Week 55: Three good baptisms

Monday, July 17th, 2017:

We switched up our p-day; we studied, had breakfast, but didn't plan (that wasn't intended).  We shopped before going to a water balloon activity--we all got those fast filling biodegradable water balloons and had 100 each--and it was pretty fun.  I thought, as I bought them, that they'd be perfect items for the business student fair we'd have in high school as they would be very cheap wholesale but a good price to the student body.

After that, we emailed.  We found a proper emailing location!  I had my journal already typed out, so it was wonderful.

We cleaned and ate some chicken noodle soup before we planned at 6:00.  It was easy enough to tell that we weren't focused in our plans, but a storm was rolling through.  We weren't sure if we'd be on bike or on foot at that point.

We walked to a meeting with a WML, during which the storm came and went.  He's over the single adult ward and very excited for missionary work, so after meeting a prospective member of the Winder Single Adult ward (she's going to a family ward right now), it was time for us to head in.

I got a lot of food this p-day, so while I still hadn't set my second tire up with its lights or polished my shoes, I feel pretty prepared.

Tuesday, July 18th, 2017:

There was an MLT meeting this morning. MLT means Mission Leadership Training; leaders from around the mission are invited to receive instruction on various topics. So after an abbreviated morning schedule Elder Wagley went into the mission office and I ventured out with the 7th WML.  We visited only people in his ward and gathered information on many of the potential investigators there.  To break the six or so hours, I then met up with Elder Wagstaff and visited mostly people in his ward.

We got to meet with two other local leaders as well tonight.  The leadership around here is very cooperative, which we can't be grateful enough for.

Some of the time was spent waiting for Elder Wagley (well, waiting for the whole MLT to finish) or the 1st WML (he was taking us to dinner).

By the way, pumpkin curry is hard to beat.  If you ever get the chance to try it, I would recommend it.

Vahid and the sister we worked with both failed to stop smoking.  Vahid was getting sick, so he smoked (they're not connected).  The sister didn't understand that she couldn't smoke during the week of the program--she thought she could just set down cigarettes with no pain at the end of the week.

Vahid is very nice.  He gave me some squash from his garden.  We may pick cherries with him tomorrow, if he isn't sick.

Wednesday, July 19th, 2017:

Our planning went entirely into companionship study today.  I don't think we're supposed to do that.  We didn't even get to all our plans today, in like manner to most days.

That being said, Elder Wagley and I argued today. It boils down, now, to me learning trust extends beyond small or unclear items of obedience.  Really, it's listening to the Spirit.  But when I assume (or anyone else assumes) to have a better perception of rules and obedience, it breaks trust.  So trust extends to the granting that something I thought to be disobedient as obedient, and I'm just at a misunderstanding.

Granted, I will always check.  It is hard to explain beyond being able to assume your companion is competent and obedient and understanding that it is very possible to misunderstand rules.

Bleah.  Why does coming to understand people (and especially myself) have to be so hard?

There's going to be an "un-warping" of rules soon.  Our mission had a slow alteration of rules over time, but the MLT yesterday may change things.  As a side note, one of those rules pertains to musical instruments.  We have a synth keyboard in our apartment that I had claim over already (just by being here the longest).  I now get to keep it but have to send it home.

I found a fidget spinner on the road today.  It was run over and thus beat up, but I fixed it using the plier multitool I got.  I really don't see a point to the things.

We did a lot on the phone.  Missionary work goes so fast that writing down something doesn't mean we'll get to it later at times.  Combining that with how important everything is in missionary work and having to coordinate with multiple parties (making it hard) produces what can be a very overwhelming series of tasks.

The baptismal arrangements are underway for Suaad and her kids.  Yaaay!

Thursday, July 20th, 2017:

Elder Wagley told me that he writes most of the positive things from the day in his journal without the negative.  I think I would be leaving mine incomplete if I did that.

Elder Wagley and I argued today during the weekly planning session.  Elder Wagley has repeatedly told me I get too offended, but he asked me to not get into discussions on anything as it gets him angry.  It's really, really hard for us to get along.  The silver lining is I now think I just have to submit to what Elder Walgey wants in order to get along.

Dinner was a good time, and Suaad and her kids passed the interviews. Vahid is working to get off everything. When we came by he was asleep on the floor.  Chelsie, his wife, talked to us at the door.

Friday, July 21st, 2017:

Splatoon 2 is out today, and I realized that I’m long over it.

Today was an amazing day.  We finalized things for the baptismal service; it's all ready to go.

We found a phone on the side of the road.  It was broken into three pieces--back, body, and battery--and its screen is broken.  We're drying it out to see if we can determine who the owner is.

I've been working on OYM (Opening Your Mouth).  We stopped to talk to a young adult named Ryan and he became a new investigator as a result!  He grew up in the church but went through a few things and as a result isn't a member yet.

We visited the sister we tried to help quit smoking.  We found out more about her, including that she didn't want to quit smoking.

District meeting today was focused solely on the YSA areas that the other two companionships in our district cover.  One of them hasn't been doing so hot, but the other has been doing so well that they gave advice.  I took note in the case that I serve in a YSA ward.

We also used the mattresses that we had hauled over for a prior district meeting.  Elder McKee laid down with four mattresses on top of him while Elder Wagley talked about the need for urgency and the weight of sin.

Mattresses after the object lesson

Saturday, July 22nd, 2017:

Suaad was baptized today, along with her two sons Mohammed and Abdul! It was wonderful. Suaad and her kids are from Sudan. They moved from Sudan to Egypt. There, they attended Christian churches, where they felt the spirit in greater abundance than ever before.

They moved to the United States. In Utah, Suaad met with Bishop Brand of the Winder West 11th ward.  She got a job at DI, where the many portraits of Jesus Christ led to many of her spiritual experiences.  One such example was when she was about to go into the interview for her dental assistant's job: she felt the Spirit testifying peace to her so strongly that she started crying.  The interview was easy for her.

I met Suaad and her family with Elder Clayton.  He saw Abdul or Mohammed on exchanges with Elder Mau, who had baptized their father.  Elder Mau recognized him and talked, but missionaries didn't start teaching them for a bit. I know Suaad and her sons were prepared to hear the gospel.  They were ready; it was a privilege to teach them.

We spent a large chunk of the day getting the church ready and inviting our other investigators to the baptismal service.  While none of them came, 40-50 ward members attended. It went wonderfully.

*****

I've been able to cook more often and faster thanks to the dishwasher.  I've been able to throw dishes together, too.  It's a nice outlet when I can.

Elder Wagley and I argued today.  One thing I did learn was that an argument can be with just one angry person, so sometimes I shouldn't continue even if I'm calm.

I thought I had lost my name tag in the evening, but really I didn't put it on.  It was at the apartment.  Whoops!

It was a slow evening. People may be cheating at Bingo.  It's nothing huge, but it's a little upsetting.

Sunday, July 23rd, 2017:

We did an unfocused planning session this morning.  I really need to ask about Sunday schedules. We went to the 11th ward for Suaad, Mohammed, and Abdul's confirmations. The bishop performed them.

We met an investigator thanks to the efforts of his friends.  He didn't want to have the missionaries at first, but after six months of fellowshipping he agreed to meet with us.

There was a portion of Sunday that we spent writing reports and talking on the phone.  Better planning could help.

We had a lesson with a man we met a few weeks ago.  His member girlfriend and another non-member couple came with him.  They didn't seem super interested, though.

Elder Wagley and I argued again. This time, I told him about a lot of my feelings.  I’ hoping things might change from that.