Hey everyone!
This week has been pretty dull. For the most part I guess. It is starting to cool down slightly, which is wonderful, because wearing a suit all the time is the literal worst. As soon as me and my companion get back to the apartment at the end of each day, we change into gym shorts and a t-shirt. I could go the rest of my life without wearing a suit, and I would be totally fine with that.
We had another service project this last Thursday. We went up to Ensign Peak, and cleaned up the trail, and the little starting area with all the informational plaques. We trimmed the bushes, and all that jazz and I actually felt like we were doing some good (even though it is small) for the communities near our mission. My hope is that we do more service like that in the future.
On Friday, Elder Allison and I went to dinner to this place called California Burgers and Deli. It was pretty good. We just “happened” to get there at the same time as the Andersons, who are one of the senior couples we serve with here on the 3rd floor. They bought us dinner and we had a really good time actually. We talked about our frustrations with being called to serve here, and some of the difficulties we have had while serving here. The Andersons are fantastic, but unfortunately for me, they are not here for long. They are waiting for visas to go to Australia where they have been called to serve.
After dinner we went to go pick up some dry cleaning that I had, but we didn’t make it there in time and they had already closed. So we walked back to our zone and served the rest of the night. Kind of. When we got back to our zone, I started helping a patron, and his wife, and needed someone to come over and help one of the two so it wouldn’t be as stressful, and Elder Allison wasn’t helping anyone. I didn’t know where he was, so asked the floor supervisor. She said he was in the break room, so I went in to go ask him for help, and his face was slightly swollen, and red. He was having an allergic reaction to the food we had eaten. Apparently the fries at Cali Burger are fried in peanut oil. And Elder Allison is allergic to peanuts. The reaction wasn’t too severe, so we stayed at zone a tiny bit longer, then went home, and he took six Benadryl, and went to bed. The next morning I woke him up to go to exercise, and he was super out of it and not feeling well at all. So we stayed home all day on Saturday.
The only thing worse than our zone being super dead, is being home all day. It was so boring. We had done about as much studying as our brains could handle for one day, and we ended up playing a lot of card games. Lots of Speed, and War, and we each played a ton of Solitaire. It was one of the most boring days of my life. And it wasn’t like Elder Allison was sick, so at least we could talk and hang out, but it was still just awful.
Sunday was pretty good. The mission is split into two branches for Sunday services. So half the mission goes to one branch, half to the other. Sacrament meeting was ok. I miss the sounds of children. Sunday School is difficult, because it is just the young elders that meet, and then Elder’s Quorum is all of the elders in the branch. Its hard meeting in a ward full of missionaries. There is such strength in the gospel in the room, but a surprising lack of humility. Everyone seems to be holier than thou. No one listens to each other. It’s almost like everyone is trying to show off how much gospel they know, rather than sharing for the sake of uplifting the group. I am going to love the day when I can go to a ward and hear people sharing the gospel in hopes of uplifting someone, or trying to figure something out for themselves, instead of a ton of people who feel better than everyone. I only say this because of the attitude of the people who raise their hands to share something. The body language also shows the lack of genuine emotion, especially in the senior missionaries. If I can do anything on this mission, it will hopefully to change some of the culture that the missionaries have towards eachother, especially the attitudes of the seniors to the young elders.
Also, on another note, I hate that in this mission, the elders who are here between the ages of 18 and 26 are referred to as young elders. It is Sisters, Elders, and Young Elders.
How to make an elder feel less like an elder:
Step 1: Call them a Young Elder on all mission released documents
Step 2: Call them Young Men when referring to them in a talk in sacrament meeting
Step 3: Treat them like you would a child under the age of 9
I’m not salty or anything. I just know that if you want to build up the Elders of this mission, and help them achieve greatness, and accomplish great things, you probably shouldn’t do anything on that list. But that’s just my opinion.
Not all of the seniors are this way though. There are some who I have felt the pure love of Christ from. Who have not only been willing to lend an ear, but who are curious about each of Elders serving here. They ask questions of us, about us. They want to know who they are serving with, and want to be a service to us in any way they can.
Despite my current feelings about certain things here, I am finding joy.
Elders Allison, Clark, and Devine are three of the coolest men I have ever met. Elder Clark and I are getting along famously, and we end up sitting together the two of our companionships. Elder Devine is from Rigby, Idaho, and Elder Clark is from South Jordan. Both are super solid. I think I’ve already talked about them actually. But that doesn’t change how awesome they are. Elder Clark has an electronic keyboard, and a ukulele, so we spend a lot of time at his place singing, writing music, speaking about the gospel, and discussing different topics amongst ourselves. I feel a little better every time we hang out.
Monday, so yesterday, we got a new batch of Elders. We had 11 come in, and so I am finally not the newest missionary. I am excited to get so many new elders, and hope that they will add great strength to the mission.
As we try to lift our fellow men, we will find ourselves getting closer to our Savior, because we will truly be acting as though we were Him. I am glad for this opportunity I have to have his name on my chest all day every day, so that I can be reminded of who I need to try harder to be more like.
How have you helped someone who might have frustrated you? How can you serve someone who you might find to be very difficult?
I hope you all have a great week this week. Try and lift someone else up. Give someone a smile, or give them a compliment
“Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together” -Quaker proverb
 |
| View from the Conference Center roof |
 |
| Flowers on the Conference Center roof |
 |
| Cool shot of a railing. |
