Sunday, September 29, 2013

9/30/13: @_@ Now Sept. is over too!?!?


This week hasn't been too different from the last couple weeks, except that I think that Elder Nakayama and I are starting to improve our relationship. I think we still have a ways to go before we're anywhere near perfect, but I feel like this week we've finally started (at least to try) to understand each other, and I feel like we're making steps to overcome the gap between us. I'm super excited for that! Whether it happens while we're companions or not, I'm just glad that we're not at each others throats any more (figuratively speaking).

While our number of lessons taught this week is... well... non-existent, we did have a great week with our LA members. We were able to make our goal of teaching three lessons. I think one thing we can do to improve would be to shorten the length of the visits, and to be sure to share something every time we do visit. We've been making great progress with Bro. M!! Having him come with us to meal appointments has been great for helping him build friendships with the members. Slowly more and more of them are getting to know who he is. Hopefully soon he'll be able to meet with bishop and start working towards blessing the sacrament and receiving the higher priesthood! I'm also glad to know that he'll be moving to Salt Lake to go to University of Utah next fall, so it's going to be easy for me to keep in contact with him after my mission.

I've been able to stay in contact with the N. family all week, though we didn't ever get an appointment set up. They had a good weekend out at her parents house, which seemed to have reduced a lot of the stress they've had built up (yay!). Sister C. has also been in contact with Sister N., and regularly invites her to church (more yay!) . Since they were out of town this week they didn't come, but she also told Sister C. that she couldn't go because she doesn't have a skirt. Her reply was a prompt, "I can get you a skirt, I'll bring it over before Sunday next week" (even more yay!). The YM also visited Alex to try and cheer him up. It's so great to know that the N's have so much member support! I am concerned that the reason they're not coming to church is more than just because the son's knee hurting and not being able to go. I think if that were truly a concern than they also wouldn't be able to have him go to school, or drive clear out to visit her family. I'm praying that we can meet with them and try to lovingly discuss their concerns. I can tell something is holding them back, but we just haven't been able to meet with them recently to figure out what it is. They read and pray daily, so I know they're seeking for the comfort the gospel has to offer, but I wonder if they have some kind of fear of what church will be like.

I read a great talk this week given by Elder Bednar in the MTC the summer before I got there. It's about being a PMG missionary, and what that exactly means. I wish I'd have read this talk earlier in my mission, not because I feel like I haven't been a PMG missionary for my whole mission (because I do), but because I never had a good definition for what a PMG missionary IS. Obviously there are a few things that they would have to be, but I couldn't ever really put it into words so I avoided the phrase. This talk explained it simply. The talk in entitled "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary". Absolutely great talk.

Love,
-Jeff

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