Everyone is playing Pokemon Go. Everyone. Our last three dinner
appointments are playing Pokemon Go as a family. If there are people
outside, they are playing Pokemon Go, or they forgot their phone in
the car.
Okay, not really, but everyone we talk to seems to be connected to
this game. I don't really know what it is, but I guess it's the
coolest thing to get popular while I've been on my mission since the
hover board. One time I saw two teenagers trying to talk to each other
on a sidewalk. One was walking, the other one was going at a slower
pace on a hover board. Why?
This started out great with an emergency transfer. Elder Castorena
went from Round Rock to Kerrville in a matter of hours. Just like
that, our trio became a duo once again, and the work just got a lot
more difficult. Our work load was already pretty big, but now we'll
have to adjust to this new way of covering three areas. I'll miss
Elder Castorena. He was a great missionary. I'll see him around soon.
There is going to be another baptism this week! The B kids will be
baptized this Friday at 7:30. It will be a great experience. We have
been teaching them ever since they moved into the area a few months
ago. They moved in from another area in the mission, where the parents
were less active in the church. Ever since they moved into this area
though, their fire for the gospel has ignited. The children are more
than prepared to be baptized and the parents have been coming to
church for most of June and July now. This opportunity is great.
One of the missionaries that taught them in the past is going to be
finishing his mission next week. He's now serving in the area East of
us now. When we told him the kids were getting baptized, there was a
mix of confusion and joy in his voice. It's a good way to send an
Elder home.
After Elder C was emergency transferred, I realized, there's a
lot of crazy things that have happened to me while I've been in this
area. Next week is transfers, which usually I don't think about it,
but time here is looking like it's running out. I've been in this area
for seven and a half months now. That's a long time. I wanted to do
some fun stats to show just how long I've been in the area.
Before I start the list, I just want to say- I had an extremely
powerful experience at church this Sunday. I was sitting in
Pflugerville sacrament meeting, enjoying a talk by a young woman who
just returned from a stake girls camp activity. Her talk was so open
and honest. It was about a humbling experience that she had. Most
people don't show these experiences because many people believe
humility is a sign of weakness, when in turn, it shows an increase of
spiritual strength. To listen to her talk in front of a Ward she knows
and loves was, well, humbling. It reminded me of times that I was
humbled and then shared my testimony with other people. Sharing a
testimony of humility, or repentance, or however you want to describe
it shows a change of heart. I want to bear my own witness of
repentance. True repentance brings forth true forgiveness. Preach My
Gospel states that the joy of redemption is experienced through the
companionship of the Holy Ghost, and the forgiveness of sins (PMG 2).
To be humble is to take part in the joy of redemption.
31 and 5/7 total weeks I'll have served here
222 total days I'll have served here
42 days spent in a car
164 pages of an 180 page journal filled during that time.
2 Skype calls home
3 different assigned areas without being transferred
1 day where I went south of Austin
2 emergency transfers
13 missed call from the mission president in 1 night (that was a fun one)
11 missionaries that have served in the three wards (Old Settlers,
Stony Point, Pflugerville) since I got here
6 of them have been my companion at one point
14 convert baptisms between the wards (including the Bices)
3 of them I didn't teach at one point before baptism
450 (approximately) lessons taught
1 Christmas Day
1 Pioneer Day (transfers will be past July 24th)
11 missionaries in the district in May
6 missionaries in the district currently
3 different leadership assignments
2 of the 5 areas in the district had a car
3 out of 3 do now
2 Bike crashes
2 Bike tires that lasted me the whole 7 and a half months
17 trips to Torchy's
185 hours of church (not including other meetings)
Infinite handshakes given to members and strangers
2 companions I saw go home
150 (approx) hours or community service
4 District Leaders
5 Zone Leaders
Countless memories
1 Elder Hall
1. My mission president, his wife, and I
2. Elder A, my trainer, and one of the best missionaries you'll find
3. Today's Torchy's run, featuring knokies and some of the secret menu
tacos- the Matador, and the Hipster.
appointments are playing Pokemon Go as a family. If there are people
outside, they are playing Pokemon Go, or they forgot their phone in
the car.
Okay, not really, but everyone we talk to seems to be connected to
this game. I don't really know what it is, but I guess it's the
coolest thing to get popular while I've been on my mission since the
hover board. One time I saw two teenagers trying to talk to each other
on a sidewalk. One was walking, the other one was going at a slower
pace on a hover board. Why?
This started out great with an emergency transfer. Elder Castorena
went from Round Rock to Kerrville in a matter of hours. Just like
that, our trio became a duo once again, and the work just got a lot
more difficult. Our work load was already pretty big, but now we'll
have to adjust to this new way of covering three areas. I'll miss
Elder Castorena. He was a great missionary. I'll see him around soon.
There is going to be another baptism this week! The B kids will be
baptized this Friday at 7:30. It will be a great experience. We have
been teaching them ever since they moved into the area a few months
ago. They moved in from another area in the mission, where the parents
were less active in the church. Ever since they moved into this area
though, their fire for the gospel has ignited. The children are more
than prepared to be baptized and the parents have been coming to
church for most of June and July now. This opportunity is great.
One of the missionaries that taught them in the past is going to be
finishing his mission next week. He's now serving in the area East of
us now. When we told him the kids were getting baptized, there was a
mix of confusion and joy in his voice. It's a good way to send an
Elder home.
After Elder C was emergency transferred, I realized, there's a
lot of crazy things that have happened to me while I've been in this
area. Next week is transfers, which usually I don't think about it,
but time here is looking like it's running out. I've been in this area
for seven and a half months now. That's a long time. I wanted to do
some fun stats to show just how long I've been in the area.
Before I start the list, I just want to say- I had an extremely
powerful experience at church this Sunday. I was sitting in
Pflugerville sacrament meeting, enjoying a talk by a young woman who
just returned from a stake girls camp activity. Her talk was so open
and honest. It was about a humbling experience that she had. Most
people don't show these experiences because many people believe
humility is a sign of weakness, when in turn, it shows an increase of
spiritual strength. To listen to her talk in front of a Ward she knows
and loves was, well, humbling. It reminded me of times that I was
humbled and then shared my testimony with other people. Sharing a
testimony of humility, or repentance, or however you want to describe
it shows a change of heart. I want to bear my own witness of
repentance. True repentance brings forth true forgiveness. Preach My
Gospel states that the joy of redemption is experienced through the
companionship of the Holy Ghost, and the forgiveness of sins (PMG 2).
To be humble is to take part in the joy of redemption.
31 and 5/7 total weeks I'll have served here
222 total days I'll have served here
42 days spent in a car
164 pages of an 180 page journal filled during that time.
2 Skype calls home
3 different assigned areas without being transferred
1 day where I went south of Austin
2 emergency transfers
13 missed call from the mission president in 1 night (that was a fun one)
11 missionaries that have served in the three wards (Old Settlers,
Stony Point, Pflugerville) since I got here
6 of them have been my companion at one point
14 convert baptisms between the wards (including the Bices)
3 of them I didn't teach at one point before baptism
450 (approximately) lessons taught
1 Christmas Day
1 Pioneer Day (transfers will be past July 24th)
11 missionaries in the district in May
6 missionaries in the district currently
3 different leadership assignments
2 of the 5 areas in the district had a car
3 out of 3 do now
2 Bike crashes
2 Bike tires that lasted me the whole 7 and a half months
17 trips to Torchy's
185 hours of church (not including other meetings)
Infinite handshakes given to members and strangers
2 companions I saw go home
150 (approx) hours or community service
4 District Leaders
5 Zone Leaders
Countless memories
1 Elder Hall
1. My mission president, his wife, and I
2. Elder A, my trainer, and one of the best missionaries you'll find
3. Today's Torchy's run, featuring knokies and some of the secret menu
tacos- the Matador, and the Hipster.
No comments:
Post a Comment