Monday we had dinner with a nice couple who moved in since I left the are last time, and who just scream "former AP and SLT" with the way they talk about missionary work. They talked all about their missions and insisted that we set a return appointment to follow up on our challenge to talk to their neighbors about the Gospel. And the taquitos weren't bad, either... ;)
Tuesday we walked a LOT. We made little walking routes of potential investigators from the area book, sectioned off by location. We also took some time for me to practice piano, since the ZLs asked me to play a solo for zone conference. I got an awesome idea for a medley that bleeds from "Who's on the Lord's Side" into "Love One Another" and then from "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" into "Have I Done Any Good." Hopefully it turns out well. And we finally met the M. family, a family that the elders almost baptized but weren't able to for reasons beyond their control. They still want to get baptized and enthusiastically invited us to come back on Friday night.
Wednesday was ZLC and more piano practice in the afternoon, and not much else happened. Just more door-knocking. Thursday went like that as well. We were supposed to have dinner with a member, but we called and she gave us an address in Murray (that's two missions away). We called back to ask what the heck was going on, and it appeared that she had moved just after signing up to feed us and hadn't given a second thought to the fact that it's waaaaay outside our mission boundaries and we have no viable form of transportation to get there. Walking there would take four or five hours. She thought we could just drive down to Murray!
Friday's zone meeting was odd, but instructive. Our zone leaders (you know them as my most recent two companions) are so vastly different in so many ways it was strange to see what came of them planning a meeting together. To put it simply, their training involved a reenactment of the battle of Jericho (complete with falling "walls" of chairs), me as stage hand, and lots of talking about the difference between faith and hope. And to top it all off we had a very nice lesson with the M. family about family history. We decided to teach that because it's something spiritual that can be done without being baptized yet, and it serves as a nice jumping off point to get them into a continuous relationship with the branch.
Saturday was the second dinner we'd had with a member of the branch, and this time it was with some members who remember me. They embarrassed the heck out of me by making constant references to my weight, since apparently I'm visibly thinner than when I was here last time. And they consider any elder who isn't chubby to be unhealthy, and react accordingly by stuffing his face with food. While it is true that I've lost the ten pounds I gained in the MTC, putting me back to my original 120 lbs, I don't consider that unhealthy. It's what I weighed during the peak of senior year swim season, when I was in my best physical condition ever. Plus, we walk a lot! You can't expect me to get fat when all we do all day is walk. That evening we went to visit Rosa Linda, whose family I baptized my second transfer in the field. They were slow to recognize me, but when I confirmed that I'm the same guy their eyes got all huge. I hope to reactivate them while I'm here.
The M. family came to church on Sunday, and apparently they're very used to it because they had no trouble getting places. Which was good because we got roped into teaching a primary class how to prepare for missions. We told them about reading, praying, and going to church, so that they can get a testimony and be able to teach powerfully. And we had a very funny conversation about household skills like sewing, cooking, cleaning, and ironing. The teacher kept stressing that our mommies can't do that stuff for us, and the kids got all excited about the dishes they already know how to cook.
Today we had a rather uncomfortable trip to Walmart in an overstuffed car, followed by some relaxing in our basement and now a trip to the library. I finished the housing application to BU and with that I think I'll sit tight until the transfer is over. There isn't much else I can do, or need to do, until then. I saw a rather funny and surprisingly well edited movie about Dad's and the boys' "vacation"... and somehow the house didn't burn down. And nobody broke their necks jumping off the fort. Mariah is over the moon about Cal Poly, and I'm excited for her!
Have a great first week back to school, everyone, and don't get senioritis!
Love,
Spencer
No comments:
Post a Comment