This week has been a pretty good one, all things considered. This transfer is a truly pivotal one for me. My trainer didn't really train me a whole lot, you see. I've gone through my mission wondering why I haven't had the numerical success others have had, and now I see that the Lord wanted to test me for a bit, and now he's sent me a companion who is teaching me things I should have learned a long time ago. Now, I know how to work with RCLAs, and I can teach like no other, but what I've needed to learn is how to lead a pool, manage Area Book, and how to talk to random people on the street. See, I'm an introvert, and the last one is hard for me. I'm getting better at it, but I think I might have problems with it for the rest of my life. For those I do get close to, though, no matter who they are, I know how to bless them, and I know how to let the Lord bless them through me. This week has really been an exhibition of this, and I think the Lord has been teaching me even more how to be an effective tool in His hands.
One of the sisters has been a good friend of mine, but she's been having a hard time spiritually (she found out about this problem and received some great counsel in a workshop I gave), and asked for a blessing. Now, that morning I woke up feeling like basura. Clogged sinuses and nose, receding sore throat from the day before, a slight cough. I just needed to lay down and rest. This missionera needed it, though, so we were there at the church at 11. When she arrived, this hermana said that she didn't know who she wanted to give the blessing, and to surprise her; she didn't want to know until she heard the blessing start. I went to go wash my hands and unclog my nose, and my companion said that he had prayed about it, and felt that I was the one who needed to give the blessing. I thought about it for a second, and realized that I'd been feeling the same since the night before. That blessing is probably the most powerful I have ever given in my life, and I know that the words with which I gave the blessing were not my own. When I'm influenced by the Spirit, it's almost like He is actually talking through me- I get a lot more eloquent, and use very spiritual language, with thees and thines, a lot more than I can when I try to do it by myself. It was amazing. The Priesthood is real, and so is Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know they love us and want to bless us with everything they possibly can. Anyway, we then went to a member we've been seeing for a few weeks, and who was about to leave for China to study abroad for a semester. He asked me to give the blessing, the second for the day. That blessing was special, because the recipient was very special to the Lord, and I could just feel the Lord's purpose for him, and how useful this member is to the Lord. After that we went back to the church, and I slept while my companion did some Area Book work. We went out and did some lookups from our Area Book, and then called it an early night, and I hit the sack immediately upon coming home, and woke up 80% better.
Yup. Also, update on the B-day gift: Costco membership? Just an idea, because Costco is super expensive if we don't have a card, and I'd like to be able to not depend on other missionaries for a membership card. Also, I'd like you to send me some recipes, like sniggerdoodles (I'm positive that that's not how you spell it). I really want to learn how to cook more Asian foods, too, now that I have a great Asian market so close to home and so cheap (I've also heard that there's an even cheaper one in the area). Sushi is pretty high on the list- it's healthy, it's simple, you don't have to eat a whole lot to be satisfied, and it's pretty easy to pack it up and take it places for lunch. I'd just like a few traditional Chinese and Japanese recipes that aren't super complicated or expensive to make, but are still super delicious.
Missionary work update: 11 new investigators, 15 lessons. We're getting up there in lessons, close to my 'high score.' The cool thing is that we're working on making these lessons consistent ones, so that we get 15 lessons minimum every week. We got seven of the fifteen new investigators in one hour, and just by playing soccer with them! This week was a bit wacky with Elder Sundet's six month mark temple trip, and with me getting sick, too, but we still got a lot of work done. I think I'm "waking up," so to speak, and settling into this intense missionary schedule well. Like I said, I'm still working on street contacting (I've got door approaches down pat), and being more socially assertive, but I'm making lots of progress. I've also noticed that as I've become more engaged and active in my missionary work than before (a different plane of missionary work, really), Satan's influence in my life, and the influence of the natural man have both decreased dramatically.
I'm glad to hear that Spencer nailed his performance :) I wish I could have been there. It sounds like the Littles and Grandma+pa Hicken all enjoyed their visit.
Well... That's pretty much all I can think of for now.
Love you all,
Elder Richard Brandt Hull
One of the sisters has been a good friend of mine, but she's been having a hard time spiritually (she found out about this problem and received some great counsel in a workshop I gave), and asked for a blessing. Now, that morning I woke up feeling like basura. Clogged sinuses and nose, receding sore throat from the day before, a slight cough. I just needed to lay down and rest. This missionera needed it, though, so we were there at the church at 11. When she arrived, this hermana said that she didn't know who she wanted to give the blessing, and to surprise her; she didn't want to know until she heard the blessing start. I went to go wash my hands and unclog my nose, and my companion said that he had prayed about it, and felt that I was the one who needed to give the blessing. I thought about it for a second, and realized that I'd been feeling the same since the night before. That blessing is probably the most powerful I have ever given in my life, and I know that the words with which I gave the blessing were not my own. When I'm influenced by the Spirit, it's almost like He is actually talking through me- I get a lot more eloquent, and use very spiritual language, with thees and thines, a lot more than I can when I try to do it by myself. It was amazing. The Priesthood is real, and so is Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know they love us and want to bless us with everything they possibly can. Anyway, we then went to a member we've been seeing for a few weeks, and who was about to leave for China to study abroad for a semester. He asked me to give the blessing, the second for the day. That blessing was special, because the recipient was very special to the Lord, and I could just feel the Lord's purpose for him, and how useful this member is to the Lord. After that we went back to the church, and I slept while my companion did some Area Book work. We went out and did some lookups from our Area Book, and then called it an early night, and I hit the sack immediately upon coming home, and woke up 80% better.
Yup. Also, update on the B-day gift: Costco membership? Just an idea, because Costco is super expensive if we don't have a card, and I'd like to be able to not depend on other missionaries for a membership card. Also, I'd like you to send me some recipes, like sniggerdoodles (I'm positive that that's not how you spell it). I really want to learn how to cook more Asian foods, too, now that I have a great Asian market so close to home and so cheap (I've also heard that there's an even cheaper one in the area). Sushi is pretty high on the list- it's healthy, it's simple, you don't have to eat a whole lot to be satisfied, and it's pretty easy to pack it up and take it places for lunch. I'd just like a few traditional Chinese and Japanese recipes that aren't super complicated or expensive to make, but are still super delicious.
Missionary work update: 11 new investigators, 15 lessons. We're getting up there in lessons, close to my 'high score.' The cool thing is that we're working on making these lessons consistent ones, so that we get 15 lessons minimum every week. We got seven of the fifteen new investigators in one hour, and just by playing soccer with them! This week was a bit wacky with Elder Sundet's six month mark temple trip, and with me getting sick, too, but we still got a lot of work done. I think I'm "waking up," so to speak, and settling into this intense missionary schedule well. Like I said, I'm still working on street contacting (I've got door approaches down pat), and being more socially assertive, but I'm making lots of progress. I've also noticed that as I've become more engaged and active in my missionary work than before (a different plane of missionary work, really), Satan's influence in my life, and the influence of the natural man have both decreased dramatically.
I'm glad to hear that Spencer nailed his performance :) I wish I could have been there. It sounds like the Littles and Grandma+pa Hicken all enjoyed their visit.
Well... That's pretty much all I can think of for now.
Love you all,
Elder Richard Brandt Hull