Week 26 Journal: Happy New Year!

Week 26 Journal: Happy New Year!

December 26th, 2016:

We played in the gym this p-day.  We did soccer, frisbee, and speedball (soccer & basketball mixed).  While it was a fun time, I've found that President Hillier's council that p-days need to be true preparation days is spot on.  We ended up not getting our car cleaned (although we did manage to clean the apartment) and had a few things Elder Bach wanted to do after p-day ended.

A lot of missionaries aren't devoted.  Or maybe they don't understand, and thus aren't devoted.  I will use Elder Bach as an example, but it could be said the same for many of the missionaries.

Before I begin, I wish to state that I do not intend to criticise Elder Bach or the mission; I just write to record my thoughts and also explore them/possible courses of action to the issues behind the,.  So, if you are reading this, please don't think I mean to companion or hurt, or even be focused on myself.  I would love if you would ask yourself how this could apply to you and gain new insight from it.  I will write more in that direction with my talk on perfection.

Elder Bach had heart problems as a result of his participation in the p-day activity today.  These problems weren't so serious, they just gave him chest pain but he ended up fine.

The thing is that these problems weren't guaranteed to happen if he played, it's just that if he held himself back he would not have them.  I myself was tired and sore from p-day.  Most everyone had a similar result (I assume they did.  Also, similar result to me, not Elder Bach.).  We were happy--we had a good time--but we had failed to comprehend and apply the inspired guidance our leaders had given us through the MHB's section on p-day:

...recreational activities should help you work more productively during the rest of the week. … Recreational activities should be safe. … Avoid activities that may restrict your physical ability the rest of the week or cause injury. … Do not allow the situation to become intense or competitive. … The purpose of recreational activity is exercise that will help you meet the physical demands of your work.  (Missionary Handbook, 21-22)

We are not devoted!  We do not understand that we have a purpose to which we must keep all things in perspective!

It's hard.  It especially hurts because I know I am imperfect (thus "we" and not "they" earlier).  I've been working on patience and being happy but not satisfied with my state and the progress of others.  If I could learn that, I would be so joyed.  I would be living the higher road and be happy as I moved along.

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Some minor things: Elder Bach caught a virus that's been going around, so we're staying in for at least the afternoon.  It's a wonderful and rare chance for me to sort out my thoughts, although I hope he gets well soon.

I've thought about what Elder Shepherd wrote in one of his weekly emails regarding his birthday.  He said he has been fine on the field and if anyone wanted to send him something, just send things that would help him in college (to his parents, not to him on the field).  I think I agree–really, I've been very happy on the field.  In the MTC and my first transfer(s), I was a lot less mature in my focus on getting things.  For my birthday, please just send me a letter.  Tell me what's going on in your life.  Let me know if I've helped you, write about what you have been pondering lately, or give me advice.  If you still want to get me anything, get it for Brother Brothers, about 18 months down the road.  Thank you.

December 27th, 2016

Elder Bach was sick today, so we spent most of the day inside.  I managed to sort out my thoughts, write a good portion of my talk on perfection, and then took a long soak in the tub.  The hot water helped my back–it was sore for a few days–as I stretched it out afterwards.

After dinner, we went out on the field again.  That rest period was nice, but it felt better to go and do more work.

December 28th, 2016:

I've been thinking a lot.  About things on the field.  I will not write to here, as I don't yet know what to say and they're not my beef.

However, Elder Bach and I talked about the phone and being in unity.  It's hard to navigate relationships sometimes!

December 29th, 2016:

Elder Bach shared a lot more about his health problems with me during companionship inventory today.  I knew from the MTC that he had health problems, but I have been learning just how incomprehensible their effect on his life has been.  He had a D1 scholarship for soccer, then he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma and everything went south.  I wish I could grow up and make it so many could lead "normal" lives.  The after-effects of his surgery, despite having cured his cancer, eat away at him even today.  It just seems like our "modern medicine miracles" could be a bit more miraculous in their effectiveness and speed and a little less miraculous in their cost and side effects.

I guess I really should grateful for [medicine], though.  Does anyone else find themselves "tired from an imperfect world" [to borrow a phrase from one of my relative's stories]?  I wish I could go and fix everything and help everyone–from politics to medicine to globalisation to the environment–even (and perhaps most of all) in missionary work.

Sigh.  I guess we can't save the world, only the people in it.

December 30th, 2016:

Whew.  Uhhh… if I start writing now I will write too much.  Companionship inventory was messy.  I'm hopefully going to see someone at family services.  Basically I don't know what I'm dealing with–or I lack the understanding to describe it, even to myself in my mind–so I hope to have it sorted out by next week (or at least identified…).

December 31st, 2016:

I don't think I have to go to anyone!  It seems like yesterday was a bad day :P.  I think there are some underlying problems I'll have to work through throughout my mission.

Today was odd.  We had an early lesson, so Elder Bach pushed himself and we had a [pretty much] whole-hearted companionship study.  Our lesson was strong–the best we've had this transfer–and she ended up accepting a baptismal date for Chinese New Year (1/29) [it's actually the day after, I think, but really it's close enough!].

After that didn't go so well… between getting lost in going to dinner (West Jordan has its own grid system!), listening to a member review memories with us (which was a great time for him on an otherwise empty New Year's Eve), and visiting the church to use the bathroom, we didn't actually manage to do much else.  I think that's one of the most frustrating times on a mission–looking back and seeing nothing.

On a side note, I had my first real hot pot dinner and it was wonderful.  Still second to House of Fortune (but to be fair, it is an acquired palate).

January 1st, 2017 [weird…]

Happy new year!  I gave a talk in the 6th (Chinese) ward.  I was able to say a greeting and my name–very poorly–in Chinese.  My talk went better, fortunately.

We visited a ward Elder Bach had never been to.  He's been here for 4.5 months …yeah, it's crazy covering a stake.

Things have been going better with Elder Bach–he's been including me more in the area, so I am less afraid of transfers.

We taught a lesson to a gospel essentials class today.  It was the Restoration.  It's odd how little we've taught here (in Chinese/our area), thinking about it.

We sat in on a few youth groups.  I saw similar patterns–one almost asleep in the back, many on their phones, and the ones trying to answer were giving pretty basic answers, as they hadn't thought about the topic before & were processing it.  I was able to put in my two cents on PMG, so I hope I helped someone.