Wednesday, May 31, 2017

5-8-17

We had a successful week this week. We picked up a new investigator. He's this guy that has been joining in on the lessons the Elders have been teaching to this lady they've been trying to pass off to us. He's really nice.
Gloria is showing signs of change and the members who have been working with her for ~15 years say they are seeing a glimmer of hope for the first time. She's started calling the Book of Mormon the word of God and saying that she feels the spirit at church and in our meetings. Progress! 
We found a way to legally share some scriptures with Patrick by having him make me a planner cover based on some scriptures. We have trouble knowing how to do missionary work with him because of his custody arrangement. It's like doing member missionary work basically. We have to tread softly. He does love to be around us and he's super open. Which is unusual for him so it's great progress. I just have a way with teenagers I guess. 

I'm moving right along on BYU applications and My Plan. I'm almost done applying to BYU. I asked Heavenly Father if I could submit my application to BYU Idaho as well and he said NO. Sorry mission friends, I'll just be in Utah. Come down if you want. My Plan is kind of brutal. I learned this week that I don't understand the difference between a "vision" and a "goal." It's like "What's your vision of what you can accomplish in a year?" So I set some goals and then it was like "Ok set some goals for how you will get there." and I was like come again? Then I set my number one goals, goals for spiritual growth and activity and etc. SO THEN I LEARNED THAT THERE'S A WHOLE SEGMENT ON SPIRITUAL GOALS AND ACTIVITY!!! Sister Gage was like "When I think of where I will be in a year my level of activity doesn't immediately come to mind." I was like "It's the first thing that I worry about!!" So sorry President My Plan is kind of repetitive. 

Sister Lewis's husband got home on Friday. I'm so excited to meet him! I want to pick him up as an investigator! He's like 6' 7" or 6' 9" or something. He's like almost 2 feet taller than me! Who will baptize him? I don't know, but I'm excited to find out! Maybe one of the professional basketball players in the ward. Sister Lewis is a pretty cool homie. I love her.

Some scriptures that have been standing out to me are these:

1Corinthians1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

This scripture seems to indicate that the qualification for holding a calling in the church is some kind of weakness as to things of the world. Also I've been thinking that it's so amazing that in the organization that is the California Irvine Mission there are so many talented people in one place. We have a lot of artists and pianists and singers. Also we have more than one cowboy. We have gifted athletes. We have some college graduates. Those are not the things we judge each other based on though. People just think it's kinda neat if you have these talents, but they think it's so amazing if you can speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Moroni7:13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

The point of member missionary work is to extend invitations. If you are someone who invites and entices your friends to do good and to love God and to serve him YOU are inspired of God. 

Here are some quotes: 

"What's up sisters? Emailing all your boyfriends?" -Elder Ball

"Why are you wearing a dress?" -Elder Lemon
"I don't like sports and people are less likely to ask me to play if there's a potential for me to become immodest." -me 
"Fair enough." -Elder Night 

"There's sunscreen on your face." -Elder Gunn
"It was the creamiest sunscreen!" -Elder Kieth

"Don't go to New Mexico It's so dangerous. It's full of cannibals." -Elder Davies 

"Gunn and Ball are my satan." -Elder Houghtalen

"Sister Atchley is so dissapointed by your comment." -Sister Gage
"Oh i know her smil and laughter just scream dissapointment." -Elder Houghtalen 

"I need to buy a watch. "-me 
"What time is it?" -Sister Gage
"I'm pondering really hard to figure out why you just asked me that. It's obviously TIME FOR ME TO BUY A WATCH." -me 

"We needed the gift of tongues on our mission so we could communicate with all the REDNECKS!" -Brother Oldroyd 

"I'm trying to organize my training about trust and all I'm getting is that I need to trust the Lord to put words in my mouth!" -Sister Gage
"Ha! Heavenly Father is teaching you an object lesson!" -me 

"It's like..... creating....." -Elder Crone 
"A baby?" -Elder Ball

"Oh don't give him that one he won't be able to explain it." -Elder Gunn
"Oh you son of a gun" -Elder Ball 
"What was it?" -Sister Gage
"The law of chastity." -Elder Ball

"We're moving in on the same street as the stake president so I'm thinking we could blast some Metallica or Nirvana or something. I'll put on a fake tattoo, and the kids can be shirtless." -Brother Campbell

"Ok I'll start a conversation and try to get it back to the gospel as fast as possible. So you've been doing a push up challenge?" -Brother Campbell
"Uh yeah." -Son 
"Do you want to get baptized?" -Brother Campbell

"I'm so bored I don't even want to pile anymore." -Elder Gunn

"You don't have reception." -me 
"NO YOU DON'T HAVE RECEPTION!!" -Elder Gunn

"How do those socks even stay on?" -Elder Gunn
"Faith." -me 
"That's not true I know plenty of Sisters with no faith and their socks still stay on." -Elder Ball

"Go take a shower! And use soap! And don't come out in your underwear!" -Sister Tayco

"I prefer craisins to chocolate chips." -me 
"What!? Well I prefer Elders to Sisters." -Lance
"Well I prefer 10 year olds who aren't named Lance to 10 year olds who are." -me 

"I can't claim to be funny and write only serious essays."-me 

"I LOVE drama!" -Elder Gunn

"What do you guys have left?" -Elder Gunn
"Comp inventory." -Sister Gage
"So that will take the rest of the night." -Elder Gunn

"How do the Elders spend their time?" -Brother Kubat
"Are we supposed to keep track of them?" -Sister Gage
"Might as well. Keeping track of the Elders is just good practice for keeping track of all the boys you'll have to keep track of for the rest of your life." -Brother Kubat

Here's a reading assignment: 

Some Things We Have Learned—Together

Jeffrey R. and Patricia T. Holland


Love Y'all


 When you are in a sketchy area and there is a sketchy character in the middle of the road.
 Used up my second tube of chapstick
 It rained
 A pile of elders


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