Sorry this is a day late. President Riggs lets us email on Tuesday if we can't on P-Day. We had a crazy busy week!
( a bunch of family babble and answering questions was here)
Anyways... Time for the weekly update.... though there isn't too much to report.
You see, This is early August, and school starts soon. That means three things: 1) people are on vacation 2) people are moving out 3) people are moving in.
We spent most of the week moving, which meant we weren't in shirts and ties, but it also meant a lot of work in a lot of heat. Quite the adventure!!!
Wednesday was our first moving day. We went to go move one lady in the ward, but it turns out she wasn't there, so the missionaries we brought to help drove us back to our apartment to drop us off just in time for us to get a phone call about a family moving in that needed help. Apparently, they drove here from San Diego and had no time to coordinate much help, so it was the family, two friends in the area, and us. It was quite the crazyness.
The next day, we were again moving. this time we were moving the lady who we were originally going to help. That took the last three days. She and her daughter were moving to Utah. Her house was simple enough, though somewhat of a maze of stairs. It was the daughter that was tough. They lived on the fourth floor of their apartment complex... and filled two moving trucks... So we got quite the workout over the next few days!! haha.
So, yeah. Remember how my leg was doing great and was almost better? Well, three days on four floors going up and down all day kind of backtracked my progress a bit. It's still not interfering with the missionary work, but it's hurting more. I set some alarms on the phone and I'm stretching it more consistently, but this Saturday is the six month mark since it started hurting, and every doctor I've seen says it really should be better by now... If there's no progress by this Saturday, I'll probably go in to see someone again.
In church this week, we were asked to teach the Laurel class... haha. We said we would be willing, but would need another priesthood holder in the room, so our Ward Mission Leader came and helped us. That was pretty exciting... My first time sitting in on a laurel class and I'm a missionary... There's a good story.
I gave three haircuts to other Elders this week too, and only had to apologize to one of them! haha.... yeah.... oh well... he was a good sport... "Nothing a week or so won't fix."...
This week, our zone got a visa waiter from India. He's with the Zone leaders, and he's a great guy. Visas to India are apparently only for one year, so they often come to the D.C. South mission to wait three weeks for the update. It's kind of funny for him, coming from there to here. Apparently, in his mission, if you're not baptizing every week, you're "slacking" as a missionary. Here, if our entire zone does that, we're exceeding expectations. haha.
President Riggs has started implementing more changes, and it's cool to see it happening. He really is getting revelation for us, it's incredible. One of his huge things he's pushing is keyholders. He pointed out the other day that he does not have priesthood keys for missionary work here. He was given keys for US, for the missionaries in the mission. Guess who has the keys for the missionary WORK.... The Bishops and the Stake Presidents. So, we're challenged to visit them at LEAST once a week and ask them what revelation they have received as the key holder. We're told not to stay for more than 15 minutes, but to stop by and do that. It really is kicking things into gear. It's incredible too. One of our wards, the bishop is there more when we visit than the other. Not to say the other is slacking, but we just choose the wrong times to visit. Even something so small and seemingly inconsequential is showing a difference between the two areas. It's amazing.
Anyways, we're running short on time, but just wanted to let you know I'm alive... Also, would you be willing to send me some more journal pages? Thanks.
Oh, another thing... If you saw me on gmail this week, don't freak out. haha. The Office Elders were trying to send me something that myldsmail.net wouldn't allow, so we got permission to have it sent to my gmail. It took a bit to get through, so I was online a couple of times for a couple of seconds.... I'm playing the piano to accompany one of the office elders (Elder D) and Sister G at transfers. Wish me luck! I accompanied Elder D a couple weeks ago at a baptism, and he has an amazing voice, and Sister G had the desk next to me in the MTC, so I know she does too. Hopefully I can pull it together and not be the weak link in the number :P I'm excited to hear the two of them together though... Also, I'm excited to see how Riggs runs transfers!!! (We get a new AP this transfer too... rumors are abounding haha)
Love you all, and I'll talk to you next week!!! (Perhaps from a new area.... [I'll know tonight, you'll know next week, how's that for fair?])
The Church is true. I can tell just from helping people move. There's a spirit here in this gospel that makes a difference, and though this wasn't a week of teaching, we got to share that spirit with others, and I could tell they noticed.
I want to testify to each of you that you all have that same spirit. Just smile and let it out. Students at the BYU Jerusalem Center aren't allowed to proselyte, but the Israeli's constantly worry: "But what are we ever going to do about that light in their eyes?" You each have that. Let it out and let the whole world feel it.
-Matthew
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