Week 101: Exorcism isn't taught in PMG

​​Monday, June 4th, 2018:

 

For p-day, we emailed, shopped, and did whatever else we needed; our preparation day sorted out well. I got the new watchband fixed; it now properly fits.  My charcoal suit was still at the dry cleaner's.  We went to Jerk's bike shop. We made sure Chelsea's bike was completely fixed up before returning it to her house.  (She texted us after 9:00 saying "THANK YOU!!!") There was an informal activity for the elders in our zone, but we got there with only 30 minutes left for volleyball.  We also got Itto's for carry-out for dinner.  We were late getting out; the only preparation-day activity we did after 6:00 was eat dinner for 15 minutes. It was nice to get out in the evening on bikes.  An hour after we got out, Elder Vandehei's front tire got a flat.

We were unexpectedly called to help in casting out an evil entity from someone's house during preparation day.  On my mission, I've learned to treat such things seriously (because they can actually happen), but I'm still learning the finer points of what spirits can do and what we or others need to do to cast them out.  It doesn't happen very often, and exorcism is not something that's taught about in Preach My Gospel.

On a related note, we as members of the church shouldn't trample on the faults of leaders of other religions.  We wouldn't want others to do so to us.  If someone is open to the gospel, or otherwise if everyone in a discussion about religion is of the same faith, it can be easy to go a little too far in saying how we're "right" and others aren't.  There's defending our beliefs, but there's respecting others'.

Iman (a young unbaptized child who we have been trying to teach) can often be found outside in her apartment complex's playground, especially with school out. We tried to have a lesson with her, as her mother has been too busy to set up formal lessons, but Iman and her friends wanted to play and take Elder Vandehei's shoes more than they wanted to listen. Eventually, Elder Vandehei's shoes and socks got back back on his feet (and my flashlight to my bag... and his tablet...), we carried on with our evening.

We had a lesson with Jeremy, Elaine, and Kristie on temples.  We have been trying to contact them for a good amount of time before this.

Tuesday, June 5th, 2018:

Rice and fish for lunch.

Contacting and walking around; hot in mid-day.

We had a lesson with Eddie and Jennifer, but we think they weren't home.

We helped Laurinda garden, then helped a neighbor change her brake lights.

We had a really good lesson on prayer with Dawnette and Hunter; hopefully Dawnette will pray now.  She was sniffling during it.

We walked with the Spanish sisters on the way in, as we were walking from the same direction.  We touched base about our respective areas.

Wednesday, June 6th, 2018:

Zone leadership review --> VGP [Vision, Gal, Plan] and thoughts.  This VGP struck me well, as the plans for it merely gave us a tool to measure progress.  With that, we could use it to improve.  Some other VGPs make plans for all the missionaries in the zone; if a companionship doesn't understand it -- or, even if they understand it, if it's hard to make it a natural thing they do in a day -- it isn't effective for them.  I've seen it in our area.

Michael: we had another lesson with him.  We tried to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but he was confused by part of the verse we read with "cleansed in the blood of the lamb."  After showing him how to use the footnotes and explaining about it, he asked about missionary service.  He seemed excited at the idea that he could go on a mission, which is awesome.  But for now, baby steps.

We met with and had dinner with the UP 1st WML.

The member in our area who owns the bike shop, Kirk, brought Elder Vandehei's bike back.  We walked down to his neighborhood, picked up his bike, tried to see Cache (his father said they were eating dinner and shut the door), helped a less-active member family we knew fix a car door, returned to Cache (no response), and ventured to Southgate apartments.  No one we tried to visit was home, but we helped a man get into his apartment when he locked himself out.  Rather, he was emboldened enough by talking to us to climb up and into his own balcony, whereas he was scared what his downstairs neighbor might think before [we didn't tell him to do it; he undertook it himself].

Elder Vandehei's front bike tire was then flat.  We walked back.

People frequently give us water now that it's hot.  It's almost like saying hello, when the conversation progresses far enough; it's a natural thing for them to do.

As I was also trying to choose classes for college this week, I haven't compiled the rest of my week.  Sorry!  I'll do it before next week and send it out on Monday.

Thursday, June 7th, 2018:

Dawnette prayed!

Friday, June 8th, 2018:

Interviews.  How do we be content with the faults we have, while avoiding rationalizing?

Zone meeting.  Doctrine of commitments.

Saturday, June 9th, 2018:

Fun day.  With zone meeting, I was excited to extend commitments to people.  I could see how commitments help people go from not really wanting to move forward with missionaries to being converted by the Spirit.

Out and talking to people at 11:00 or so.

Hunter, Boston, and Isis on date.

Sunday, June 10th, 2018:

Boston off date -- he didn't go to church.

Went on visits with Cole, a priest.