Week 18 journal: One SIxth Done

Garrett’s Week 18 Journal

October 31st, 2016:

Because it's Halloween, we couldn't proselyte after p-day (6 PM).  Earlier, we had been invited by our stake president to dinner at 6:00, but there was also an activity in Park City from 6-8 in "the Tree," a family history building.

First we went suit shopping after emailing because Elder Trincado wanted a new suit.  We decided to first look in Evanston, without much success.  We drove to Kimball Junction's outlets, but by then it was ~5:30.  We asked at shopper services where we could get suits...the woman there gave us a coupon book & special card to get discounts and sent us to Brooks Brothers.  As Elder Trincado tried on suits, I talked to a returned missionary and decided to get one myself.  All things--the coupon, the card, & a special deal for buying 2--considered, we each got one for $250.  The RM assured me it was the same quality in the outlet as in the full store--just less intricate, like using a strong 1 needle stitch instead of a fancy 2 needle stitch.  Anyway, is that ($250) a good price for a Brooks Brothers suit or should I return it?

After suit shopping, it ended up being too late to make it to the stake president's dinner, so we went over to Park City and ate at the Tree.  They were showing a movie--"The other side of Heaven"--but we were late to it so we just ate upstairs and talked to some of the senior missionaries.  Pretty soon, the movie was over and we left to go back to Evanston.

On the drive back, Elder Trincado and I talked about music.  There's a standard from the previous mission president that only music that can be played in sacrament meeting is allowed for missionaries.  However, that same president gave out copies of and allowed music from EFY, which sometimes has amplified music, so many missionaries aren't sure.  And President Hillier told me to consult with my companions about music choices.  Many missionaries will say no music with drums, as drums are not allowed in sacrament meetings, but when I've pointed out that EFY music has drums, they aren't actually sure what is & is not allowed. I don't want to push for music I shouldn't listen to, but there's an unresolved issue--at least in my limited understanding--about music.  I don't know what to think yet.

November 1st, 2016:

I went with Elder Taylor for exchanges today.  Going to the Evanston North Stake was a nice change of pace.  One thing I learned from Elder Taylor is that it's okay to look at what we already have planned to set a realistic goal. I didn't learn a ton about Elder Taylor today, as he mostly was content to hear about me.  I did ask a few questions, though.

The North Stake Elders are staying with us.  Elder Taylor is from Texas and not used to the cold.  During our exchange, an investigator brought up the fact that he may want a heavier coat.  He responded by pointing to his coat and exclaiming: "This is a heavy coat!"  This is his first time as a district leader and as a trainer, and he's opening an area with Elder Bade. Elder Bade is just out of the MTC.  He's from Washington (State).  He's funny; he reminds me of when I got out on the field.

We'll have quite the busy days ahead.  Thursday is a special training and Friday is Zone Meeting.

November 2nd, 2016:

Tomorrow we'll have to get up an hour early for a special training.  Elders Trincado & Taylor are going, so Elder Bade & I are spending the day with Elder Carling in Coalville while his companion, Elder Her, is also going to the training.

We visited a bunch of people today and it was nice to work.  It's hard, though, because in this area we have a lot of names to visit from the members and especially from the ward councils.  It's easier now that the areas are divided up, but sometimes I just want to go and tract and talk to people.  Often we'll knock and they will not be home, so we move on to the next person.  Don't get me wrong, though; it's still good work.

November 3rd, 2016: (Thursday)

We accidentally slept in!  It's weird, because I had a very distinct memory of checking my alarm and noting it had already been set back an hour.  We woke up at 6:07 instead of 5:30.  I've been setting a watch alarm a few minutes before my main one so I can wake up and lie there before getting up to the main alarm.  The watch was set for 5:27 and I did wake up, so maybe I should just stay up.

~Later~

We spend the day in Coalville with Elder Carling.  We were finding, so we went tracting.  It was an interesting change of pace and I got to know Elder Bade and Elder Carling well.  Both really enjoyed sports, so they talked a bit about that.  Elder Carling was raised in South Carolina, but he was born in the Marshall Islands and was adopted.

Elder Bade and I had a sour moment when I kept asking him throughout the day to stop or not do things like flexing at a dog to tease it or doing the whip & nae-nae.  I get uncomfortable when missionaries do stuff like that in public... Elder Bade (who is brand new) told me he felt like I was constantly criticizing him.  We talked when we walked back to the apartment and I shared my feelings and he shared his.  He said that doing stuff like that was his way of destressing, which is understandable.  The first transfers into the field are so hard.

I asked Elder Carling about it and he said he does what he can to have joy in the work.  If people saw him smiling, they would want to know why he's so happy...I had never thought about it that way before.  I feel like I need to regain that optimism; I used to have it so much as a kid.

~Later~

Thank you for the email, Kirsten.  Also, Spencer I'm getting your emails as well.  They were wonderful for me for how it lifted my mood.  I'll try to write more to both of you later.

After the exchange, Elder Trincado and I planned.  We need to work on planning in unity, though...

November 4th, 2016:

Zone meeting!  It actually kept to 1.5 hours, which was new for me.  Meetings always seem to run over.  We had to get gas on the way back, though.

It was all about the Book of Mormon.  I have notes on it in my iPad, but I can't write about it now during emailing time, because there’s not enough time.

~Later~

Yay!  Elder Trincado and I talking & resolving stuff!  Yay!  Teaching Elder Bade how to use a crockpot!  Yay!  I made really simple but really good dish--chicken, beans, corn, and salsa in
a crock pot, with seasoning, lettuce, & tomato to taste.  I've been doing well cooking on my mission, so that's great! It was a good day though.

Also, I got a package from my dad today with my Spanish notes from school and I'm super excited about it.

November 5th, 2016:

Today started out pretty good--we had service cleaning the chapel and hoped to contact some potential investigators, but 8:00 AM was too early for them, apparently.  We then did weekly planning, which we got through quite a bit of.  Following was a very fancy (for missionary standards) lunch of soft tacos.  We then did more service--helping demolish drywall in a music store so they can renovate.  However, after that we were late to an appointment because we were covered in drywall dust.  We had to shower & change. That pushed into dinner, which pushed into a 6:00 appointment.  We called the mother and she agreed to meet at 6:30, but the fellowshipper didn't have a cell phone and so arrived at 6:00.  He wasn't feeling well so he had to go home before we got there.  The kids had decided to go play in the park by the time we got there, so we only talked to one briefly as we couldn't get their attention.  It didn't feel great.

After that, we went to a recent convert family and their baby had a heavy onesie on.  He looked like a little living gingerbread man, and it cheered me up.

Finally, we met with a new investigator.  He told us that he doesn't want to change religions right now and his son had issues with him investigating.  I wanted to bear my testimony that this related to the eternities and he shouldn't cast it away so quickly, but he spoke Spanish and I couldn't gather the words I needed.  Not to be so dramatic, but it was like being unable to scream because you can't find your voice.

November 6th, 2016:

FOUR MONTHS.  ONE SIXTH DONE WITH MY MISSION.  WHAT?

Daylight savings!  A much needed hour of sleep!

Today I felt the spirit so strong in sacrament meeting.  It was great.

Later, we had a lesson, but they kept talking so it went on for a long time.  This made us 15 minutes late for correlation, which we had with the sisters.  What we didn't anticipate is that the high councilor of missionary work wanted to go through each ward individually, so it took a very long time (had we had both the sisters and ourselves working at the same time, it would have been faster...).  That made us late to dinner, and the same man as last time [yesterday's missed appointment] was going to this dinner so a third adult male would be home.  He had to leave early, so we couldn't stay past that...it felt really bad, like we had just eaten their food and left... this time it really was because we didn't communicate well with the high counselor [beforehand].

Anyway, after that we got home (later on) and ultimately Elder Trincado and I finally talked!  I talked to Elder Taylor, our district leader, for council, but Elder Bade soon joined in and then he got Elder Trincado.  We ended up reaching a better level of understanding--not fully resolved, but better.  So now things are looking up.

November 7th, 2016:

We got everything ready this morning, and I found my flash drive!  I had lost it on Saturday/Friday, but I found it in one of my shirt pockets in the closet.  Yay!

Elders Taylor & Bade got the pizza today, but they were told this was the last week we could get free pizza.  We have to pay half price from now on.  Also, I just finished this with an hour of emailing left, so I have to type and respond and stuff!

Pictures!

After doing service destroying drywall

The Evanston District drywall destroyers

The reformulated Evanston and Park City zone

These are is the elders I'm staying with.  Elder Trincado is on the back left,
Elder Bade front left, and Elder Taylor back right, eating the crockpot dinner I prepared