COMPANION: ELDER WELSH
ASSISTANTS
I have a new companion! His name is Elder Welsh. He is my 10th companion. That's a lot. Elder Welsh is from Morgan Utah. He went to the same High School as our ward mission leader. Small world in mormonville! Ummmmm he's awesome. This was my 75th week of being a full-time missionary! That's a lot. How did that happen?
Last week was transfer week. So on tuesday we picked up the new missionaries from the airport and gave them some orientation and then took us out working with us. There's a special spirit that accompanies a brand-new missionary. A special level of faith takes place for them and through them and with them. I love it. It was such a blessing to work with mine for the night.
Crazy miracle that happened that night: We knocked on a door, a large black lady shout to come in, so we opened the door and explained that we were the missionaries (she was very surprised) and explained that we could not, in fact, come in because there was no man home (everyone always gets offended when we say that) but that we had a special message for her from Jesus! Then we taught her the gospel and she committed to be baptized. WOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then the next day they were whisked away, and I got to work with an out-going missionary. He'd served his whole 2 years honorably, powerfully, looking for no rewards, demanding no applause. He was a simple servant. I loved seeing him go.
Crazy miracle that happened THAT night: I was getting gas, and the outgoing missionary (my companion for the day, Elder McCombs) walked over to a man standing on the sidewalk waving one of those pointy advertising signs and starts teaching him the gospel. So we taught him the whole first lesson. YES! Gas stations success for days.
Sister Craig (the mission president's wife) says I need more stories in these letters. So here's some:
We found an unlisted part-member family just milling around outside at 9 PM.
We stopped on our way driving home and went back to help a lady Elder Welsh saw standing on the side of the road. She had a concussion and we were able to arrange for her to get home. Elder Welsh is the best!
We were walking down the street and ran into an investigator that we hadn't seen for WEEKS. He invited us in and we tried to start teaching but his family came running out and demanded that we play something called "The Jelly-Belly Challenge" or something. I will explain how it works.
There is a box of jelly beans. There are 10ish different colors of jelly bean. Each color can be one of two flavors. For example, the green one can be juicy pear, or boogers. The black one could be licorice or skunk spray, the orange one could be tut fruity or barf. Etc. The game is that one person spins a little wheel, calls out the color, and everyone else has to pick a jellybean of that color and eat it. Could be delicious, could be foul. We did 11 rounds. I got two good ones. So my jelly beans were:
Peach
Carmel Popcorn
Baby wipes
Booger
Barf
Grass
Toothpaste
Dog food
Mouldy Cheese
Rotten eggs
Skunk spray
Now, I have been taught since my nativity to eat whatever I was given on my mission. I was not about to break that pledge now! So I ate them! They were pretty bad. The skunk spray one made me go super pale, apparently, and I dry-heaved a couple times, but I won! WOO!!!!!!!!!! Then we watched the John Tanner story, everybody cried, and the father committed to be baptized on April 6th, Jesus' birthday.
Pretty great.
We sang in Church! That went well! The song was "Army of Helaman". I got really into it. I so love to sing. Probably my favorite song still is "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul". There's a different melody from 17 Miracles or Ephraims Rescue or something, but it's the lyrics that get me.
"Chasten my soul, 'till I shall be
In perfect harmony with Thee
Make me more worthy of Thy love
And fit me for Thy courts above."
I love that. I love it. That is the purpose of my life. That is the prayer of my heart. When things come, before I determine whether they are good or bad, I evaluate whether they chasten my soul. I thank God for all the things that do.
My life is one crazy stream of miracles. On friday a man opened the door, and could only speak spanish. This happens pretty frequently. Unfortunately, I have forgotten every ounce of spanish I knew 18 months ago. Nada. So usually we just give them a card and write the spanish missionaries' number on it. But for some reason I could just talk! I talked with him in spanish for a good three minutes and taught him some basic truths and set up a return appointment! WHAT????? Happens all the time in english, where I just open my mouth and words come out, but that was a first in spanish. Fun. Fun fun friday.
I believe in miracles. I have seen countless miracles. I have been the subject of unspeakable miracles. I have wrought mighty, wondrous miracles. What a privilege to see. What a joy to be a part of.
I am amazed by the missionaries. I love my family. I am enthralled by my Savior and astounded by our incredible members of the Church. I have to share this last story with you. This is the story of Sarah. Sarah is a genius lawyer. She has been all over the world, is fast-paced, and can't figure out why she agreed to sit down with us. She is a true Southern girl, born and raised in Alabama and Mississippi. She is as South as it gets. We taught her the story of the Restoration. She was captivated. She was on the edge of her seat. The idea that Father and the Son had appeared to a man and called him to be a prophet was absolutely glorious to her. Then we lowered our voices a bit and said, "Sarah, what if we told you there was a prophet of the Lord on the earth, walking this planet, inhabiting this moment, with us, right now?" She sort of leaned back whimsically and said, "I'd do anything. I'd drop everything and go to him and learn from him and just hear him talk. Nothing would stop me. "Sarah." "... What?" "There is a prophet on the earth."
It blows my mind to wonder what anyone else is doing with their life. There is a prophet on the earth. There are temples being built. There is truth restored. There is a holy endowment, and fruits of the spirit pouring out from heaven upon millions. Millions. There is a holy and a mighty and a marvelous work to do. There is a solace for the sin-sick strain of soul. There is a plenteous peace for the poor and the pricked. There is a joy for me.
There is a Prophet on the earth. His name is Thomas S. Monson. Jesus Christ has called him. Jesus Christ has founded a kingdom upon the earth. He has named that kingdom the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I must tell everyone. Everybody has to know. I love you. Tell them.
~Elder Jorgensen
Letters Home
Morning mama. Cookies sound delicious. I bet daddy is the most popular high councillor of them all. Hehehehee sounds like a good roast adventure. Slow-cooked meat. You'd get along great with the people of the south. I'm sorry to hear about the sickness, but so proud of the little prodigys. I love them! I love you too!
Hehehee it did work out to coincide with Lent. Which is perfect, because there are a ton of catholic people here. Not as many as baptist, but still a lot. Missoula!!!! Missoula sounds delightful. I miss theater. Rainstorms and Harry Potter???? Wow. That is a special sort of day! I'll pass on the green drink. But the garments would be great.
“Don't be discouraged! Be awesome instead!” I give that advice to missionaries sometimes. I think it is phenomenal advice. Family Book of Mormon binder! That sounds awesome! Wish I was able to contribute! I am working on my doctrine notebook, but we get studies maybe one time a week, so it's a slow process...
Utah is great. I think I will move there one day and convince the rest of the family to come with me. It's cheap, there are seasons, as lo as you stay inside you can pretend the weather is beautiful, and you're in Zion with ten million friends! And the prophet lives there! And there are temples everywhere. And yeah, it seems nice. Elder Welsh is from Utah.
I loved your statement "I need to give the children another place to connect with me besides illness". That is extremely insightful. Let me know how your editing project goes! Good for you, contributing to our culture. Projects are important. They keep us fresh.
I love you mama. Pray for me! I will pray for you!