Elder Teh and the mission tour was awesome! I learned so much. He broke down the story of Ammon for all of us. I had never thought before that turning down the marriage of the King's daughter would most definitely mean death, but King Lamoni spared him!Also- Ammon could've said yes to Marraige, and remained on his mission, but come home to a mansion every night! It is all different when you put it through the good-better-best filter and beside that- Ammon was converted. How converted are we to our own personal life missions? What would it take to pull us of course for even a little bit? Are we willing to stay the course? He also talked about staying out of the "current." A lot of good missionaries/Latter-Day Saints ride the current. It just kind of takes you where it goes, and we let it take us sometimes! If we are not actively changing and improving than we are falling into the current! There is no such thing as the plateau. It is much easier to lose spiritual knowledge than it is to gain it. The way to gain it is through experience! I have learned that out here. Studying is important but we have to apply and do. That is why I love our Mission Statement: "We love and live the Book of Mormon!" I took that to heart last week and made a BOM application journal. I am reading a random chapter at a time and then writing an application page of the chapter. I have 11 chapters done! I hope to finish before the mission ends (it is sneaking up on me! Haha). Elder Teh was a really neat person. He was a very sweet and spiritual guy. It was a pleasure to learn from him. By the way- the day you will be flying out I will be in a meeting with all the Spanish missionaries in the mission to talk about all our #Hispanicprobs--that will be fun. Did I tell you that Elder Cardoso got sent to Flagstaff and he got switched over to English-speaking? It will be more great growth for him,. Anyways, probably won't see him soon haha. The weather is great here but for some reason it is still really warm some days. I feel like Winter won't really come until January then it will be back to the heat I miss! Bike was such a blast. It used to be so that Sisters weren't on bike in the valley (at least in our mission), but so many are coming in that some are going straight into bike areas. I bet Katelyn is excited for the Gilbert temple! Biggest temple in 17 years!
We taught the C. family a little bit more this week. We had a little setback when Hermana C. said that she didn't like the church service. Hermano sure comforted us though! He said that she just needs to come on time next time and be more involved in the classes. The only person I can compare Silvio C. to is Mario. They are like twins. Silvio is so excited and so into everything Mormon now. Just like Mario! He loves us and everything we teach him so he wants us over every Monday Wednesday and Saturday night! Tonight we are going over with Mario and Glenda S. and Silvio and Celia are making sure all their three kids and son-in-law will be there. Full house Pressure is on! I love teaching under pressure! I feel the Spirit stronger that way. They are awesome. We taught the Plan of Salvation and Temple Marriage to them last week and the 20-year-old son got SO EXCITED when we talked about the Open houses coming up. It was cool! I wasn't expecting it. They will be going. We hope to have a baptismal date for hopefully 4 or all 5 of them soon. We had dinner with them yesterday. Baby Shower. Here on my mission when Non-member mexicans have parties and invite lots of friends and family and the missionaries and make lots of food and meat it means... Contacting!!! Food is the best way to these people's hearts at times so I just eat lots of food and get to know people and then offer to have a prayer with their families. We got three families' contact info yesterday there! It was key. Silvio was talking us up to all his friends and family. He is basically Mormon.
Elder Fife is doing great. I have realized that every missionary is different and that--even though we have great things like the Adjusting to MissionaryLife booklet, the 12-week Program, and PMG--each missionary needs to be TRAINED differently too. I decided this week, as a trainer, that the best way for Elder Fife to be trained is by immersion! It is exactly what Elder Pollmeier did for me and it turned out to be exactly what I needed. Elder Fife knows a lot and he has the willingness to learn, change, and do his best. I am working on helping him to learn from his own actions and experiences. He has a lot of faith and excitement. I want him to be able to learn from himself. I believe that will make him the best missionary he can possibly be. I am doing a lot less teaching and a lot more pushing him into situations. Or, giving him opportunities to act and take the lead. So I am pulling out the famed Pollmeier question; "I don't know, what do you think?" and "Sure, I will support you (in response to questions of 'should I' or 'can I')." I think it is helping us both! I will not let him get into embarassing or disobedient situations and I can lead and step in of course but I think this is the best learning. Through it I am learning patience, humility and trust in my companion. That is exactly what I need! I am working on being fine with his decisions and ideas and not so set on my own. Can somebody say marriage prep!? Speaking of that, I have seen a lot of parallels between the mission and life since I have come out here. Side note- I don't think there is any other Mission President in the world that is so focused on our personal conversion and what we can be capable of doing after the mission rather than all the 'success' we are acheiving on the mission than PResident Taylor. He is the best of the best. Ask President Eyring how good he is! (I bet he says best of the best). The connections though: I see them daily! The other day I thought of everything that needed to be done out of the 5 or 6 responsibilites/stewardships I had and wondered why I couldn't just do what I wanted and do my best at it and not sign up for all the challenges and responsilbities I have. Then I relaized that I didn't sign up for any of it myself, it was given by the Lord, and that this is probably exactly how Dad, Mom, and Saints everywhere feel all the time! the missionary life is the new normal rest of the life!
Are you helping people get Mormon.org profiles? You didn't need to launch any campaign in doing it, but if people ask or are looking for something to do, encourage them to make theirs! Has the family made those profiles? They are fun and easy to make. Do it for FHE the Monday you get back from Hawaii! Or take a 3 hour break from the pool and beach to do it in the Hotel room hahaha just kidding. But try it!
Life is treating me well! We are having a lot of fun in Surprise and Elders Jones, Fife, and Nelson, and I came up with a HUGE idea for the holidays for the Branch. It will be big. We have high expectations and a whole lot of faith. We are so pumped. At least I am haha. We will be preparing it all this week so that each member has it this Sunday. I will tell you what it is and how it goes next week :)
Thanks for the bag and keyboard! I understand that those are pretty expensive and took great sacrifices from you but I want you to know that they will be very useful for the 14 months I have left and more time even after the mission (what if we keep the Ipads!?) They are really great so thank you. The keyboard draws much envy too. Eso no es bueno. But I like it a lot thanks. I am doing great and don't think I need anything else right now. Three dinners set up so far for Thanksgiving so don't worry about Elder Parry (Jake)!
Love, Elder Parry
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