Be Not Idle

 The quick week started off with Zone Conference on Tuesday. Always great to see friends, hear some inspiring words from Prez, and we got flu shots afterwards. Week was filled with lessons here and there and lots of work on Facebook as usual. Amazes me the kind of people I find and the conversations we have over just text. Never thought I would be doing it but I'm teaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ over Messenger. 

During our breaks we've been spreading some time down on the creek catching crawdads, I made a pretty sweet trap and baited it with Spam but "the rains came down and the 'trap' on the sand washed away". 

Visited some members on the other side of our area and ventured down some sketchy roads, met some kind folks and looking to reactivate. Exciting part of the week was going to be seeing Vicky after her trial in court for custody of the grandkids. Went over and they slammed on us, but not giving up that easy. Through the countless visits and discussions with her and her family there's no way you can just "drop them". I've seen the spirit testify truth within her once and that's enough. Big part of our job is to discern the thoughts of other like Ammon does with King Lamoni. We all have a portion of the spirit with us so use it. 

Some other stuff I've been reading in Alma stick out to me, 24:18- "..that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands." As a testimony to God the Anti-Nephi-Lehies bury there weapons and die so the others may come to the truth. Now that's pretty intense but just goes to show how important this gospel should be to you. This week I'm not going to 'idle' and labor 'abundantly' with my hands, which includes my thumbs for messaging.

Another Week Flew By

 Somehow it's Monday again but there's tons that happened last week. We had quite a few zoom calls as a zone and one as a whole mission this past week, and we discussed a lot about the work we get to be doing now, the character of Christ, and setting goals. 

After visiting with the Filetti family on Monday and checking Brother Filetti's extremely rare comic books, we had our regular zone call to set this transfers baptismal goal, ect. One ZL brought up an interesting point he learned from his mission president in Mexico about 'smart' goals and numbers we can attain. Obviously we want to set high goals and according to our faith we will reach it but then you should subtract ~40% due to the outlying factors you cannot control. As hard as that was to hear to some missionaries, we must be realistic and understand that we are still human and crazy things happen outside of our control, and that's okay. And who's stopping us from crushing whatever goals we set anyways, go wreck them. 

On Tuesday a chiropractor member lady cracked us up after dinner and it was relieving. Not having any furniture in our apartment for the past couple weeks hasn't been to comfortable but no complaining compared to Peru, miss that place. We finished and posted our video about prayer on the "Representatives of Jesus Christ in Kingsport" Facebook page so go check it out, like it, leave a comment, ya saben. Started the Stop Smoking Program with an investigator on Wednesday, gave her some grapefruit juice, cinnamon toothpaste, vitamin C, it's getting real. Been meeting with her every day to keep contact and gave her number to a member lady to call her too. 

Still have fun any way we can down here and loving the work as always, Chau.

Beginnings Again

 Getting used to the changes over here in Bristol. I've got the area down and know everybody, just adjusting to the new apartment, new companion, and new district. It's something that I need practice with so here we go. 

We met with some great members earlier in the week and had a nice time talking with them and chowing on southern food. The member's daughter isn't a member and we've gotten to know here before the coming transfer. She even gave the two Elders that were leaving a farewell gift so that was nice, hope to keep teaching her. Transfers were fun and it was great to see friends. Of the few I got to know since being reassigned here, most of them went home this past week. 41 new missionaries came in and 30 more are coming by next transfer so we're grinding the work. 

A lot of us are Spanish speaking so it has been great to practice with them already. Something that stuck out to me this week has to do with self-reliance. It has been very difficult to get some investigators to church and we haven't been able to get any members to help out. I brought this up in a ward council meeting and although we can keep trying to figure out a way of transport, the investigator has a car and she should be getting herself to church. I give myself a hard time trying to fix problems but often forget to have faith and trust in the Lord. Only then will miracles sprout and she will come to church. I can't give up though and neither can you. I don't deserve to give up because my brother Jesus Christ died for me so I'm doing what He calls me to do. 

I hope everyone is safe and those affected by recent disasters are doing well. Don't forget how much good you truly are doing, keep going.

Transfers = Change

 Eventful week here in Tennessee. Lessons have been going great and we were able to set a baptismal date with Vicky for the 19th. Then a few days later schedule her 50 year old nephew Steve for the same day. Hilarious dude and very in tune with the spirit. They have been doing well and her grand kids are a blast to play with, baby Jace is now walking like a pro. 

We had the opportunity to serve with our hands and couple times this week which I always love. Some members got a notice that they had to be out by the next morning so we hauled and got everything out and on trailers the night before. Couple days later we helped some other members move some giant wardrobes down the tiniest stairway you could imagine. We had a discussion as Elders afterwards about the living conditions of some of the people down here and how fortunate we are to help them. 

Interviews with President on Thursday went well, he's a funny dude and crazy smart. Taught me to not make the person's problems mine, because I've kinda been doing that trying to help them since they need it so much. I am here to invite and guide, they must solve their own problems with the help of the Savior and I need to point that out and show them how. Some other exciting news is I am a home owner now! Well we moved into a brand new apartment and I designed the furnishings so pretty excited. It's truly amazing how organized the church is and how great it has been at adapting to change. 

Transfer calls came in and I am lucky enough to stay another transfer here in Bristol with an Elder who was reassigned here the same time as me. Saying goodbye to the rental car and hello to some sweaty lessons since we're a bike area now. 41 new missionaries are coming in, along with 11 in three weeks and 16 more by next transfer. The work is real and progressing at an astounding rate. Keep doing what you're doing and do it using the blessing God has personally given you. Bless up, chau!!

New address:

330 Godsey Rd, Bristol, TN 37620 

Apt. #159

El Plan

 Finally moved into the apartment but just for a week or something since we're working on getting another one before the huge transfer call next week. The past week started off with a great Zone call about the fruit of the work and baptism. On Tuesday while on the way to another lesson I decided to stop and check on Melissa since she texted me a little on Facebook earlier. We were let in by her and her husband Frank and taught all about the Plan of Salvation. She isn't doing well health wise and wanted to receive "everlasting life" and we eventually got to the importance of baptism, they accepted to be baptized. 

The most interesting thing I learned was the work of Satan during the days following their commitment. Almost immediately they began to have trials in their life and I couldn't believe it. I won't go into it too much but the worst of it was that I couldn't do anything to help and that drove me crazy. We have kept daily contact with them and continue to pray for their well being. We met some more lost members throughout the week and got to know them a little, exploring more of this countryside amazes me every day. Zone leaders came up again and decided to stay the night so they could attend our district council the next day. Don't think it was a great idea since we already just moved in to the not so big apartment and they see us a ton already but it was great to work them as always. 

Social Media Elders came up too to do some surveys or something so that made eight total. Of course we had our usual great lessons with Vicky and the grandkids as well as made some contact with Brad. Seeing progress and learning more and more on both sides so I'm happy to see that. I have come to see how much those we encounter truly depend on us this past week and the importance of my own testimony for myself but more importantly for them. The adversary is working especially hard to break down our testimonies because if we fall then a lot more destruction is sure to follow. Work to strengthen your beliefs more this week and put them to use through action such as serving and loving one another. Talk to y'all, in what feels like a blink of an eye, next week, chau!