Beyblades are cool

What’s up weekly

So this week was decent. Better than last week for sure. The mission is full of ups and downs. Pero estoy sobreviviendo y todo van a ser bien. I got a dope trench coat which was cool. Also sorry if I seem a little stressed out in this email. We’re bowling as a zone today for P-day and I am high-key terrified. I've been talking smack about bowling since day one and flexing my 243 high score but have a feeling I’m about to have the biggest choke of my life and look like a fool. Anyways, my bowling career may be coming to an end, so please keep me in your prayers. 

Beyblades

Spiritual Stuff

Beyblades

So one of our good friends Mikey who we meet with occasionally invited us to go and play beyblades with him at his church.  Of course we were like “heck yea!” because who doesn’t love playing beyblades? (if you don’t know what that is go look it up). And of course we thought it would just be a good opportunity to bond with him and talk more about the Gospel. Anyways, me and Elder Powell were both super hyped to absolutely clap everybody in beyblades (and share the gospel) except we got to the church late and they were just finishing up their game portion of their youth night. So by the time we got there they started doing their church Bible study. So me and Elder Powell just went and chilled in the very back and watched their Bible study. Sometimes I forget how noticeable with the way we dress haha. Anyways, one of the kids near the end of the study asked the guy who was leading the study “are we not going to hear from our guest speakers?” and then her and everyone else looked at us. I guess some of them thought we were guest speakers or something. Anyways it was all quiet for a sec and then Mikey was like “no those are the elders. They just came to play beyblades”. It was just a super funny/awkward moment. We’re chilling in the back of the room all dressed up like we’re supposed to be some keynote speakers, and then we got exposed because we were only there because we thought we were gonna be playing beyblades. Haha anyways it was just kinda funny.

So we’ve started to go to this youth night thing and it’s been a really good opportunity to talk to people from another church and see the light of christ in everybody. It’s been a good bonding time. Last night at the youth night I played and sang “when I was your man” in spanish for a kid and I think I made all his dreams come true. He really enjoyed it. We also played spoons and I don’t think my adrenaline has been that high in a long time. We did a more intense version where instead of putting the spoons in the middle of the table we put them on different tables around the room, so when we all went to get spoons it was complete chaos. I almost shoved Mikey’s dad to the floor as we were both going for this one spoon. I also totally smashed by leg against a table as I hurled myself over it to get this one spoon. Anyways, it was super intense! But yea I love being on the mission and being able to build good relationships with people not of our faith. They are some amazing people. 

Spiritual Stuff

In terms of spirituality, I feel like I am changing a lot as far as just who I am and also about my relationship with God. I’ve had a ton of spiritual insights this week, mostly on just like missionary work. I can’t tell you guys about all the spiritual stuff going on haha, but I’ll try to give you a quick one real quick. I was reading the testimony of Joseph Smith about the Book of Mormon, and this line really hit me. Joseph Smith says how the angel Moroni warned him that Satan would try to tempt him to use the gold plates to get rich, and that this was no bueno. Moroni told Joseph that, in Joseph’s own words, 

“I must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom; otherwise I could not get them."

This hit me SO HARD. In missionary work, we have so many other things that try to influence the decisions that we make. A lot of missionaries are influenced by their own self interests, and their personal gain. But it needs to be about the people! So when I read that my two primary influences should be 1) to glorify God, and 2) build the kingdom, it just hit so hard. I think I need to do a better job of not being motivated by anything besides my love for the Savior. So that was cool.

But yea that’s it for this week sort of. Email me if you can. I might not be very good at responding to y’alls emails today because we’re bowing real soon and if I bowl horribly I’m going to be depressed the rest of the day and might not email back very well haha. But I always love hearing from all y’all. Love you guys so much, and I hope you have a fantastic week!