September 20, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

 

The work moves forward. We keep finding and teaching! I don't even know how. Before I get going let me say to Rob, Rob Hirsche that is, that his old companion Shawn Marsing says Hi! I spoke in his ward yesterday and he came up and talked to me yesterday. It sounds like the trip was killer and you had some funny stories. I can just imagine Paige soaking up the whole thing. We will see if I can get some pictures on this email for you guys. We will be moving really soon by the way. Our landlords have had Elders for a year and there time is up, they have some other plans for the future. They might go serve a mission. The stake thinks they found new place for us but just yesterday they told us there might be a 20 year old girl living there that they didn't know about so that is a huge NO NO. So we are desperately looking for a new place as we have to be out before October starts!

 

Have you seen the fires going on in the south east part of the valley? Last night as we were finishing up we could hardly breath, ashes falling like snow in front of the light on our bikes. Cool story. When President Hinckley announced the Draper and Oquirrh Temples he mentioned another temple that will be built in the south east part of the valley but said. "He will let that be and talk about that another time though." Something along those lines. Well the church owns property in the south east corner of the valley near Herriman (5000 people evacuated from that town due to the fire) which a surveyor of the church told us was land designated for that temple which was announced. Well the fire rolled up the hill and burnt all that land. Pretty interesting isn't it, was he not inspired when he said that!

 

I really don't have a whole lot for this week. Elder Lundwall and myself have had a cold this past week. I just got over it and he is still recovering, man it makes it harder to work and teach. Some killer headaches, ear aches and sore throats. We took some home made medicine from the Crowley's (our landlords) called "the cure of the black plague". It either kills or you cures you. It was pretty nasty but it worked. There are some funny videos of that. But Elder Lundwall and myself continue to work together in unity. We are becoming good friends, really loving the time we have. We have a weird feeling it might be short?

 

My favorite moment of the week was probably speaking! I haven't spoke for awhile, not since the first week Elder Ng came in. I feel like I got 10x better, I think just due to a better understanding of the doctrine and more experience in the field I guess. I spoke on how we can receive revelation through the Book of Mormon. One thing that I find I am slowly learning on my mission is how to connect with heaven. How to be a instrument in the Lord's hand. Actually more like how to tune my instrument to get on the same wavelength as the Lord's. If that makes sense. I was on my knees one night asking what I should speak on. So many topics and I have no clue. I hate giving the same talk twice and felt they the ward need something other than missionary work! It didn't come to me in the very moment but maybe a half an hour later just has I was about to fall asleep it came to me. Inspiration. How do we get it? How do I? The Book of Mormon its so powerful! And I sat up quick flicked on the light and wrote it down. I'm starting to recognize and know the promptings better and better as time goes on. Preparing myself to receive revelation for my future family! Well the talk went good. Shared a couple spiritual experiences involving that topic from my mission which I felt grabbed peoples attention. We will be speaking quite a bit in the next few weeks, looking forward to it.

 

Another experience I had this week. I was on a exchange with Elder Wakefield from my district in my area. We were leaving a dinner appointment and we were riding to the other stake to visit a few people. I had this feeling turn around and go see Shauntae right now. A little history. Shauntae is a 18 year old girl with learning disability who has a comprehensin of maybe twelve year old. She was had a date for baptism this Saturday the 25th. Well we spun around on our bikes and started to bike towards her house. We knocked on the door and her foster sister opened the door with a blank look on her face. I said, "Is something wrong?" then she asked me, "Who told you to come?" The conversation went on and she went to get the Makkies (Shauntae's foster parents) and Shauntae. All three of them came to the door in tears and said, "its a sign" I was just completely confused and had no clue what was happening. We sat down and eventually they told me what happened. Shauntae's Uncle and Grandma (the only family she has) just got off the phone with her telling her how terrible of a decision she is making. We were there to comfort her with words, scripture and testimony at the right time. We told her what to do and now a few days later all is good. She was able to explain to them her reasons for deciding to be baptized and eventually her Grandmother is supportive. Long story but it was unreal for me. I thought of 1 Nephi 4:6 the second I knocked on the door and saw the look on her sisters face. I was led by the spirit and I hardly knew. I have realized we always need to act on these small promptings. Its just like anything else. Practice, practice, practice. As we act we learn if it was just us, or really one of those distinct impressions from the Holy Ghost.

 

Finally we have district meeting tomorrow! I can't wait. It will be a good one. How to teach simple, clean and ask inspired questions! Also this week there is a District Leader training that should, should be good. We should be starting to teach like three new people this week! Exciting! Two weeks ago we found four and this past week two! We have six people working towards baptism, two of them this Saturday.

 

I will briefly tell you about Nicole and Warren Fowlks. They are people we will be visiting when we come back for sure. They are a most likely in there mid 40's and have a solid family. A couple cute little girls who will be turning eight in the next year or so. But they are as perfect as they can get for baptism. She was the lady who wanted to wait until Easter to get baptized but we said no way! And she agreed. They love the neighbourhood and what really caught there eye was the other memebers on the street. How they try to live the gospel compared to just understand it. They have a solid testimony and will be a strength to the ward. I am excited.

 

This letter has been all over the place but I will blame it on my headache. My thoughts are not flowing from my mind to my fingers to this screen as well as I would like them to, but hopefully it was a good enough update. Next week I will be back 100% and right in it. Thanks for your emails I love hearing the updates from home. Miss all of you Paige, Taren, Kamry and Breanne! The Brother in laws. Parents! Grandparents! Lindsay! Friends! But I must say your all missing out! Keep the faith! Can't wait for General Conference. Like what are they going to speak to us about!? Such a mystery!

 

The main idea from my talk. The biggest thing that separates us from other Christian religions in the way we read and study the Bible and other scripture, it is our belief that it isn't the ultimate source knowledge but it precedes the ultimate source of knowledge. And that is revelation!  Bye bye!

 

Elder Pizzey