It was really nice talking with you guys!!! I really needed it. It was sweet to actually see Bryson! You guys all look really good! I was shocked...kinda with Lexis idea about serving a mission! that would be so cool and good for her. Ha, Ya its good to know what you believe...i still am learning so much about what I believe. Those classes are awesome! I cant wait to take them when i get back, you learn soooo much you didnt know before!
It helped me when Bryson told me that home isnt as great as everyone says and he wished he was still out here. It reminded me of my desire I had before when I was home and how badly I wanted to be here.
Thanks for that quote, it is very true. Ive noticed that somethings have definitley gotten easier, God has strengthened me a ton and given me a ton of help in doing this work. Ive been opening my mouth alot more now, being the only one that knew the area has brought me many opportunities to lead and alot more responsibility. Elder Blake really led me along and told me what to do ever mionute of every day and I think I needed this, but they would always take care of everything. My comp isnt really training me to much now and Ive had to lead out on alot of things with members and lessons, sometimes he will just turn to me and let me begin the lessons. This is tough, i really need to learn the lessons alot better! He is a great teacher and knows alot and for sure leads out sometimes, but not like Elder Blake, I have to do ALOT more! And lots of times I have to do things for our area for them to actually get done, it is kind of annoying. Its really hard when I have to lead out sometime because I dont understand alot of what people are saying still. I can understand like all gospel things, like almost everything at church but anything else and its really tough. It makes the work a little tougher.
But I studied desire this morning, because I wanna increase my desire to help people recieve the gospel and to help my focus increase, It was really cool. I read in Enos about how he recieved this desire for others to know of this truth and I took some notes and I am going to try applying these things this new year. He prayed sincerely, repeneted, and applied the atonement. I am really going to focus on these things this week.
We had something really sad happen this week. We had three dates for baptism, a dad and his two sons, they were progressing really well until last monday when we got the call from bishop that he passed him in central city and said he was drunk and had a fight with his kids. He hadnt had a problem with drinking before so this was tough. We passed his house the next couple days and only his sons were there...He wasnt home for Christmas. This made me so sad to see that his kids were there without there dad on Christmas. We went there like thursday or fri and talked with his son and he told us that his other brother was sent to live with someone else and that he would be leaving too the next day. So I gave him the little food I had just recieved because he didnt have hardly anything. This was really hard, I was overwhelmed and couldnt hold back tears as we walked to our next appt, we had invested so much in that family, we gave them ties and members had given them extra clothes because they wanted to look like us for church. They were so excited. But We passed the next day and said bye to him. By then his dad had arrived and he looked terrible, we talked to him for a bit and he was so sad, he went to his bed in his room we went in and sat and talked with him, it was so weird, here we were, just two young men trying to help this full grown man, who was without a shirt casue his kids burned all his clothes when he was gone, hes so skinny, curled up in a hungover mess. We talked with him and left him with a scripture. He wants to change and still be baptized, but I dont know if it will make up for the loss I feel of not bringing his other kids to the fold with him. I hope they have another chance to here the gospel. Ive tried to take what I can from this experience and not linger on it, it only makes me feel terrible, Elder Blake made me promiss I would baptize them and send him pictures. I just think if there was more we could have done, i know in the end, it comes down too how people use the agency they are given with the knowledge they have. But sometimes you wonder if you couldve done more.
BUT now for some good news! Those two 12 yr old girls are progressing like crazy. The walked two hours to and from church with their member friend sunday, theyve read the BOM in two weeks, and almost have read all the pamphlets and made a notebook and were answering the questions in the pamphlets. They are awesome! the member girl reminds me of Olvivia. So we will be baptizing them this Saturday and they are really excited about the gospel. Their prayers they give are better than alot of prayers ive heard from most members! The only problem is they can almost never understand me when I talk, and I cant understand them, the girls here speak sooooo fast!
Well we finally recieved money today, im excited to finally have food. And with the debit card, when I go to the bank and take the money out of the debit card will it take from my account or from the money you guys sent to the bank? They told me i cant take the money out without my passport last time, idk why the mission office told you to send it there. is their anyway you can get it back if this doesnt work? Sorry about this. i know its annoying.
Can you guys just send me packages of food every once and a while? I always need food!
Ive been working out alot harder in the mornings, bryson inspired me and i made some fake weights like the other elder here. It actually works pretty good.
And can you send me a CD or two with some good efy or other church music. Some songs Id like on it if you can are- Nearer my god to thee. Emmas Song(this is from the CD Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith), -and some sweet missionary music thats mayube a little differnt than just motab, like vocal pt or something. Just not something thatl make me trunky. ha.
Thanks for everything and the prayers! I can Feel it!
Feliz Ano Novo!
Amo Vocês!
-Elder Grondel III
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