For the record, I have not heard any Silver Bells here in the City. Granted, I'm on the very outskirts of the city, but still, I don't hear any ring-a-ling-ing. Today was very foggy, and in the morning it was super thick. I love the fog. It's been a pretty warm winter so far. Two days or so ago, it was in the sixties! Man, I just want some snow! I really do miss snow. I think my most memorable snowfall was when I was in the MTC. We had gone to the temple early in the morning, and when we came out we expected it to be cold and sunny. Instead, we walked out to a fresh blanket of snow that had fallen while we were in the temple. As we walked around the temple grounds, it was pretty warm- I didn't need my coat or hat. Just gorgeous.
Anyway, I've had a miracle happen. So, the curveball from last week ended up being a corkscrew pitch that Jesus ended up hitting for me. There was a visa-waiter missionary who came, and they thought he was going to be here for a couple days, so President was going to put him with me so that I could go out and do some visits. Well, that turned out to be a miscommunication. Instead of coming on Monday he came on Wednesday, and left that same evening for Macedonia. But, my depression and frustrations are finally beaten, and it was kind of a Summer Larson experience, like the one dad told me about. One day I was coming back from teaching English class (which Elder Lilly, one of our senior missionaries, said was one of the best he'd ever seen) I just looked out the window of the car, and everything was all right. The situation hadn't changed one bit. However, I felt the Spirit tell me that the atonement had taken my negative feelings away. I'm actually happy now. I love my companions. I can't wait to get Elder Payne back, but I love my companions. This experience has given me such a deeper understanding of the atonement, that I'm still trying to put it into words. I love my Savior so much, and I'm so grateful for the chance I have to celebrate the day of his birth. I am amazed at the role the emotions play in our church and the way the Lord works. For such a perfectly practical God, He sure does like it when we are happy. In fact, the end goal for each of us that we have set with him is happiness. The plan to get there is called the Plan of Happiness. This plan involves experiencing intense sadness, though. Some will experience more than others, but I have a strong testimony that it is only for our good. It makes us stronger, and permits us to be happier. Thus, I imagine that our heavenly parents are very happy people, because I'm sure we make them very sad sometimes. In any case, I'm sure I was given this trial to help someone else, not just myself, and I'm looking for who that person is.
I did receive a package from Grandpa and Grandma Hull this week! I will send a photo of my Christmas packages in another email. It does feel like I've been out for a while. I feel like I'm actually starting to get a handle on this whole missionary thing, and this whole district leader thing. I'm starting to strike a balance, and I'm starting to get into a groove. Now, this doesn't mean I'm perfect. I still struggle with getting up on time, exercising, eating breakfast, taking short showers, and getting to studies perfectly on time, but I've found that while perfection is impossible, what really matters is how hard you try to get there. I have also gained a clearer view of what missionary work really is, and what it entails. I have gained a huge appreciation and love for service. It truly truly truly opens the hearts of people and prepares them to hear the gospel. Service is the beginning of truly changing someone's life for the better. I think that's one of my biggest pieces of advice for Spencer and anyone else preparing to go on a mission. Service brings about miracles when it is performed in faith.
Elder Payne's surgery is scheduled for this Friday, and we hope that he'll get back within the next week. Prayers his way couldn't hurt. For now I'm still with the English Elders. When we're tracking out by Inwood, it's hard to find people because they're almost all Jews out there. We just look for Christmas lights ;)
We do have an all-mission Christmas devotional on Christmas Eve. Our zone will be singing an arrangement of Silver Bells. Our arrangement will be making fun of a little black box called Tiwi. Now, in the most recent Megazone Conference, at which I played the piano, all the mission cars were given little black boxes. They are wired into the diagnostic plugin, and tell the mission how fast you are going, if you have your seatbelt buckled, when you accelerate too fast or brake too hard, and when you either catch air or hit a pothole too hard. WE HATE TIWI!!! Basically, Tiwi records the information, but nobody really looks at it. What matters more is that each road has a set speed limit, and if you go ten over, it yells at you and gives you a few seconds to slow down, or it'll be recorded. Now, that'd be ok, but here in NY the flow of traffic is, like, 15-20 over the speed limit. Heck, Grandmas and school busses are passing us all the time, and we get tailgated and passed on double yellows regularly! We're going to tell President Reynolds pretty soon.
I'll send you a picture of the packages after I get home from the temple tomorrow.
All my love,
Elder Richard Brandt Hull
I did receive a package from Grandpa and Grandma Hull this week! I will send a photo of my Christmas packages in another email. It does feel like I've been out for a while. I feel like I'm actually starting to get a handle on this whole missionary thing, and this whole district leader thing. I'm starting to strike a balance, and I'm starting to get into a groove. Now, this doesn't mean I'm perfect. I still struggle with getting up on time, exercising, eating breakfast, taking short showers, and getting to studies perfectly on time, but I've found that while perfection is impossible, what really matters is how hard you try to get there. I have also gained a clearer view of what missionary work really is, and what it entails. I have gained a huge appreciation and love for service. It truly truly truly opens the hearts of people and prepares them to hear the gospel. Service is the beginning of truly changing someone's life for the better. I think that's one of my biggest pieces of advice for Spencer and anyone else preparing to go on a mission. Service brings about miracles when it is performed in faith.
Elder Payne's surgery is scheduled for this Friday, and we hope that he'll get back within the next week. Prayers his way couldn't hurt. For now I'm still with the English Elders. When we're tracking out by Inwood, it's hard to find people because they're almost all Jews out there. We just look for Christmas lights ;)
We do have an all-mission Christmas devotional on Christmas Eve. Our zone will be singing an arrangement of Silver Bells. Our arrangement will be making fun of a little black box called Tiwi. Now, in the most recent Megazone Conference, at which I played the piano, all the mission cars were given little black boxes. They are wired into the diagnostic plugin, and tell the mission how fast you are going, if you have your seatbelt buckled, when you accelerate too fast or brake too hard, and when you either catch air or hit a pothole too hard. WE HATE TIWI!!! Basically, Tiwi records the information, but nobody really looks at it. What matters more is that each road has a set speed limit, and if you go ten over, it yells at you and gives you a few seconds to slow down, or it'll be recorded. Now, that'd be ok, but here in NY the flow of traffic is, like, 15-20 over the speed limit. Heck, Grandmas and school busses are passing us all the time, and we get tailgated and passed on double yellows regularly! We're going to tell President Reynolds pretty soon.
I'll send you a picture of the packages after I get home from the temple tomorrow.
All my love,
Elder Richard Brandt Hull