December 30, 2013

It hasn't been a very good week for missionary work. We have very few investigators as is, and they haven't been home. For now all we're doing is finding former investigators previous missionaries have stopped seeing and asking if they're still interested. Part of that process includes converting ALL the teaching records into the iPad! Maybe all of this footwork will pay off for future missionaries. We've come across our fair share of ministers and preachers from different churches. It's funny because we will talk them in circles and make them contradict themselves, all the while they think they're teaching us. We have had the opportunity to strengthen our relationships with the members and teach some less-active members during all of this.

Christmas! We spent Christmas day in a member's home, Brother and Sister Terry. There were a lot of other members and a lot of food as well! We also got a lot of gifts from members (food, toilet paper, socks, etc.), which to be honest I felt kind of undeserving of. I've only been here for two weeks and haven't really added to the work yet! All-in-all it was a very good Christmas. I did Skype my family, and it was good to see them! There certainly isn't as much snow down here than there is back home... because it hasn't snowed here. It does rain though, and when it rains it pours.

A lot of things are reminding me of home this week, while we're on the subject. Sometimes I'll hear a laugh that kind of resembles my mom's laugh. I saw a license plate with my house number on it. Some guy at church even wore the exact same sponge-bob tie my younger brother Alex has. It's hard, but I'm grateful I left around Christmas. This time of year is probably the hardest to be away for some missionaries, myself included. I'm glad I'm getting through it at first!

Now I'll share some spiritual experiences. I've had the opportunity quite a few times on my mission to give a priesthood blessing to someone who needs it. We stopped by a recent convert's home (bro. and sis. Whitaker), and talk with them. Brother Whitaker has some bad health problems and he accepted happily Elder Leishman's offer to give him a blessing. Brother Cunningham was with us, and he anointed the oil, and I gave the blessing. Elder Leishman asked me to do it without any notice, after the oil was done. That true inspiration comes without any premeditation, like it says somewhere in Mark about opening your mouth and the spirit not confounding you or something like that. 

My cousin, Kimball, came home literally the day I left. He sent me some of his missionary stuff this past week. An old little book of mormon that has been passed around between 3 missionaries now (including me!), that I will always carry with me. His old missionary handbook, which he marked up all over the place. A talk David A. Bednar gave at the MTC about becoming a "Preach My Gospel Missionary". and his old name plate (although it's in spanish). I'm so grateful for these and other tools we have to be effective missionaries. Thank you Kimball. Just because you're home now doesn't mean you have to stop doing what you love and spreading the gospel!

'Til next week,

Elder Matthew B Gardner

1 John 1:4