Week 31: K.I.S.S.

The title is my new motto. K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple, Stupid. I'll talk about it later for my spiritual thought.

This week was tiring for me. I'm so tired. I was hoping today would be a day of rest, but we spent 4 hours this morning fixing our overgrown jungle of a front yard because our Landlord was a little frustrated it hasn't been taken care of. I just got here, so I had no control over how it was, but we made splendid progress, and it looks 1000000x better. But the downside is that I got no break today.

This whole week was packed. We had transfers this Wednesday, and I entered my new area. Transfer day was weird because I had a long car ride sitting next to a Sister, which was fun and weird. When my new Comp, Elder Ellis and I started to get things going, I made the decision that I was just always going to be working. I was gonna keep busy and keep things simple. Things with my friend Chauncey were great, and I learned a lot about church History and Theology, and yet I feel like my testimony was getting weaker and weaker. President told me to stop studying every little question for my personal study, and focus only on the Book of Mormon and the Lessons in PMG chapter 3. I've decided that I would do the same in teaching. It's kind if crazy how effective it's been.

K.I.S.S.

And that is where I decided to adopt this as my motto. Keep it simple. Don't overthink it, or overcomplicated it. Just learn the essential doctrine and then do it. I don't need to answer every single question, or know every single answer. Just teach the Gospel. It's actually kind of scary how diminished my studies of the Book of Mormon became, but since I've started picking it back up again, things have just gone a lot better regarding missionary work. I've just known what to say. The only downside is that I mightve burnt myself out. I'm exhausted.

Also, I wrestled a bunch of goats for one of our members!!

Week 30: What will it take?

So I'm leaving Abilene. I've been here for my whole mission, 4 transfers, and now I'm leaving for Dalhart, one of the small towns. In other words, I'm being "banished," but the President doesn't call it that, that's just what some of the missionaries say. It'll be a very different scene, but I'm excited!

There isn't much to report on for this week. Except that we had stake conference! It was fun, but kind of chaotic, but still good. We had the mission President and his Wife join our stake this time around, and our friend Chauncey came for the last bit of it, and he got to meet them afterward. It was a nice visit, and Chauncey said they seem like solid people. Chauncey still is kind of concerned for our souls, and thinks we preach a different gospel, and since I'm leaving he's been really active in meeting with us. He asked us yesterday, "what would it take for you to denounce Mormonism?" It was an interesting question, and it led to some deep thinking. What would it take? I asked him the same thing but reversed. "What would it take for you to accept Mormonism?" We're gonna talk about it tomorrow. Hopefully. I guess that leads me into my spiritual thought today. What will it take for you to be really accept the Gospel? What will it take for you to get off the fence and dive in. It just doesn't work to have a foot in the gospel, and a foot out. What will it take for you to make the decision to give your heart, mind, and soul to God. These are all kind of the same question, and things I'm thinking about. Anyways, I love you guys. Be good.

- Elder Wride

Peter started his first day of School!! I'm so sad I missed it, but I'm so excited for him. He's a cute kid. I sure hope he shows his new cowboy boots to all his friends at school. (I sent a package home. Peter gets first pick on the boots).

Week 29: South Park Church of Christ

Ok, so I just barely drank some chocolate milk, and I thought it tasted weird, but I still swallowed it for some reason, and now I don't feel so good. I think Ive had it for too long. I really don't feel good right now. Anyways, this week was pretty eventful. We had a lowkey bash with a Evangelical Preacher of the South Park Church of Christ. It was pretty interesting.

Bashing

Ok so we met with Chauncey at a coffee shop, and we just sat down to talk. We were going to go over some of the things he sent us, a video of the testimony of an ex-mormon, went over some things about the Holy Ghost, and what he's read in the BoM. We were like secluded from the open area of the Cafe, in this cozy booth. Then this guy sat down with us, and just invited himself into our conversation. He introduced himself as a preacher, and then proceeded to ruin our whole conversation. It was pretty frustrating, because I couldn't think of anything to say, and anything I DID say, he would chew it up and spit it back in our faces. It was pretty frustrating, and eventually we just had to go, because we'd been there for 3 hours. But Chauncey asked us to meet again this week, so we met on thursday, and he invited Chris Jones to join us again. I spent the day in between studying vigorously, as if I was preparing for a bash, and finding lots of verses of the Bible to back up our beliefs, and had really thought through some of the claims he made that did not sound right. And The Zone Leaders had a lesson fall through at that time, and we invited them to join us, which was actually very much needed. It was a good convo, but not really mutually beneficial. Chris said many things that just weren't true. He was like "Do you even know your church's history? Not what the church tells you, but what actually happened." And we were like "yeah," and then barely got started on the first vision, when he was like "OK so you don't know your own history." Then he went on about how Joseph started 2 religions before the "mormon" one, and they didn't stick, and how he got most of his ideas for the Church from a inter-denominational revival in Kentucky that he spoke at. Upon further research, I learned that he in fact did NOT speak at that revival because it was in 1801. He wasn't even born yet. And the other churches he "created" were not in fact different churches, but the same church that went through a few name changes. First it was "Church of Christ" then the "Church of Jesus Christ" and then "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." It was funny, cuz he was like "the truth is out there, just go search it up," and then 1 search said how he was just totally wrong on that. The discussion was interesting, and he also brought up 1 Cor 13, and how that proves that prophecies and prophets have ceased, and after reading it on my own a bit (in his bible, because he has a different translation) while everyone talked I was like "I think you're interpreting it wrong." And then I told him how I interpreted it, and the conversation didn't last long after that. I can't remember everything we talked about, but all of us missionaries left feeling more confident in our beliefs. It was a testimony builder for sure. Chauncey told us after that he wants ti come to church with us to see what it's like, and we're meeting with him again, without Chris, because he agreed fhat Chris wasn't very christlike. Hé said he doesn't think Chris is a real preacher. We basically left him with "We can't prove it to you. We just ask all people to read the Book of Mormon and ask God himself if it's true."

Ok I'm really not feeling good, so I'm gonna stop it here, but I love you all.

- Elder Wride

Week 28: it's all about Jesus

I've been studying a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ this week. And it's been amazing, but I pretty much shared everything last week. He really is the most important thing, and everything is centered on him. I dont like any time because today was zone P-day. We had zone conference this week, and interviews with the President, and it was just so amazing. After doing tye dye shirts and some other things, we played Gaga Ball!! It reminded me of the Young Men back home. My home ward is literally the best, and I miss you all!

Ok, if you have time, go listen to this talk. It's a BYU speech called "Believing Christ: A practical approach to the Atonement." And it's by Stephen E. Robinson. Its so amazing.

Our friend who sent us Anti-Mormon videos has been reading the Book of Mormon! And we had a really awesome in depth conversation over the questions he brought about it. It's been so fun! We've also found so many people this week! And we've been teaching a member we found named Aldair and he came to church!! We had a lesson with him and his Dad just today actually. 

Also, just thought I should say this. We have a friend that we talked to this week, and he came to church once upon a time (before I came), but he felt so unwelcome at the church. No one greeted him, asked to get to know him, and he felt judged for many things and it was really sad everything he told us. He also said how one time, after the missionaries had left his home, he heard one through the window say how they were wasting their time with him. Remember that the things we say have power. You never know who is listening (someone is always listening). We can use our words to hurt others, and we can use words to uplift others. Please only use kind words. Please, go talk to people new. Help everyone you see feel the love that God has for them. Everyone needs it. Just follow the example of Jesus Christ and show your love for everyone.

Sorry my email is all over the place!! Anyways, I'm way out of time. Sorry my emails have been slacking. I'll start doing better!

- Elder Wride

Lol, finally got my high school diploma