August 9, 2010

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

That was an unreal letter, mom and dad. I think the first time I've ever got a little emotional while reading one of your guys emails. I love family, a mission really makes you appreciate your family and learn what you would like yours to be like.

Usually each week I have made notes in my planner on the upcoming Monday, so I have a few key things I'd like to talk about. But this week I don't, just completely forgot so I'm just going to wing it. Although I feel like I could reply to your emails for hours. I can't believe what happened to Mitch James, that's really sad. Please keep me updated and I keep him in prayers of course. I love him and he has treated me good as a friend and a boss! I already talked about Paigee poops and I love her. Wish I could talk to her for a few hours. Before I forget! Nana happy birthday and I love you as well! Question for you. Do you know a Elder Hanson who served in Capetown from 95-97? Because he knows you and Grandpa, he lives in one of my wards. He said you and Elder Pizzey were a cool senior couple.

My week was splendid! I like serving a mission. I have the same problem at night with my journals that I do here in these emails. I meet so many people and have so many stories I can't write them all down. There just isn't time! Of course my journals probably get a better part of the stories but there is just so much going on it's hard to record. So today is the first day of the fifth week in this transfer. I hope I stay in this area this upcoming transfer. We will be having a baptism this upcoming week (had a little dry spell) and there should a few more at the end of the month. Our area is exploding! Last couple weeks with Elder England it died down and when he left it was alot of working trying to pick it up again but it's starting to pay off. We have found EIGHT people in the fast four weeks and should, hopefully, find three this week. We are killing the mission averages in finding. A few of those are really moving along, some fast, some real slow and others almost to the point were we have to leave them behind. That's a difficult thing for me. When do I drop someone? Stop teaching them? How can I make that call? I don't want to be held accountable!? That's why I do everything I can to help them progress but ultimately it's up to them. They have their agency and it's really between them and God, I'm just here to hold their hand down this narrow path. If they keep commitments, keep teaching. If a few lessons goes by and they have no desire to keep them, move on. There are people the Lord is preparing and our time is precious and we need to find them.

I would say one of this biggest things I'm working on is just having confidence or faith that the Lord has power to change life's. That the prayers of the people I am teaching will be answered and they will feel God's love for us by the POWER of the Holy Ghost. Those who diligently seek his help, and express their faith by keeping commitments and putting things to the test. I can promise anyone that if they dedicate three weeks to us, to figuring out if God does exist, still loves us, still reaches out to us, still calls prophets, still speaks to his children, IF THE HEAVENS ARE STILL OPEN! Sorry but it they will dedicate JUST three weeks meeting two-three times a week they will have the exact same knowledge that I have, that Jesus is the Christ! And it works, one condition! Open that heart! I find... hmm how can I say this. There are hard and soft people, and we can tell whos hard and whos soft real fast. Soft people are 10x easier to work with but hard people just take a little more effort I'd say. These are alot of random thoughts but I have 1000's of thoughts I think of at night and these are just a few.

So I love President Miller. We have our weekly letter to him and Sis. Miller we write each week, by email. BUT he responds! Insane that is like 230 emails to respond to each week. Don't get how he does it? But he does, something Pres. Laney didn't do. I'll share with you his last response.
"First, know that you are fast becoming a wonderful missionary. That being said I worry about your health. I know you will be having a test I just had before coming out here. It sounds awful but isn't too bad. Meanwhile, for me, stay off of red meat and eat fish. Also, keep spending at least 30 to 60 minutes in aerobic exercising such as jogging. You have my permission to arise at 6am. I love you Elder Pizzey and you will have an exchange this week. With appreciation, President Miller"
I like that first line there, but mom your probably freaking out... My health? Well I'll just give it to you plain and simple I have to have a colonoscopy on August 28th. They are checking for colin cancer.... haha no don't worry but I'm not to sure what I have? You might not want to include this little section on the blog, but I really don't care if you choose. I'll try to say it in medical terms, I have blood in my stools for the past few weeks? So Sis. Miller sent me out to the hospital this week and yup got to get it checked out. Nothing hurts and I feel fine so they think it's something in there. But the 28th is a Pday and I'll be at home all day, in bed/toilet pooping so you might not get a email home. I'm sure Pres. Miller will let me do it like sunday or something. Oh and next week we are going on a hike from 10-2/3 so don't worry if you don't get a email till later. Well yeah... Thats that and I'll keep you updated. And please don't send me pages and pages of things I could have or what I should do, they are taking care of me. Love yeah mom ;)

Back to my week. So here's a weird experience that happened this week, I'll try to make it real short because its way long. They tried to take away my cous! And that doesn't fly with me. Elder McClung got a call from the assistants saying he was being moved... We thought Ok this stinks, maybe spanish assingment of the mission so thats good for him. But we were upset. We talk to the assistants later again, and they said no english assingment still... OK hold up why? Ok long story short they were trying to get rid of foursomes and make more threesomes, they think its more productive. NO it's not. Two by two right? Against all doctrine, plus it's awkward tracting and teaching lessons. So I called them back and I shared with them my opinion, not being a punk or anything just did. They said, hmm well whats your numbers like. I told them. We are leading mission in finding. They said hmmm well even though your double booked we are still doing it. I got E. McClungs new companion's phone number and talked to him. He was in 100% agreement with me and said call Mission President the assistants are suppose to listen to our concerns. So I did, that was way scary. BUT he was right behind me. Well Elder McClung is still here and all is good! Not really a spiritual experience but I was a little nervous the whole time.

Shoot I've wasted to much time, I have a couple stories I would like to share about people we are now teaching but... hmm I'll do better next time. Last night we finally made some progress with this girl named Tori. We have been teaching her for a couple weeks and she has had a difficult time believing some of the stories in the Bible and so on. Well she has been being a good girl and keep her commitments. But last night we had the best lesson we've had with her yet, she expressed some feelings she has had at church and when meeting with us we helped her realize just what that is! It's all about having the right fellowshipper, this RM Maryn is helping us out alot. I mean Tori has been to church three weeks in a row and it's all due to Maryn's help. This is all in the Wasatch YSA ward, it's a good ward.

So we are also teaching two other guys in this YSA ward. Kenny and Terry. Elder England and myself tracted into them a few months ago and lets just say the timing is right in their life. They have real questions, something us missionaries never get. They also have real answers, sometimes we dig deep with questions and it's scary because alot of people throw out lame one word answers but not these boys. They share their feelings. We had a good first lesson with them this week and will have some more this week.

I'm sorry to run out on this email but I must. Once again I hope you enjoyed it. Couple things I really learned this week. Have confidence in the Lord's promises and that everything happens in the Lord's time. He's preparing the people we just need to find them. By ourselves we can do nothing.

Love all of you and keep the faith! Elder Pizzey