The rest of week 86

Week 86 Journal, part 2

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018:

We didn't make it to the temple because my companion was sick, but in the evening, we managed to get out. We met with the Union Park 2d Ward's 2nd assistant WML at 6:00 then have a lesson with Shayna at 7:00. The assistant WML had some confusion over the schedule, as he thought we had a lesson with Shayna at 6:00, and could not attend the 7 pm lesson. We got Elder Price, one of the senior couple missionaries, to join us instead for the lesson, because mission rules state that male missionaries cannot enter a home unless there is a male above 18 present, preferably a Melchizedek priesthood holder. Otherwise, we would have had to teach Shayna on her porch, and I'm glad we didn't because it was cold. We're really hopeful for Shayna, as she said she would be baptized if she knew the Book of Mormon was true.  We know she's seeking to dispel her uncertainty about religions.

After the lesson, we met with another WML. Initially, he seemed very contentious or strongly opinionated. We were talking about scheduling of dinners, and we were explaining how our mission president had asked us to have dinners at 5 pm, so we could effectively use the rest of the evening to teach. The WML explained that the ward is a blue collar ward and that few fathers get home by 5 pm, so most families could not have dinner at 5 pm. Just when it looked like we would have to work this out carefully with President Hillier, something changed in the WML's demeanor. He said he understood, and he would see what the ward could do. Instantly, the tension went away. He prayed, and I was touched by what he said. I came to respect him instead of thinking about how he can be prickly sometimes.

Friday, February 23rd, 2018:

We had a wonderful weekly planning session.  We planned for everything within three hours.  Also, our plans are high quality!  It was one of my best planning sessions yet.

The assistants to the president showed up to our apartment to do companionship study with us. We we talked about one of our investigators who has been impossible to conact and doesn't return out tests and emails, and how we had decided to send him a note saying that we were dropping him from our teaching pool, and to contact us if he had any further interest. 

One of the assistants has an absurdly high metabolism and said he didn't get enough money to buy sufficient food each month, so I gave him some of my ample supply of protein bars and beef jerky, some sushi rice, as well as our the chicken noodle soup leftovers from yesterday.

We thought about attending  a member fireside in the evening, but decided to contact people instead. We learned that one potential investigator -- Amy -- had got a stomach bug and hadn't slept or eaten for three days. And it was really cold outside.

Outside our apartment door: snow from a recent storm

Saturday, February 24th, 2018:

We spent the day doing productive things, like texting people, planning lessons, and trying to find a house on google maps that yesterday we looked for in person but could not locate. I'm not bothered by what we did we put in, as they weren't the "half-productive" things I sometimes do like planning too much. But what we did was different that what we had planned, so there is more I've yet to learn.

We had a lesson with Dagan, Hunter, and their mother, Dawnette [or Donette.  She's gone by both at different times in her life].  The boys are energetic, but I think it's to a normal level for kids.  They have ADD or ADHD. I can relate to how they think, as I was pretty much the same when I was their age. Knowing how best to teach them, however, is a different story. Still, it didn't go too badly, as they asked a lot of questions.  We were joined by the assistant WML, which really helped.

We had a good dinner message today; it was a family of seven and we shared things we wish we had learned sooner, basing off Jesus teaching the first and second great commandments.  They asked to move dinner to 6:00 when we called them last night, which we agreed on Thursday with the WML to do on special conditions.

It was cold tonight. The water in the straw of Elder Hardt's water bottle froze. It was in the side pocket of his bag. But we were bundled up, and didn't mind. Plus, the spirit of God like a fire was burning.

Sunday, February 25th, 2018:

We found a lot of new people to teach this week.  Working with the WMLs and going to ward councils on Sundays has started to work.  Now, to sustain this, we need to follow up and consistently be a resource to help the ward leaders in their callings. We really worked had, in spite of being sick.

Many people who we expected to be at church did not attend, however. Only Michelle, Noah, Kimberly, and Shelley made it, the two families in the same house who we were trying to hold an appointment with for a while. Hunter, Dagan, Shayna, James and his family, Adan and his grandparents, and Parker with his parents did not make it. We're grateful for those who attended.

In the evening, we visited some people near the edges of our area. We didn't realize it until we planned this afternoon that we realized how many people that the wards have asked us to visit.  The people we tried tonight were newly moved in. Some were active members with a reason they weren't yet attending church; others were not home.

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Overall, I feel pretty good about this week, and this area.  It's only a week until transfers (I have three left) and I hope Elder Hardt and I can stay together for another transfer. If not, though, I'll survive.  As usual.

I'm starting to reach a really good point where I'm okay both with being on a mission and with the fact that I'm going home soon. It feels good to solidly and effectively put in the effort needed for a mission, but I know I'll reach the point where I enter a new phase of life. It feels appropriate that a mission cannot last forever. (I don't feel like I could last forever on a mission). I'm really happy  that things are going as well as they are. One of my bigger worries has been regret that I might not have been doing my best, but I can honestly say that I have.

Good news! President Hillier approved us to go to the temple, since we were not able to go last week. We will attend some time this week. I'm going to try to think about which college I would like to go to before we go to the temple, but I'll still probably need to think it out more.

Photos of our apartment: