5-19-2014

Hey famery and friends!

Whew, sorry, not a lot of time. But hey, that could be said about my whole mission, huh? I hit a year in 3 days. Pretty crazy.

But we gotta go fast!

UPDATE:

Very good week this week, though we're working on getting people on date and to church. Quite a few solid lessons though, and Sister Steinacker and I are still having a blast. She 'took charge' this Saturday, which kind of turned into a joke (my bossiness and 'I'm in control!'-ness, as well as her happy-go-lucky comfort with being a follower made any inversion of control structure a little...unstable. And not long-lasting. It was funny.) Good times though, though kind of feeling like my time in this area is ticking...No! It's...pretty much the best area in the mission. Or close to it. ;) Anyways...

ANOTHER INTERESTING SOUL WE MET THIS WEEK:

Name: William-Christopher Christensen

Height: 6'3''

Defining characteristic: Massive hunk of hair, just...popping out of his head. He'd cut it by the second time we saw him.

Failed icebreaker on part of the missionaries: "Wow...cool bottles on your shirt! Are those...? Oh dang, it's a Vodka shirt, isn't it? *sigh*...I don't know anything about alcohol."

Interesting relationship to the Mormon Church: Almost got baptized when he was 7.5! Until both of his parents got excommunicated! Just one of those things I guess...

Why it's so difficult to understand him: His vocabulary far outstrips his actual understanding of what he's saying (as far as we can tell)

Excerpt from a typical comment: "This picture just exacerbated me. The triangulation of their intellect, combined with the psychosomatisms of their position just makes me so overwhelmed..." It's worse than that though. Way worse.

Reason why we are planning on a second lesson: His prayer was actually understandable. And pretty good. Maybe he'll come to church!

Why we haven't seen him in the past two days (with the exception of spotting him riding his too small colorful bike down the highway as we were driving home from church): Sundays and Mondays are his holy days apparently. No touchy!

THOUGHT:

Dangit, no time. But! I learned from President Holland this week that Tolerance is not love (see his most recent conference address). This is what he says

Christlike love is the greatest need we have on this planet in part because righteousness was always supposed to accompany it. So if love is to be our watchword, as it must be, then by the word of Him who is love personified, we must forsake transgression and any hint of advocacy for it in others. Jesus clearly understood what many in our modern culture seem to forget: that there is a crucial difference between the commandment to forgive sin (which He had an infinite capacity to do) and the warning against condoning it (which He never ever did even once).

As I read this, it occurred to me that telling someone else that something is okay when it's not isn't really an expression of love for them (contrary to the world's perspective: 'If you loved me you'd let me do what I want.'). I know for me, when I don't put up a fight when someone I love is doing something that I think is going to make them ultimately unhappy (or at least tell someone I don't agree with what they're doing), it's because I'm concerned with my own comfort (what they'll think of me, etc.), moreso than being concerned with their actual well-being. Pretty cool.

PICTURE:

This is Casey, a super sweet returning member that we're teaching...and this is her dragon drawing! :D

BAHHH!! No time. I'm the worst! BUT! All you out there (Dallin, Annie, etc) who have not communicated with me in a while...get on it! Love you love you!

Sister Hale