SUPER COLD

This week has been great. We had three meetings this week. I love meetings but I think for the first time in my mission I got kind of sick of them! It threw me off a little, but I learned a lot from them and am excited to apply what I learned. In the first one, we did an obedience activity. Everyone filled out a simple obedience evaluation on note cards and turned in the cards anonymously. For one of the questions President asked how many of us had stayed up after 11:00 in the past week. Elder Brothers (standing up for someone else who had filled out a card that he had) was the only one standing. President asked him why he was up--he gave about the best response he could possibly muster. Then President told us that Elder Brothers was actually standing up for someone else in that room who had been disobedient and he tied that in with the Savior. Think of the Savior standing up for us and being accountable for our wrongs. Our Heavenly Father loves us infinitely but he could not provide mercy if it weren't for His Only Begotten's Atonement. What if the Savior wasn't willing to pay the price or if His Father did take the cup from Him? The fact remains, Christ did perform the Atonement, but what can we do to accept it? To show gratitude and see that we haven't added unnecessary weight to His cross when He carried it. It was powerful. President Taylor also cried twice. It was really powerful and the first time I have seen him do that and testify and talk about experiences he's had in His life with a trembling chin. He is the man. 

 

We had a trainer/trainee meeting too. Very useful! the 12-week program is inspired. Zone meeting was the third one. That one was sketchy! I felt very uncomfortable for part of it. The conversation during the accountability portion deviated to a very "number-dominated" discussion. Missionaries said some things that I disagreed with. Openly too! Success numbers  is not a result of obedience. Our areas are not directly blessed by our obedience or faith as missionaries. If this were so then missionaries would go home and only pay their tithing because they know the Lord will help them make ends meet financially every time! Missionaries would go home and keep the Word of Wisdom so they could train to be star athletes! These are extreme examples, but the fact is that obedience and faith DO NOT BRING INVESTIGATORS, LESSONS, OR BAPTISMS. That is what I have learned. Obedience and faith cultivate within you a love for your Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ if you put your Faith in the right things (people) and are obedient for the right reasons! Success as a missionary is based on your COMMITMENT to find, teach, and baptize. I try not to judge unrighteously, but I feel like I see false perspectives on the mission that are going to get people in trouble for after. The meeting helped me to remember to put my faith, hope, love, commitment, obedience, and diligence in the right things. What are our motives? Why are we obedient to the Gospel? Why SHOULD we be? Do we keep the commandments for "blessings" or even actual, heavenly, and deserved blessings, or do we keep them because we are converted and love our Heavenly Father? Sounds like an Alma 5 exam haha.

 

This week... We taught a lesson to a deaf man using the Ipad! It was so LEGIT!!! It was a referral from an investigator of his "inactive/nonmember" family. We knocked (later realizing that we had no idea how he heard us knock on the door; unless he was moved by the Spirit to do so!) and he let us in and sat down with us. We exchanged a conversation together typing on my Ipad. We talked about Heavenly Father; copy and pasting the monthly scripture to the lesson dialogue, asking him questions and receiving answers, and later acting out a bible story (Noah's Ark) with Elder Fife before we left. We had a blast teaching and getting to know Emmanuel. He is a very cool guy. He is a actually already attending church in a deaf ward but he needed a lift that night. Technology rules!

 

Saturday was fantastic! You know why? I went on exchanges to ESTRELLA SUR! It felt good to be back home. I was with Robin (Elder Nelson). We realized that we lived about 100 yards away from each other for one semester at BYU and that he was one of 4 non-Budge3200 guests who came to our hall slip'n'slide! Go figure! Him and I get a long well. We will have a boss companionship when we are together one of these days. Anyway, I probably street contacted more that day than I have all transfer since I was back on bike for the day. It was awesome--and SUPER COLD! Very cold. This week has been cold. Right now it is like 56. cold huh? Haha. I honestly feel used to the heat because it wasn't that hot at the end of the summer (accustomed) and now it is very cold. The area was fun though. Elders Jones and Nelson are doing some great things and the Lord is blessing the people in their area in new and different ways. I saw Clemente at the Ward Christmas Party over the weekend. It was the first time in over a month. I hugged that man so hard! That family is still progressing little by little... Until the perfect day! They will get there. I saw Melina again too. I taught the Valadez family, the Torres, Hermana Jenkins' mother, and some others again. It was fun to be back. The Sun Valley Apartments are good too. They have Wifi. That is the new "must" in the mission: wifi. If you have that, your life is fun. We don't have it in the Reems apartment. The other 2 Elders have been trying to get me to ask all our neighbors for their passwords. No luck. One of the Elders is exactly like Richard haha. I wouldn't say they are openly distracting but they may make things hard to get done at times whether on purpose or on accidente haha. By the way- I am going to get a Skype account. We can have a 40-minute call/conversation on Christmas Day. It can't be any longer though. I don't really know when. I can imagine we will just have a couple dinners on Christmas and nothing else. If there is a time that works best for you, just let me know and we can plan ahead. If not, I will just tell you when we have dinners and we can do it in between, before, or after. Elder Fife (feefay) took over the area on Saturday with Elder Jones (very young). Elder Fife did a very good job! I have a lot of confidence and faith in him. He knows how to do things. I need to let him do things rather than doing things myself. I would like to learn more from him than let him learn from me. Sounds selfish huh? Haha. He is doing well and loves being a missionary. Friday at the party we shared a Christmas thought, us 4 together, to all the members and nonmembers (a lot!) it went very well. Elder Fife is fearless and shared wonderful things. The Branch is still fun as ever. I very very much admire President Aguirre. He is such an example of humility to me. He lets everyone teach him. He takes suggestions from us as missionaries as if we were sent from the Stake President or the General Authorities. God sure was thinking when he put him here in this spot with these people. I really feel like we are all working hard together in the rama Estrella. 

 

Christmas conferences this week! I am soooooooooo pumped. It will be good to get my big behind back in the temple! I have heard nothing but 10 star reviews of the Mesa Temple lights. 1 of 5 temples in the world that does lights! I got both packages so far. They are very nice. I love them. I have opened a couple letters and the package. I know that must've taken a lot of time and thought from a lot of people. Thank you all very much. Last night: I got the Santa Beard from Aunt Sara, the hat and glasses from the package, and sang some old songs off of Matt and Celeste's letter and the other Elders filmed it on the Ipad. Elder Bangerter, who has been out 21 months, said it was the most he had laughed his mission. It was a blast. Things are going well and you don't have to worry! Just keep scolding me so I can stay on track :) Love you all very much. The Church is true.

 

Love, Elder Jacob Parry