I've had a few really awesome experiences but first I'll talk about the logistics of this week. We had zone conference. We drove down to Salt Lake and listened to Elder Clarke of the 70s. He gave me some really good insight that I will strive to put into application. He talked a lot about setting goals and achieving them. This is a quote by Elder Ballard that I really enjoy: “I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.” We went to the Jordan River Temple after zone conference. I'm pretty sure that's the temple Mom and Dad got married in. I really thought the temple was beautiful. Each time I go, I understand and learn more and more.
We had a pretty good lesson with one of our investigators named Trisha. She didn't complete her reading assignment so we read with her. We asked her to pick out a question that she has or she doesn't know the answer to. We asked her if she believes that God will answer her question and/ or tell her what she needs to hear through the scriptures. She said she believed that, so we proceeded to read 1 Nephi 1. After we were done we talked about what impressions we had and what we felt as we were reading. She started talking about how it reminded her of her father a lot of the stuff she was reading and how her earthly father is kind of like her heavenly father. I always love bringing the scriptures into lessons because I feel that there are few things that bring the spirit so easily and with great magnitude like the scriptures can. The cool thing about chapter 1 is that it talks nothing about what she said she got from it which is truly a testament that the scriptures no matter the chapter or where you are will tailor fit for your specific and individual needs.
Recently Elder Clark and I have been struggling a lot.... with each other. It now has been resolved but there were a few times I was pretty upset. Elder Clark, like I have mentioned before, struggles with obedience. Since we became companions, it has slowly increased to the pinnacle a few days ago. There are many, many things I could list to prove my point but it suffices me to say that he is disobedient. The pinnacle was the day after zone conference. His friends from TN were passing through and ate lunch with him a week or so ago. A few nights ago they came and stayed the night with us in our apartment. The Zone Leaders coincidentally were planning to go on splits with us a few days after that. When that happened, I was able to tell them all that I've been going through and struggling with the past few weeks. I told them that Elder Clark was my responsibility first and I had been planning to talk to him sometime about the stuff that had been going on. They encouraged me to confront him that night. Honestly, it was probably one of the hardest things that I have ever done. It doesn't sound like it's a big deal but it really is difficult considering that he's my trainer and I would be severely correcting him. Before I went into talk to him, I prayed for strength. It was extremely hard to initiate the conversation but once I did God took care of the rest. I felt like I should explain how I felt like in the Mormon message about the guy on the cruise ship who was living obviously and humorously underprivileged. I said that I knew that we could see SO much more success than we already have been having. The zone leaders a day later talked to him. We have made great changes and I can feel the spirit in a significantly greater measure when we teach than ever before. I am very grateful for the courage I received.
A miracle we had this week was putting Vicki and Evan on date. They are the most amazing couple and I feel a deep and abiding love for them. I am so grateful to God for blessing us by putting them in our care. At the end of the second lesson we taught them, we asked them to be baptized. simultaneously they responded with yes and I need to think about it because she felt like it was a rush. The next morning in church, Vicki said she had something to tell me. She asked if I remembered the question I asked her last night about baptism. Of course I did. She said that while she was talking to Evan when Evan said he felt like it was going too slow that she forgot to take her B12 shot. I thought it was funny because I thought she was going to give me this grand spiritual experience! Our next visit they said that they decided to get baptized. She said that before we met with her she'd been praying for a church and then Elder Williams and I showed up at their house. There's more but I have to go!
Elder Bass
Later Notes: Evan said it was going to be hard to give up coffee and then he said that his coffee machine broke. He said to himself ok alright ill do it.
This was a very defining point in my mission when i confronted Elder Clark. I remember to start the conversation was SUPER difficult but once i started the conversation God filled my mouth with words and the right things to say.
Here's some pictures from the last few weeks:
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| my "heartburn" on trek |
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| Moldy apartment bread |
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| Flaming Gorge |
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| The distant Flaming Gorge and I |
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| "M" for Manilla |
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| It's a sea dragon in someone's yard |
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