August 14, 2017

Yeah--the family we had dinner with yesterday is way cool. They are the best. 

Well this week was pretty crazy! We had so many exchanges so I hardly was even in Nashua, but throughout the Zone we had some awesome miracles. I went to Lowell for the first exchange and it's a pretty big city so it was really fun! We made it a goal to be uncomfortable the whole day, like trying to talk to everyone even if they are behind a closed fence, or if you see movement in a house go and knock on it....it sounds kind of creepy but it's not bad.  But yeah we were walking and we saw this mom playing tennis with her young daughter in the driveway and so it's always awkward to interrupt people's activities but we went for it anyway and we started talking with her and she literally was the coolest person ever, like super well put together, very successful career, but still is struggling and she said "Man, it's like the craziest thing you guys came over....actually kind of weird".  So I was like, "A good kind of weird?" And she explained that yes it was a good weird and that she just barely started her journey to find more spirituality in her life but didn't know where to find it. She said she also was looking for a church that was family friendly. She cried most of the time we were there too, especially as we showed the Prince of Peace video. When we were walking away from the appointment it was honestly kind of a sacred experience...like we weren't supposed to even be in that part of town at that time and we were going to park at a different street, etc. It was honestly crazy to see how the Lord helped guide us to her. I wish sooo bad I could have stayed there to teach her, but she is so awesome! Those experiences are so cool to look back on and see how we honestly seemed like the Lord's puppets haha like we were just there and were guided without knowing it. 

I then went on exchange with Elder Mann--he's an Elder I live with and so it was pretty ordinary, people just being people and not really listening, and then we ran into this guy named C-- and he's a black guy from the south but he claims he's from Utah.  He said he lived there for 20 years. He then explained the only reason he didn't join the church when he was there was because of the doctrine of baptisms for the dead......so we taught him that and cleared up confusion. Haha it was so bizarre but literally he's like the coolest guy! He told us he graduated from institute multiple times too and has taken all the discussions and would go to firesides all the time, and he said he knows Jeffrey R. Holland.  Hahaha I promise this guy isn't nuts--like he really knows a lot. We are meeting with him again this week. Pretty random but it was cool! Baptisms for the Dead.....it gets a lot of people confused. Classic. 

Anyways. The week was pretty slow other than that, we just tried hard to get people at church and we had 3 come actually which was pretty cool! And our investigator R-- came again and he keeps hinting at joining the church.....but then he tells us not to push him too much hahaha he's such a funny guy. 

Transfers came and I'll be leaving Nashua for the last little bit. I knew it was happening, President told me. So it's not really a surprise, but yeah I'm going to Peterborough literally in the same zone! I'm really excited. I get to be co-training a missionary until I leave so I'm excited to help him out as best as I can. 

Honestly it's just crazy, everything that's happening, I can't believe I only have 1 more P-day. The past 3 months in this area has been the biggest blessing, it has pushed me harder than I ever have before with being in the Boston mission for half a transfer, and then merging the Zone from the Boston mission to ours, and all the things we've been able to do while here. The mission really has taught me a lot and in this area I think one of the biggest things I've learned is patience. It's ok to slow down and make sure everything is in its proper place and what I'm supposed to be doing, and it's ok that the people around me are imperfect because I'm more imperfect than they are. I've always struggled with patience, and I still do, but I think the plan of salvation would have ended at the very beginning if it wasn't for the patience of Heavenly Father. He knew we would make so many mistakes coming to earth, and we would constantly ask him to help us and forgive us, and then we would turn around and do it again over and over again! Honestly I've said so many prayers to Heavenly Father and asked him how he has so much patience for his children haha--like a lot. Because I'm so impatient with them sometimes! Especially myself. But it's ok as long as we are working on it then we will improve. And I actually do think I'm improving with my patience even though it's been a small improvement, but the improvement is what counts and I owe it all to Christ. Hopefully he can keep helping me haha. 

Anyways I just ranted a lot so I'll stop. But I love you guys and I can't wait to see you soon! Last email coming at ya live next week. Love you bye!