught in Hastings when I was there with Worsencroft since
Hastings and Rosebud are now part of the same area. We went to go see Julie,
and at first she wasn't interested and was about to shut the door, but then I
cut her off and said "WAIT!!! Do you remember when almost two years ago
Mormon missionaries taught you about the Book of Mormon!?" She opened the
door a bit wider and said that she did, and I proudly replied with "I'm
one of those missionaries!!" It took her a second to remember me, but then
when she did she was SO happy to see me! We literally stood and talked there for
about 20 minutes just catching up, and she was surprised that nearly two years
has passed since that happened. Elder Ricks and his companion have been
struggling to find more people to teach, and so I asked Julie if she would be
once again interested in learning about the Book of Mormon. She said that she
would, and that she'd be really happy if I could go come back with Ricks again
and teach her about the Book of Mormon again. We really want to go on another
exchange because of that reason, and plus our exchange only lasted for a couple
of hours. I will make the time to go and see Julie this week. That has to be
done. Especially since it's my last week.
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| Beach Boxes |
The rest of the week was just work and getting prepared for the mini-mission
last weekend. So many things keep fluctuating that we just have to keep up with
it, and it makes it pretty tough. It'll be a ton of fun because it'll be my
last weekend, and the way things are going to work out is that there'll be
about 8 other missionaries spending the night at our flatt this Friday night.
10 Elders in a single flatt. Talk about no sleep. But it'll be fun, especially
since that'll be the way that I die in the mission field. Won't sleep for about
two or three nights, and then it'll be a nice 20-hour flight home with a nice
long nap.
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| The incredible Winfiled family ♥ |
Saturday was a blast because we had one of our returning-into-activity members
come to a program about repentance and such, and that was fun. We were also
able to get permission to go out to Moe that day so I can visit some members before
I go home, and THAT WAS AWESOME!!! I wasn't able to see everyone that I wanted
to, but that's alright because I'll be back here in about a year or so anyways,
and then I'll be able to see all the people that I want mwahahahaha!!! Saw the
Winfields, Ozzi and Rawry, the Cranstons, Callan and Catherine Brooks, and
Bazil and Mata Rawiri. These are some of the great families I fell in love with! It was great, but I'll tell you more about it when I get
home because I want to go do stuff today! We're going down to Strike again with
the Gippsland Zone, and that's always just a ton of fun.
Again, it's strange to know that after this week my mission is finished and
I'll be in the loving arms of
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| the Cranstons |
friends and family again. But what makes me the
most excited is that I've been converted. Not only to the Gospel, but I love sharing
the Gospel with people whether or not they're interested, and so I have some
great plans for when I get home. I did hit my two year mark on Saturday and I
WAS planning on burning a suit which is the tradition, and I haven't broken
that tradition until now because I completely forgot to bring a suit. I will
burn my suit though, but it'll have to be when I have more time. No time no
time. But that's okay! Life is awesome!
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| Bazil and Mata Rawiri |
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| We just have to be silly! |
I will conclude with what I've said here, but man it's been an eventful week
and I will have another one ahead of me, and then I will have another one ahead
of me, and another, and another, and probably another after that. And that's
because I know the mission isn't the end of the church. By far! I still don't
understand why missionaries go inactive after their missions, or stop reading
the scriptures, or stop praying, and stuff like that. Sure life gets busy, but,
seriously, did you testifying of the importance of those things really mean
nothing to you? Did testifying that making the church a priority have no real
value and was nothing but hollow words? I just don't get it. One of the things
I'm looking forward to when I get home is climbing Lone Mountain before the
sunrise, by myself, and just watching the sunrise on top of that mountain, just
letting my thoughts wander about how much Heavenly Father has blessed me.
Seriously, that is something I really want to do! There is a reason the
prophets went into mountains to pray, so why not I? I can't wait to get closer
to God through ways I couldn't do as a missionary! This mission has only spring
boarded my testimony, and there's no way in heck I'm gonna "take
a break" from church when I get home. You are
just asking for it, and if you do, then that means the testimony your bore for
two years is hollow and void of any meaning. I don't understand why that
happens, but rest assured it will not happen to me. This church has changed my
life and will continue to do so until the day I die. I love this Gospel and I
love my Savior Jesus Christ.
