When we were at Wal-Mart, this is a little conversation I had with Elder Walker:
Him- "What the heck is cart zing?"
Me- "What? Zing?"
Him- "Yeah look at that sign."
Me- "Oh.. you mean cart crossing"
Him- "Thats stupid, it doesn't make sense."
Me- "You haven't seen that at railroads? The x is a cross."
As I have been out in my mission, I've really started to wonder why every return missionary is awkward when they get home. I don't understand. Out on my mission I have learned to be a lot less awkward. I've had to learn many social skills, and I have to really have an outgoing personality to survive. Its interesting to me.
We knocked on a members door, hoping to talk to them about one of our investigators, and someone opened the door that we didn't recognize. The members are an older Caucasian couple, and the lady that opened the door was black. We asked to talk to the older people and she told us that they weren't home and they were out of town. Because we live in Draper where there are really expensive homes, I was thinking that the lady was a friend of theirs and was just house sitting while they were gone. I got my words mixed up though. I said, "Oh, okay, so are you the house keeper?" *Face palm* It was really awkward, I was meaning to say house sitter. She was actually their daughter. It was a mess.
All throughout my mission I have been collecting the apple seeds from every apple I eat. I collect them in a tic-tac container. My companions think its really weird. I've actually got quite a collection now.
Wal-Mart is in our area, and there are a lot of trailer homes in the back of the parking lot. We could literally tract Wal-Mart.
Fourth of July was fun. We went to a lot of ward breakfasts and lunches. There was one lunch with a couple non-members, and we sat down and chatted with a married couple that had just moved from Missouri. We both had to squeeze into the seating on the benches, so Elder Walker ended up talking with the husband, and I ended up talking with his wife. We spent quite a while talking to them. It was a great experience for me, because she didn't know much about the church and I was able to teach by the Spirit. They were Protestant, and they made the comment that they had come to this lunch to convert the Mormons. They both were pretty skeptical. Apparently Elder Walkers conversation with the other man didn't go anywhere, because the man was continually trying to bash with him. My conversation was actually a little different then theirs. It was so awesome. Studying Preach My Gospel proved its worth during that conversation. I'm extremely grateful that I've learned the lessons, and that I know how to teach by the Spirit. I was able to apply what I learned in the section "How To Begin Teaching" and I established a good relationship with the lady (Sue) at the very beginning of the conversation. Sue asked a lot of questions and I was able to answer all of them in a clear way. I knew I was teaching by the Spirit because I was learning as I taught her. As I said before, Sue was very skeptical, and often she would tell me that I was wrong, and what I was teaching wasn't true. Normally with my personality type, I would've been really frustrated and defensive. I KNOW its true, and its quite frustrating when people tell me that I don't know what I actually KNOW. But as I taught with the Spirit, I was able to teach with love. I was able to teach what I know, rather than prove what I know. It was fun to teach her because everything made sense. All of the things I was teaching didn't contradict. After inviting her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, I felt saddened rather than angry when she turned down the invitation. I just wish everyone knew what we know. I wish they were willing to accept the truth. That's why I am on a mission, to find those who are willing and looking to learn more.
I have to send weekly emails to my Mission President, and last week I shared with him the experience we had with the Anti-Mormon. Apparently he really liked it. At first transfer training he read it to all the missionaries that had only been out 1 transfer. And then at 2nd transfer training he read it to everyone. I was at the 2nd transfer training and at the end of the meeting he asked me if he could share it at stake conference. Sister Chambers texted me last night and asked if she could include it in her letter home. He also shared it with the Sister Training Leaders. This week I made sure to write a detailed letter to him in hopes he shares that one as well ;)
At 2nd transfer training, we had a part where we had to role play in front of everyone. We had to roleplay teaching an investigator what the Book of Mormon is. I don't want to be braggy, but I did really well. Everyone else who roleplayed had constructive criticism on how they could've done better, but after I did it, no one said a thing. It was awesome. One of the Assistants to the President came up to me after and told me I did a great job, and they and President Chambers are praying for me to be called to this same mission. In two other separate occasions, one with the other AP and the other with President Chambers, I was told the same thing. I mean its a nice compliment, but that means I now have to start cancelling out their prayers in my own personal prayers. I really don't want to stay here. I want to "go see the world!"
-------- I JUST GOT MY MISSION CALL!!!!-------------
stupid.
Apparently the call wasn't supposed to make it through the mission mail. It was supposed to be sent to President Chambers. While I was emailing, someone told me that I got my call, and I didn't believe them. I ran to the mail spot, and my call was there. Everyone gathered around me and I was about to open it, when I asked if I could put my parents on speaker phone. Everyone was debating whether or not I should call, and so we all came to the conclusion that I call and ask the mission president. The zone leaders called for me. It was on speaker phone, and President Chambers said that it wasn't supposed to make it to me. He told the Zone Leaders to bring it up to him. It was really hard for me hand it back to them. I was so close. :( Here is a picture of the zone leader walking away with my call still on the phone with the mission president. You can see I had started to open it. I am in shock.
I had a lot more stories to tell, but I am having a hard time concentrating. I am definitely getting tested on my patience. Its okay, I only have to wait one more week.
Here is a picture of some of the candy and stuff that we have acquired,
and here is a picture of a pretend sugar crash.
Here is also a picture of a car show that a ward had for the fourth of July. All these cars are owned by people in one ward. We are definitely in Draper. There is also a random 2012 jeep.
also pictures of a tree that is growing inside the pole.
