August 2, 2010

Dear family and friends!

Yikes so much to say, I think. The other day Sis. May's told me don't waste time in emails replying to what your guys have said. I guess you guys don't care about that, which makes sense. I'll just share with you about my week! OK! Well before I go on, dad keep husseling on the yard. There are a few people with amazing yards here, one thing I really like is moss. If you ever have time I would suggest sweeping the chips away from the flat rock paths. Putting some edging down the sides of the path. And planting moss inbetween all the rocks and on the sides. Looks beautiful, stays clean, no weeds and it feels like carpet. The pros do it here. ANYWAYS!

Ok my week. So yes I was getting really excited to go to leadership training, way to excited! I mean after five months I've never gone on a exchange and I was excited to learn something new. Then that night before, after helping my companionship plan for 45 minutes, zone leaders send out a voicemail. "We have a correction the leadership training is for zone leaders, distract leaders and 1st transfer trainers ONLY" and technically I'm a 2nd transfer trainer (it's E. Ng's 2nd transfer) and "visa waiters" don't count! Really lame I know because really with them I am training first transfer again! Agh got to stop thinking about it. So I think that was the only time on my mission I have ever been truly upset.. no angry I would say. I was TICKED! But I kept my cool. Just like so much build up and excitement then nope. Well I prayed for help and that I asked for forgiveness for getting so caught up in something I was probably getting excited about for selfish reasons and the next day I got over it. Woke up and it was just another day back to work. So that was fun, but prayer defiantley helps.

Where to start with the rest of the week? Hardly anytime left to write. Ok do any of you remember Adam? If not go catch up/refesh from a last months emails. Adam was golden (20 years old), he said the first lesson to me, "I will be the easiest person you teach". Second lesson he started to think about a mission. He was reading chapters everyday! So spiritual. Well he cancelled a lesson on us a few weeks ago and just left a voicemail. Something along the lines he just needs time to think and said he wont ignore our calls, don't worry I'm not blowing you guys off. Well it's been more than two weeks. I called him once everyday for quite awhile and he would never answer. His mom hates the church and he has told us, she has tried to get him to read anti stuff. It has been difficult for E. Ng and myself. We loved him and theres nothing we can do. We aren't welcome at his house, we had lessons at his neighbours. I could go on forever and explain in extream detail everything but no time. I'm going to write him a letter this week and drop it off at his house and hope he gets it. Like we are talking he invited 30 of his friends to his baptism which was for the July 31, then it just got called off. We hear his mom has a big role in it. Alma 17:5 stuck out to me this week. "Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeying's, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much in the labor in the spirit." Sometimes we will teach people, we feel the spirit, they feel the spirit. They know God has answered their prayers but they just can't act. And we can't do anything, they have their agency and it's tough.

Man up to this point your probably thinking my week was terrible! Not true! I loved it! E. McClung and myself had a witness this week of the power of fast. Of course we (us 4) started our fast together with a prayer. But we decided to meet together at 4:00 to break our fast and try something knew, bless our area. Weird? Nope it was great. We went to a place in our area that overlooks our entire area. We got down on our knees in a semi overlooking our area. I started with a prayer to break our fast and bless our area. One of those prayers you have know clue what you were saying but you remember certain things from it and learn from what you said. The Holy Ghost can defiantely teach us things. Then once I closed, E. McClung offered a prayer, E. Gray and E. Ng finished us off. Can't describe it better than saying it was a spiritual experience and a highlight thus far in the mission. One thing I want to note. E. McClung prayed for Tori (21 year old female we are teaching) and Dallas (her LA boyfriend she's living with) that they will be able to figure out what they need to do in order for her to be baptized. He didn't mention anything specific, no marriage or nothing. Now later that night, just prior to our lesson with them, we recieved a call from Maryn (Tori's friend from the YSA ward in Wasatch) and she was with Tori and they needed to cancel. Tori and Dallas broke up that night.... they dated for three years. Not was we were expecting. We thought marriage. But Tori made the call and she wants to continue the lessons. We were in shock. Prayer answered? I guess so, whatever it takes. Power of fast. I mean check out what Alma's testimony is based on in Alma 5. Not the visitation he had from a angel but.... go find out!

It's to bad we don't get a phone call each week, I've got about 5 more stories I would like to tell. Tracting stories. Real quick we were at second appointment with this couple we found while tracting. Their was way to much contention from him. I mean we would answer questions, he would ask another, we answer and he gets more mad and we were answering calmy and humbly. It got the the point where I shared my testimony and said we need to leave. Left him with some chapters and things to ponder/pray. He was a little shocked we just peaced. We came back few days later and it went alot better. Not near as much contention I think he got the point I was trying to get across. We answered his big question of how grace and works fit together using the bible. But after we were bringing it back to the Book of Mormom and Joseph Smith and while I was explaining some history to Joseph Smith he cut me off more a minute and cracked a little joke, nothing big but it was rude. I stopped him and stared him the eyes and said with all the engery in my heart Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, please don't mock him again. And he shut up. I continued on with my testimony and we left on that note. I believe it's never bad to defend the prophet and share your testimony of Joseph Smith.

Yup, but even more prayers answered by fast. Sis. Isom shared her testimony at church again! Yes, it will happen. The Isom family and myself are going to be in the temple together a year from now. Just need to get her baptized! I am really enjoying the foursome companionshop though. I love my companions. We all have a desire to learn by study, learn by eachother, we are willing to take advice from oneanother and we all have the desire to be obiendent. Other than that we love to have fun, the funnest time of my mission so far. The nights and mornings are hilarious. Each day E. McClung get's more hilarious with his comments.

Time is up folks. Plus I think I want to go play ball, Stake Presidents son is coming to play with us, he's a baller. I love these two years I just always need to remember to use every minute of them. Love all of you as well and miss all of your, plus certain individuals! Love you mom, your the best mom, I want a kiss mom!

Keep the faith, Elder Pizzey.

Side Note: Our mom would pin us down and make us say those three things and then we would get a kiss! Strange, but she is strange!