Birthday Party

Below I have a few pictures from my birthday party attached, it was a good time. Thank you to everyone who helped make that day great!

This week has been pretty much exactly the same as last week. More video lessons, more cooking meals, more studying. The last month the mission did read the Doctrine and Covenants, and that was very enlightening! I hadn't read through since my freshman year of Seminary, and it was really beneficial to have a deeper understanding of the context, not to mention being able to be where some of it was written! A beautiful scripture from the Prophet Joseph's time in Liberty jail provides an excellent outlook for this time. 

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we standstill

, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

Quarantine Extended

What day is it?

It must be Monday because I'm emailing this, but BOY, time is slowly losing its meaning. I can't remember what day it is. I think I ask Elder Andrew at least 5 times a day, so it's a miracle he hasn't thumped me yet. The days aren't necessarily going by slow, they just... they're all the same, so the time just... goes.

During all that time we have stayed very busy though! The mission has a goal to teach 10 lessons a day, and we're getting up there. Some nights we have so many appointments in a row that we don't eat until after 9. Along with all those lessons, we are now also running church Facebook pages based upon our geographical location. These puppies will be popping up all around the States; you may have already seen one! It has definitely been interesting learning how to use them because we are posting so often. We are starting to feel like YouTubers or something.

Times are surely changing here in the mission field, and the work has a completely new look, but we will have so many new skills by the times we're back doing our old work! It's incredible to see the way the Lord has prepared technological means to reach out to His children at this turbulent time.

Lastly, we went on a little zone tour delivering mail, masks, and supplies to each of the companionships, so that is basically all that has kept us going! I crave social interaction terribly, but it does make any moment you do get with anyone just that much better. 

I hope each of you is not dying, and that you're taking this time to study the scriptures and develop your talents. Not to mention taking some family time as well! 

¡Adelante!

This is a Must Read!

I just finished playing the most intense Jenga game of my life. It lasted a solid half hour probably. Also, yesterday was Easter, and because we couldn't have an Easter egg hunt, we instead went on a worm hunt. Yes, yes you heard me right... a worm hunt!

Let me explain. A few days back we moved our couch so that it faced the nice big window we have. With the springtime starting, more birds have been out, and we thought,

"Wouldn't it be great if the birds came right up here by our window?"

Well of course it would be great! We are on the third story, and right outside our back window is the deck and stairs. So, Plan A was to take some peanut butter and granola and smear it over the railing right outside the window. We thought we were pretty clever, but after a few days we realized that we must not be clever enough... no birds. So yesterday we moved to Plan B. It was pretty stormy and rainy out, so we knew the little wormys would be making their way up, allowing them to be more easily snatched. So we grabbed a jar and headed out! It took about 15 minutes before we had a nice amount of worms, all varying in length and girth to meet our bird friends' picky appetites. Then we hauled them back up the stairs, plopped them into the jar's lid (so they couldn't escape), and retired back to our warm, dry apartment to await the swarm of birds coming to munch those worms. So we waited. And waited. And waited some more. To our disappointment, many of the worms escaped the lid and plummeted the three stories down to the sloppy ground. Even though we'd caught such a large batch, and had at least a few worms hanging out all day, not one bird came for a free snack. 

So, if you have any tips on attracting birds, let me know.

On a more serious note, we had a really great week! At this point, we're really starting to figure out setting virtual appointments and learning how to teach through that medium. You may have also noticed that I'm actually learning how to use Facebook relatively well, that's a miracle! I'm developing a deeper love for the scriptures, for prayer, and the other simple things that center our lives on Christ. I've seen that as I've centered myself on these simple things, miracles come to pass... for instance...

We had a HUGE miracle! One of the ladies we're teaching, in the first formal lesson we've been able to have during the quarantine, basically told us that she is undoubtedly going to be baptized and that she just wants to make sure her kids know for themselves that they want to as well. The following morning we got a text from her that said she had talked with her daughter until 2 in the morning, and at the end of it she too wanted to be baptized!

Her daughter had previously (meaning about 2 months ago) not wanted anything to do with religion at all, yet through a couple lessons, and her own efforts to read and pray, she's had a 180 in her life and we are simply glad to be part of it!

In closing, one of the simple takeaways I've had from General Conference, was to record in my journal ways that I've seen God's goodness throughout my day. I've been doing that since, and it is incredible to see the simple ways that you can see His influence in your life. He knows us personally, and will speak to us in personal ways! So be in the lookout for those simple ways the Lord reminds you of His infinite love towards you.

Keep'r Goin!

Wowee, this has been another great week!

Despite the strangeness of not knowing which day is which and when it happens, we are still able to accomplish some things each day! We also were able to go the Bishop's Storehouse to do service filling food orders. It was the fastest four hours of service ever! Those locations are truly incredible. They are clean, orderly, and help so many people. We were told that the many other religious groups that visit the Storehouse are amazed by the production going on. It was very enjoyable to be a part of and provide some service during these trying times.

I have learned to rely on prayer to receive specific direction from the Lord of what I can and cannot do. That has helped me to feel more productive, as I heed and carry out those errands, I feel that I'm being used as a tool in God's hands. "When you're on the Lord's errand, you're entitled to the Lord's help" -Thomas S. Monson. I've definitely had the Lord's help the last week, we even had a few people we're teaching participate and watch Conference!

And what an excellent experience that wonderful Conference was. As I went into the weekend, I came with the question of how I can grow to have "no more disposition to do evil," and "shake at the appearance of sin." What an incredible blessing it was to receive very direct revelation from the talks given by Elders Andersen, Renlund, and Bednar. If you're interested in finding similar answers, check those talks out! I truly felt the Spirit of God as I heard His word spoken by His chosen servants. What a blessing it is that the gospel of Christ is Restored upon the Earth!