Week 49: new activity and a bike wreck

Monday, June 5th, 2017:

Today was a very crazy p-day.  We had an activity at 12:30, so we barely cleaned and cut our emailing time short.

To get around, a member gave us rides.  He even paid for Elder Clayton's groceries.  He was so nice to us. Here's a photo of us cooking:

Thoday's activity was a multi-zone visit to the graves of the prophets, or many of the prophets.  I gave a presentation on Howard W. Hunter and it felt like school.  The cemetery was a nice place to visit, while following we went to a park and played games of all varieties, like kan-jam and volleyball.

We got out on time--yes!--and planned for Ken's lesson.  The thing with Ken was that he didn't make time for us to talk.  This time, we brought the member who referred us to Ken; he set a course for Ken in a way neither of us could.  I'm really hoping his next lessons will be more doctrinally-oriented.

We had a very solid, natural contact tonight.  There were two girls knocking on one of our neighbor's doors.  One was an ex-girlfriend of the guy inside and trying to return his glasses.  We got both their addresses to send missionaries by and gave one of them a copy of the Book of Mormon.  I didn't even really think about what to share or say, but it went very well.  Hopefully I can do more of that in the future.

Tuesday, June 6th, 2017:

The days are getting pretty hot but we're still biking around a bunch, so hydration is important.  My fancy water bottle doesn't fit in the bike's bottle holder, so I use a plastic bottle.

We've had a lot of unexpected opportunities lately.  Just today, we sat down with a group of kids for a lesson by the parking area in an apartment lot, followed by helping clean up after a funeral.

I've been troubled trying to remember people's names well enough, but I'm getting a hang of the area at what I think is a good pace.  We had a stake meeting tonight--the stake has monthly correlations--and I knew which of the WMLs were ours.

Wednesday, June 7th, 2017:

We forgot to tell our WML that it was his ward's turn to feed us this week.  We tried calling him yesterday many times, finally getting ahold of him in the evening.  He was in a bind due to time, so he just gave us money.  So... we're going to get a lot better at letting our wards know when they are having us over for dinners.

Our planning took about a half-hour this morning, which is unusual for us.  We've been trying to get planning down to a good time regularly.  The same has gone for weekly planning.

After our morning, we visited a sister to prepare her to help another member quit smoking.  We helped her with her car a bit before we actually started.  Her son was there, and although he smoked, he seemed rather interested in the program.

Right after, we biked over to visit an elderly gentleman with his home teacher.  I think it says a lot when some of the best service we can give to seniors is just visiting for a time.

The last visit of the day was to a family trying to get back to church.  They had a pet snake.  I may want to get a snake after my mission; they're pretty low maintenance.  At least, until I could afford a dog.

Thursday, May 8th, 2017:

Weekly planning took less time than some other weeks, but we didn't finish today because we attended a ward party for the whole evening.  There were many people--including most of the people we are working with--as well as a kickball game and a roasted pig.  It was a wonderful time.

Backing up, we got through most of our weekly planning.  We can still get better at it, though! (By the way, when I refer to VGP, it stands for Vision, Goal, Plan.  Every month, we have a zone goal for baptisms.  The zone leaders determine something we should already be doing that we could do better, like contacting our investigators daily.  Last month, it was contacting investigators daily, having anyone we give a commitment to write it down, and following up on commitments the next day.)

There was a baptismal interview for one of the sisters' investigators.  He passed.

Friday, June 9th, 2017:

We finished weekly planning today.  Most of it was our companionship inventory, in which we discussed and sorted out goals.  Basically, I took a long way to get to the conclusion that I need to focus on one goal at a time.  The rest of this transfer will be aimed at time management.

Zone meeting focused on having good studies.  I think one thing I could take out of it is pausing to reflect before I start and really pick out my target(s).  I realized during a recent study that if I am going too fast, no amount of self-mastery would help me correct.  Going too slow misses opportunities to improve, but I may be trying to go too fast for where I'm at.

We had a correlation with a WML, during which I received good insights into how to inspire the members: bring about things based on my own efforts [give credit to the WML], but more so have a good attitude for the work.

We contacted a man while we were biking.  Normally, we just ride by everyone so I'm glad Elder Clayton stopped.  He had an interesting view of heaven--God saving us and giving us a worry-free life, like a free pass--and I can't help but ponder how many different views of God are possible, even in Christianity.

I almost certainly will check out video game music as a career.  I've realized that it is what I miss most from video games at this point.  I will get excited at even the idea of it versus something like game design.  But that's all for later.

Saturday, June 10th, 2017:

We had good exercises and a good companionship study this morning.  I'm glad we can have the mornings we do.  Study is vital to a good day.

We had a solid hour of phone work, which sometimes just needs to be done.  Following, I wiped out on my bike.  I wasn't going very fast, but it was on gravel--it grabbed my wheel and threw me.  I was wearing gloves, but my right knee took most of it.  Fortunately, I was wearing pants (not shorts) so my pants got cut and my knee got only two good scratches in it.  We headed back to the apartment, but not before the same Josh we met not too long ago (he was recently out of jail) walked by and offered a bandage and some ointment.  That was cool.

Right after, we attended a baptism for one of the sisters' investigators.  We ourselves weren't too involved.  Still, it was great to feel the Spirit in such a manner.  Also, none of our investigators were able to go.

There was a ward activity for Mexican Train tonight.  There are some things I can't* wait for.  [*well...]

We listened to my video game music during our free time... I really want to be more focused, but I'm taking one goal at a time (right now, time management).  Also part of my difference in reaction between this time and last time is due to being more comfortable in learning about myself.  I can recognize more things and, while making evaluations on how to act, not distress myself.

Sunday, June 11th, 2017:

Today was a good day.  We planned, then headed out to church.  Katirina and Suaad showed up--even though we don't like the idea, Suaad's kids may have to be taught separately as we haven't managed much contact with them--and while they both had to leave early, we're glad they came at all.

We had a lesson with Suaad in which we put her on date for July 8th.  She isn't fully on date, but long story short she is ready for the gospel but didn't understand what a baptismal service was and didn't know her schedule.  She talked a lot about how she had received answers to her prayers and said she would like to be baptized.

We visited a few people in the area with the 12th ward mission leader.  Our evening was cut up because another WML offered to have us over for dinner, which made our timing weird, and a family that first turned us away wanted us back later in the night.  That was a good visit; we didn't get to talk to them as much as they talked to us, but sometimes that's what's needed.

Monday, June 12th, 2017:

Elder Clayton and I are getting along wonderfully and it's in high contrast to any companion I've had before.  I feel like I did better with Elder Matsuzaki in improving as a missionary, but they each have different forms of good.  The downside is we can pull each other off track, but we're both quick to refocus [usually].

During studies, I first felt down on myself for not being mentally able to do as good a job as I wanted to.  As I reviewed some notes from sacrament meeting, however, I read about how we shouldn't get down on ourselves about where we are at.  Rather, we know our starting point--everyone has to start somewhere--and can go!  Right there.

Another thing that struck me is the importance of being centered on Jesus Christ.  We do this better by simplifying.

We're getting a lot of new activity in our area.  In the past week, we've met many people (a few of which we got to refer to other areas, but no one for our own area).  A bishop called yesterday to tell us about maybe five new potential investigators.  We've been busy, like fresh air in the work.

We blessed a sister's house today.  She saw shadowy apparitions.  We don't know if she was sane, but there were other people who had seen them as well.  Really, evil spirits do exist, but it does make sense.  If God is real, He is real and so are a lot of other things.

Due to a mix of showers in the day's forecast, we didn't bike.  We talked to a lot of people.  There were all sorts of people, from a Polynesian member giving us money as he passed us in a car to some teens smoking with their skateboards to a divorced ex-member who didn't have a testimony.

 

Our zone went to the temple on June 13