Interviews. Not going to lie, these kind of stressed me out. Me, and the other three Estrella Elders kind of released some of our frustration about it. A little bit in the meeting, but mostly just after on our way to dinner and correlation meeting. I will be blunt--I am pretty tired of hearing "white-people" problems (This is what we have called people serving in English wards--maybe you want to edit that before posting it). People serving in Spanish could complain so much but there's no point to that because it doesn't help, build or faith, and no one wants to hear it. We talked a lot about member/missionary coordination and frankly, there are just a lot of extra things we have to work through such as a ward full of new converts to the church, sharing members, working more in unity as missionaries, and just expectations of each other and understanding roles of callings and assignments and all that in general. Plus just a new culture in general. I have felt worlds apart from 90% of the missionaries in the mission my whole mission but it was just kind of amplified this week. We even felt really separated from President and Sister Taylor at interviews. Us four Elders talked about it Wednesday and Elder Dodd and I even talked to three guys in the branch presidency of some of our branch frustrations and they are all in full support. We decided as missionaries to apply what the Prophets and apostles do at conference! It was a genius idea! They are full of love; yes. But they really know how to use directness and boldness to get people motivated. They focused in several talks on fulfilling priesthood duties. They did it so tactfully. We have decided to be a little more up front of what we can use help with, what the prophet has asked us to do, and what we know to be our responsibilites so it is not just a branch presidency and four missionaries trying to run things. That's it for my rant. I love how things are going. I am doing my best and seeing miracles I wouldn't want to compare to miracles happening anywhere else.
A good thing is that the Church came out with a "dealing with stress" book for incoming missionaries! Truth is that it works for all missionaries and is so genius that it can be applied to anything in life that gives us stress. It is actually brilliant. The Church is making some big missionary strides with the 12-week program, other resources, and now this. We have been studying and reading it and it is pretty neat. It has honestly helped me with some stress I have had. I haven't been overly-stressed or experienced anything I can't handle however I have felt more stressed than normal the past couple weeks. I don't really know why; I think my best explanation is that I feel like a "high-risk" person. The way for me to describe that is this: I feel like I have so many things going in so many different places at so many different times and that my perfectionist brain wants it all to happen! Does that sound familiar? I still have A LOT to learn when it comes to working as a team and in a companionship. I have felt like kind of a lone ranger on the mission and I need to be more of a follower and an agree-er if things are going to go great. Anyway, "high-risk" has its ups. I feel like we are getting so much done. Some days I feel like a machine and we just keep hitting successes with planning, coordinating, and working. This is not how Elder Dodd works haha. I have needed to call myself to repentance several times. I have learned a lot about patience and humility as we work together. He is more effective if we have lunch and dinner breaks and if we relax when necessary. Overall, things are going really well and we are planning and executing things right and following the Spirit, however, sometimes we just need to check our "dashboard" as the booklet says, in order to see when we need to get fuel or check the vitals.
I have learned a lot more about faith as it pertains to diligence. In the Gospel according to Jake Parry I think Faith can be replaced with diligence at times, and if not replaced than at least overshadowed. Of course, faith has to be there first before work is put forth or miracles and goals are acheived. However, work work work do do do is so much more important than any planning, faith-studying, positive attitude, or wishing. Granted, those things are important too, and working effectively is different than just going out and working like dogs. But I feel like all your spare time, all your doubts, and everywhere that you lack in faith can just be replaced by WORK. Some days I feel like a machine, but it feels so good because it is all about working hard. That is how faith is put into action. To me, that is faith, period. If you really do believe something can, should, and will happen then you are going to stop thinking about it and do everything you possibly can to make it happen. Faith can play a little more of a role when we have to pray/hope for a little divine intervention and grace to do the rest. This has helped me to understand faith. With whatever you want to have faith in, see what you can do to change it or make it happen. Then go and do it. Something I learned.
We had a baptism on Saturday! It wasn't without its rocky moments, but it was a special experience for Jocelyn and that was 100% the reason why we even put forth any effort. Not many came, which was perfect for her, just enough. She asked me to baptize her. I wasn't all for that one but I guess if that is what she wanted. It all went well though. (I forgot extra clothes to change into and a towel so I was a little wet even after my paper-towel drying. Doesn't sound like I have changed too much?) Jocelyn is a very committed woman. She has stayed strong at school and among her friends and very hopeful and steadfast into the future. She said the number one thing she has felt since the baptism is calmness. She knows why she did it and she did it confidently. It would be sooooo cool if she went on a mission. That'd be the day! I grew in testimony of inviting! INVITE invite invite! We invited her to be baptized and get a less-than-favorable response and after some deep thinking about it she told us a few days later that she wanted to be baptized. This applies not just to the mission too. Invite, promise blessings, testify, follow-up. You can do that ANYWHERE if you want to get things done.
Back to Sunday: it was soooo good. To start off, our boldness and calling to repentance plans were kind of thwarted because the relief society surprised us four with HUGE gift bags of stuff like toothpaste, shaving cream, peanuts, and granola bars, and fruit. It was really helpful and super nice. For some reason we felt like the branch was really loving us yesterday! Maybe they sensed something haha. It was nice of them and I am sure they felt awesome being our moms for a day and seeing us happy. We got a lot of random items yesterday. Also- Jose came to church. He stayed all three hours. He listened to a lesson on the Sacrament and on the Balance between the BOM and the biblia and how to receive revelation from them both. He also fasted until 4:00. It all went amazing. I talked to him after and asked him how he felt about the 26th to being baptized. He said he wants to talk about that a little more. It sounded positive and I was confident. I sense good news there! Pretty cool stuff. Jose is super ready. We have taught him this week about taking leaps of faith and promising the Lord your commitment and getting everything you lack--as it pertains to knowledge and testimony--in return. Mario bore his testimony for the first time yesterday! He wrote it down because he is a super timid guy. It was so tight! He got up there and basically told "his story" from when Elders Lemon and Hughes first had a prayer with him and he felt "something" move up his arms to his chest. There really wasn't any testifying, just his awesome story. It was good to see him up there. One of our investigators, Maria C., randomly came back to church. Oh and Jocelyn was confirmed too! That was super special. Presidente Miranda did it. He mentioned in there something about serving a mission and I want to talk about that with him more because if she went that would be so cool it would blow me away. Presidente Miranda is the most in-tune with the Spirit people I have met out here so that was neat. She is a strong person. She will make a great member and as her mom is active now, maybe we can teach and baptize more girls in that family. I wish I could remember everything that happened yesterday-- it was just so wild and successful.
Love, Elder Jacob Parry
"Specialized training" this Halloween with president for three hours in the Surprise zone! I smell apple! {iphones and ipad}).
PS I forgot to tell you! On our way back from interviews and correlation meeting; we were hurrying to get home on time and for like the 4th night in a row we didn't have time to check on Rene. He saw us biking and stopped his truck in a parking lot so he could catch us as we passed. He told us he was moving. He wasn't really sure where but that it was to another state. We found out from Mario yesterday that it is Nebraska. It was kind of sad! Elder Cardoso and I found him in early June and he has progressed since. He is still reading and marking his Book of Mormon and he came to church several times, he loved everybody at church and even stayed all three hours each time. He doesn't know where exactly he is going and his phone doesn't work so it's all up to the Lord now. I have loved teaching and getting to know him. He was so close! I trust the Lord on this one. Family problems and moving won't get in the way. He will find us way back to the "Brothers!" (missionaries haha). What a joy it was to know him!
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