About la conferencia general! Haha
So yeah, let's begin.
Well
this week was a pretty tough one again. My companion and I seemed to be
exhausted all week and were driving ourselves crazy running around to
invite everyone to and make arrangements for conference, but we were
able to see some nice support from the bishop and the ward in general,
so it was cool.
The conference was definitely the highlight of the weekend and it
seemed like almost everyone talked about overcoming and learning from
trials, and service. Those are the two major things I got out of
conference anyway. I was thinking about lots of people back home and
here in the mission equally when I was listening to the talks about
trials, and they helped me as well to learn patience and that I have to
be happy while I have some hard times. On the other hand, the talks on
service were completely and utterly for me. I know that's the case
because sometimes I get so focused on MY investigators and MY image and
MY comfort, etc., that I'm really not thinking about the right things.
Especially while I'm in a leadership position at the moment, I have to
be more focused on serving my district, my companion, and everyone
around me, including members and non-members alike, not just my little
pool of investigators.
So yeah, those messages really hit home with me. I love the change
I've been able to see in this mission. I now get SO much out of
conference and wish it didn't have to end, when before I had a tough
time getting through two or three of the 5 sessions. I even played video
games or was on the computer half the time for the sessions that I DID
watch. I wish I could take back that time, but I can't so I have to make
the best of the time I have now.
For conference we were only able to get a few people to go, and we
were really sad to see that a few that didn't go had messages SO
perfectly fitted for their specific needs and problems that they missed
out on, but just as I'm sure I missed out on plenty of messages like
that in my youth and hope that now I am forgiven for that, we know that
our investigators can ''repent'', so to speak and get on track to be
there for the next conference in 6 months. At which point, I will be
just about going home from this mission. And how fast did the october
conference pass to this conference? I don't even want to think about it!
Time passes way too fast.
Anyway though, this week we had a cool experience that I'll share with you all.
It
happened when we were having a very rough morning. We were walking up
and down hills in the heat without finding people and getting doors shut
and sure appointments falling through, when we decided to go check
someone a little far off. We didn't really want to in the heat, but we
felt to do so. So we went on our way, and a bit later were climbing the
last hill before where we were going, and, near the top, we both
stopped. For the first time we looked well at this house there at the
top that had always seemed big, dead, and unwelcoming, and both noticed
that now, the door was open for the first time. We both felt to knock
one last door before checking our original plan, and a middle aged man
came out, and after a brief introduction on our and his part, he let is
in to talk.
That, in and of itself, was a miracle we thought. But it gets better!
As
we start talking he relates to us that he has talked with missionaries
before, a couple years back, and that they were going to give him ''some
book'', but that they suddenly stopped coming one day and he never saw
them again. So, we pulled out ''that book'' and had a good talk, leaving
him with it and the assignment to read and pray. Before leaving, he
wanted to tell us something. He said that we may not have known it, but
that he sent us in some way or another, or that he called for us. He
explained that he had been feeling bad and not himself and that he was
wishing and praying for some kind of psychologist or some sort of help
when suddenly, at that moment, we yelled our friendly ''buenas tardes''
into his doorway. I love these experiences and they never cease to
amaze me and strengthen my testimony. This man at the moment is in and
out of the hospital with back problems, eye problems, AND a bad tooth
(moler? I don't know how to spell it) to take out, so we haven't been
able to see him since, but we know he'll be there and he's got his book
now.
We'll also continue to drop by as we go, and I know that for one
reason or another, even if I don't see him baptized, God wanted him to
have ''that book''. The Book of Mormon is the center piece of our
religion for a reason. Because even though it was written thousands of
years ago and translated hundreds of years back, we can apply the
stories and doctrine to ANY PROBLEM or ANY DOUBT or basically anything
in our lives these days. Through daily scripture study in this mission,
with a focus on the Book of Mormon, I have really been able to come
closer to and understand more about God. It really is scripture, and
obviously has enough importance that God sent us to a lonely man's house
for the unique purpose of giving and explaining that book.
I know that if we study it, together with the Bible, we can really
come to understand and love the things of this Gospel. So, get to it! If
you haven't been reading your Book of Mormon (you know who you are)
regularly, get to it! If you don't have one, get one! I promise you'll
have more peaceful and spiritually guided days, you'll have more
patience for others and for the stresses of life, and you'll be able to
find the answers to whatever questions or worries you may have.
That's my testimony, and I earned it by experience.
Well,
time is running out, but I love you all a lot and I look forward to
hearing from you all through letters, dear elders, and emails in the
coming weeks! Oh, and a phone call home in about a month! Holy cow, time
flies! =P
Love you all,
Elder DeFreese
1. With the food we brought for conference! Woohoo! PB and J sandwiches, lays, etc.
2. On the couch in the room next to where we watched conference. This is our district, baby! Small, but powerful. =)
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