Well hello all... new companion time yay! So a little about
Elder Skaggs... once again my companion is younger than me... but older in the
mission. He's actually only been out one transfer longer than I have, but he
is also district leader now so he's learning a lot. And I'm learning a ton from
him which is super nice. He's a fantastic guy. He's very
earnest and passionate about missionary work, and way obedient. It's been a great few days. In other news, he's a bass.
And apparently at least decent because his high school is like super kick butt
at choir stuff. He's also a wrestler, cross country runner, and by his own
admission... smokin' hot 🔥. And yes that's a
direct quote from him. But yeah it's been super good for the last few days, I'm
looking forward to the rest of this transfer.
Ok anyway... so Monday last Monday.... so long ago. I'm just gonna blow through it... I honestly don't remember. We mostly visited people Elder Connelly was gonna miss and stuff... then the Hansen's took us out to Tucano's. Mm good stuff. That's really the only important part. Just food. So much food. It gets worse though.
The next day we did normal tings, visited more peeps... actually saw other missionaries from other places in our area... including Elder Hill, Elder Connellys new companion that I knew in the MTC, and Elder Banks who served in my area about a year ago. Then the Zone Leaders invited us for lunch at Wingers... they have an endless sticky fingers lunch special... so at lunch the day after Tucano's we had endless chicken fingers. Oops. We ended up competing against Elder Gallegos and Elder Santos. Me and Elder Connelly. Needless to say, they were crushed. At the end Elder Connelly even kept ordering for them afterwards. And we still destroyed. With our encouragement they did do a little better... but we won. Insert pictures here. And numbers. (editor's note: he did NOT insert pictures. Or numbers)
But that's not all... that night we were invited by D. in the trailer park, he apparently actually went to culinary school.... dang it was good. But so much food. Plus dessert. And the J's invited us for scones... and M. and V. gave us food... bam.
Wednesday of course was transfers... we did some shopping for the new guy and showed him around, started in on some new people and met some others. Nothing too crazy.
Thursday however... dang. I don't know how many of you have heard about the missionary broadcast on the 25th but they released a new missionary schedule among other things. Also, my mission President is seriously the most inspired man... over a year ago he decided that there were too many key indicators and our mission has been only reporting four, the four that measure and lead to conversion: baptized and confirmed, on date for baptism, church attendance, and finding new investigators. Or as we call them, Gate, Date, Pew, and New. And guess what one of the broadcast things was... that's right, world-wide missions are now doing what our mission has been doing for a year. Cuz President Hodgman is a boss.
Also the schedule is different... the details aren't super important, but one big change.... Pday starts at 8!!!
The rest of the day was just finding, setting up appointments, cleaning up the area book and relearning how to be a missionary. We had a great talk with C.O., I'm really looking forward to working with him. That was new investigator number 1. Already I feel pretty good about this companion. The rest of the night I was kind of questioning myself, what things I needed to do better. How could I be the person I was meant to be. I sent an email to President and marked it Urgent. I just said "What Lack I Yet?" It was rough. But it's all good now. I feel like I'm progressing in the Gospel and in my missionary service. Finally. We also played some games with S.B. and his family as well as taught a really powerful lesson.
Oh I forgot to mention, so one of our wards was planning at special missionary minded 5th Sunday meeting.... and I got asked to sing... like Wednesday. So I had to find someone to play.... nope nobody
could. So yeah. Friday is weekly planning and crunch time for a pianist... nothing. I decided what the heck, I'm a missionary and a man of a God, I can play my own piano. So I contact a sister in that ward and borrowed a mic stand from her... woot. Anyway more visits, more fun stuff. A couple of great lessons and more contacts all the time. I'm lovin this week more and more, even as tired as I am. We finished with another Armenian family, we like them a lot, but they're maybe not quite ready, I'm just not sure yet. Thank goodness the Lord provides.
I also have a new favorite Mormon message. I've seen it lots of times before my mission, but out here, it's seems to apply to just about everyone and everyone can make a connection with the truths in it. It's called The Hope of God's Light (The Hope of God's Light). I think everyone should watch it for a reminder of what's good in life and how to find happiness. Another good one is Sanctify Yourselves (Sanctify Yourselves).
Saturday we moved a bunch of people. First a nonmember who wasn't interested. Then we moved R... to Orem. That one made me sad. She's an incredible lady, a dry Mormon as we sometimes call them... just add water. She has beautiful testimony and more charity than I see in most Stake Presidents... truly incredible. And now she's moved to Orem. Talk about a sad day. But I have no intention of losing her. She was entrusted to my care and that doesn't end just because she moved.
She's my friend and I'm going to take care of her as long as I can. But... we also picked up 4 new investigators that day... two different families with two... so I guess it made up for it for now. But only because I'm staying in touch with her :)
Sunday was frustrating but good... so I did sing in Sacrament.... and play... and do both at the same time and do it in sacrament with minimal practice. All I'm gonna say is it wasn't awful. Aaaaaand... in spite of the fact that the whole ward was supposed to bring nonmembers to the sacrament meeting.... no investigators at sacrament at all. So that was pretty sad... and everyone who should've been in second ward wasn't... and 3rd ward we just had one... rough Sunday. But we made good connections and talked to loads of people. We've received several referrals though and picked up two investigators, 6 and 7 for the week. By the end it wasn't so bad... and I think I'm already for next week. We have a zone conference on Wednesday to discuss the new schedule and The changes that come with it. Should be interesting.
Ok anyway... so Monday last Monday.... so long ago. I'm just gonna blow through it... I honestly don't remember. We mostly visited people Elder Connelly was gonna miss and stuff... then the Hansen's took us out to Tucano's. Mm good stuff. That's really the only important part. Just food. So much food. It gets worse though.
The next day we did normal tings, visited more peeps... actually saw other missionaries from other places in our area... including Elder Hill, Elder Connellys new companion that I knew in the MTC, and Elder Banks who served in my area about a year ago. Then the Zone Leaders invited us for lunch at Wingers... they have an endless sticky fingers lunch special... so at lunch the day after Tucano's we had endless chicken fingers. Oops. We ended up competing against Elder Gallegos and Elder Santos. Me and Elder Connelly. Needless to say, they were crushed. At the end Elder Connelly even kept ordering for them afterwards. And we still destroyed. With our encouragement they did do a little better... but we won. Insert pictures here. And numbers. (editor's note: he did NOT insert pictures. Or numbers)
But that's not all... that night we were invited by D. in the trailer park, he apparently actually went to culinary school.... dang it was good. But so much food. Plus dessert. And the J's invited us for scones... and M. and V. gave us food... bam.
Wednesday of course was transfers... we did some shopping for the new guy and showed him around, started in on some new people and met some others. Nothing too crazy.
Thursday however... dang. I don't know how many of you have heard about the missionary broadcast on the 25th but they released a new missionary schedule among other things. Also, my mission President is seriously the most inspired man... over a year ago he decided that there were too many key indicators and our mission has been only reporting four, the four that measure and lead to conversion: baptized and confirmed, on date for baptism, church attendance, and finding new investigators. Or as we call them, Gate, Date, Pew, and New. And guess what one of the broadcast things was... that's right, world-wide missions are now doing what our mission has been doing for a year. Cuz President Hodgman is a boss.
Also the schedule is different... the details aren't super important, but one big change.... Pday starts at 8!!!
The rest of the day was just finding, setting up appointments, cleaning up the area book and relearning how to be a missionary. We had a great talk with C.O., I'm really looking forward to working with him. That was new investigator number 1. Already I feel pretty good about this companion. The rest of the night I was kind of questioning myself, what things I needed to do better. How could I be the person I was meant to be. I sent an email to President and marked it Urgent. I just said "What Lack I Yet?" It was rough. But it's all good now. I feel like I'm progressing in the Gospel and in my missionary service. Finally. We also played some games with S.B. and his family as well as taught a really powerful lesson.
Oh I forgot to mention, so one of our wards was planning at special missionary minded 5th Sunday meeting.... and I got asked to sing... like Wednesday. So I had to find someone to play.... nope nobody
could. So yeah. Friday is weekly planning and crunch time for a pianist... nothing. I decided what the heck, I'm a missionary and a man of a God, I can play my own piano. So I contact a sister in that ward and borrowed a mic stand from her... woot. Anyway more visits, more fun stuff. A couple of great lessons and more contacts all the time. I'm lovin this week more and more, even as tired as I am. We finished with another Armenian family, we like them a lot, but they're maybe not quite ready, I'm just not sure yet. Thank goodness the Lord provides.
I also have a new favorite Mormon message. I've seen it lots of times before my mission, but out here, it's seems to apply to just about everyone and everyone can make a connection with the truths in it. It's called The Hope of God's Light (The Hope of God's Light). I think everyone should watch it for a reminder of what's good in life and how to find happiness. Another good one is Sanctify Yourselves (Sanctify Yourselves).
Saturday we moved a bunch of people. First a nonmember who wasn't interested. Then we moved R... to Orem. That one made me sad. She's an incredible lady, a dry Mormon as we sometimes call them... just add water. She has beautiful testimony and more charity than I see in most Stake Presidents... truly incredible. And now she's moved to Orem. Talk about a sad day. But I have no intention of losing her. She was entrusted to my care and that doesn't end just because she moved.
She's my friend and I'm going to take care of her as long as I can. But... we also picked up 4 new investigators that day... two different families with two... so I guess it made up for it for now. But only because I'm staying in touch with her :)
Sunday was frustrating but good... so I did sing in Sacrament.... and play... and do both at the same time and do it in sacrament with minimal practice. All I'm gonna say is it wasn't awful. Aaaaaand... in spite of the fact that the whole ward was supposed to bring nonmembers to the sacrament meeting.... no investigators at sacrament at all. So that was pretty sad... and everyone who should've been in second ward wasn't... and 3rd ward we just had one... rough Sunday. But we made good connections and talked to loads of people. We've received several referrals though and picked up two investigators, 6 and 7 for the week. By the end it wasn't so bad... and I think I'm already for next week. We have a zone conference on Wednesday to discuss the new schedule and The changes that come with it. Should be interesting.
Anywho toodlloo... sorry this is so late... it's been an interesting day. Love you all and stay cool.
Love,
Elder DeFord
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