Hello all of you fantastic people who are on my weekly. Hope you are all having fantastic weeks as normal human beings. Missionary life is a weird time, but also a good time. This week started off suuuuper rough like all the weeks lately haha but it ended up being decent so that’s fun. Missionary life is full of ups and downs. So imma just share some funny stories to hopefully make some of you happy and then share a spiritual thought about missionary work I guess. Hope you enjoy
Bowling Update
I’m cute…?
Flabby arms
Nightmare
Teaching
Transfer News
Spiritual Thought
Bowling update
Since everyone is asking, bowling last week went pretty decent.
The first round was not so good. I couldn't figure out if I wanted to use the 11 pounder or the 14 pounder and the lanes were oiled way too much so it just wasn't going well. By the end of the first game, I was totally defeated. I sat in the back of the room ashamed of my existence. I had Elders ask, "wait, weren't you like a pro bowler?". The pain was too great, insomuch that I became "exceedingly sorrowful" (Alma 31:31).
I mean I still bowled decently compared to the fact that the bowling average is like 70 but still I was disappointed in myself. Before the mish I took a bowling class, went bowling after school almost daily, and have bowling ancestors. It was as if I had let everybody I loved down.
But luckily, after many prayers, on the second round I popped off a bit. I decided to just full send it with the 11 pounder and I did pretty good. Still not at my 243 level, but I was proud of myself. I got a couple videos of some of my strikes but the video won't attach so rip. But yea, don’t worry folks, I still got it! ♂️
I’m cute…?
This story made me sad. Either last week or the week before I mentioned that I got a super dope trench coat that I was very proud of. Well, if it looks ridiculous, nobody was telling me so I thought it looked good. So there we were, at walmart getting some tasty items. I was reppin’ my trench coat big time and felt pretty cool. As always, I was waving and saying hi to people. Then, out of the blue, this chick waved from all the way across the store at me, without me even waving first. I was shook. That NEVER happens. So I was a little unsettled and then a couple minutes later she walked past me. She giggled at me and then was like “YOU’RE CUTE” and then walked away giggling. My masculinity was greatly damaged in that moment. I turned to Elder Powell and was like "the heck was that” and he just laughed. So I guess maybe I look like a total clown in my trench coat that I thought looked good. But that experience was pretty traumatizing and since then I’ve had a hard time feeling comfortable reppin’ my trench coat in public. Elder Powell said that on a scale of 1-10, 1 being a raggedy homeless man’s blanket and 10 being super fly, it was no more than 6. That offended me too. I thought it was like a 9 at least.
Flabby Arms
Here is another tragic story where my self esteem was again reduced. So we had exchanges and I went with my boi Elder Galan. Elder Galan is like 5’4” and 180, but it ain’t muscle (sorry elder, but it’s true). I’m like 5’11 and 170 of pure muscle. Haha jk that’s not totally true either but I’ve been working out more or less and I’d say I’m pretty fit. Actually while I’m thinking about it, I have grown out of my suit coat and can barely button it anymore haha. So if anyone has any extra suits or something don’t hesitate to donate them.
Anyways, we were playing a board game with two kids we’re teaching, Collin and Baileigh. Somehow we got on the subject of who was stronger, me or Elder Galan. For some reason everybody started ganging up on me. Collin and Baileigh who are both 9 and 11 said that I have “flabby arms” and that I am “weak”. Meanwhile, for some reason, they thought Elder Galan was “strong” with “big arms”. I was offended by those statements. I was like “hahahaaa I disagree” and they were like “yea Elder Galan could beat you up” and I was like “alright that's enough kids”.
Elder Galan just looked a lot more muscular because he was wearing a poofy jacket which made his arms look a lot bigger than they really are. Meanwhile, I was just wearing a light sweater. Anyways, it got to the point where I felt I needed to arm wrestle Elder Galan in order to win the respect of the children.
So, right there, I was like “come on elder let’s go. right here right now”. He was hesitant at first (for obvious reasons) but then we started arm wrestling. This is where the story gets real tragic. I was literally WINNING. I was CRUSHING him. His arm was bent backward and I was totally about to wreck him. Then the kids looked at Elder Galan and were like “are you even trying?”. Like WHAT THE HECK! I actually start to prove my athletic abilities and their first thought is that Elder Galan wasn’t even trying? I was super mad. Elder Galan was totally trying! Anyways, I was about to win but then the kids got mad because they wanted to play the board game so Elder Galan quit. I would say that that was a forfeit.
Overall, it may have been the lowest point of my mission. Haha jk I’m fine but I am confused why they think I have “flabby arms”. Oh well! But dw Elder Galan is my boi and I love that elder muchisimo. Even if he's smaller than me.
Nightmare
Another thing...I had a nightmare this week where i was chilling on the side of the road with my spikeball pro and this car came and ran over my spikeball pro set. I woke up instantly. And yea that’s the whole story. Scary stuff!
Teaching
We had a lot of pretty good lessons this week which was good. Mission life is teaching me how to be a disciple of Christ, but it’s also just teaching me life skills that will help me a lot in the future. In one lesson the kids were being really loud and annoying haha but I’m good with kids and was able to use that skill pretty well to still have fun with them but also get spiritual. The mom of the family told me later that I’m gonna be “a good dad” and that I’m “quick on [my] toes” with my jokes. So that was cool to hear! Just realizing that the work is super important, but it almost seems like God is just as concerned with building disciples. He cares about my success right now as a missionary just as much as he does about me as a father someday. But yea other great missionary stuff this week was that with the help of an awesome member, Collin and Baileigh have started coming to church! So we’re really excited for them and think that there’s potential there. Overall, the work is going good and we have a lot of people that we’re working with.
To be totally honest, I don’t know that I’ve yet had a lesson on my mission where the veil is super thin. Like I guess I haven’t yet had a lesson where it seemed like they processed everything I said. Most of the time, we just share the message, they enjoy it, and that’s kinda it. Still waiting for the lesson where they're just like “oh my goodness that makes sense! Also I think I remember you from the pre-existence!”, but still haven’t gotten there. I guess what I’m saying is that I really truly wish I had some super spiritual thing to tell you about a lesson we had, but it’s all been pretty chill. I have been teaching a lot of lessons, but honestly still feel like I haven’t taught that person who “is kept from the truth because they know not where to find it”. I just want to see the gospel click in their countenance ya know? But, there are some people I’ve been thinking about that I think are pretty elect. I’m just waiting for a good chance to swoop in.
While I’m thinking about this, I often do wonder why God doesn’t just send me to the person’s house who is elect. If I’m here to baptize, he could certainly make it a whole lot easier for both of us. Long story short, yes he cares about the conversion of others, but he also cares about my conversion. The mission is supposed to be building me just as much as it’s building them. I’m supposed to come out here and struggle, because that’s how I am gonna grow. Like I talked about a while ago, he just wants me to push the rock, and he will move it in his own due time.
Transfer News
So, tomorrow is transfers. Me and Elder Powell were both pretty certain one of us was gonna get transferred, so we told a lot of people that we’re teaching as well as some members that one of us would be leaving and people were sad so we had a couple people offer to take us out to eat. One guy who is an amazing member took us and got us each 22 ounce steak. It was freaking tasty! But now it might be awkward because they announced yesterday that neither of us are leaving Paris haha. So yup. Thanks for the steak though! Haha me and Elder Powell get along good though so I’m not mad about it. But yea 18 weeks is a long time to be with one person literally 24/7. But hey it’s all good haha and we’re gonna survive. Paris is a party.
SPIRITUAL THOUGHT
Here’s some food for thought-
The other day we had a lesson with a couple we’re teaching and I asked what questions they had/what was holding them back from progressing like they should. They then asked about coffee and tea, and how they think it’s silly that we can't drink it. They talked about all the health benefits and stuff from drinking them and how they really aren’t that harmful. In the moment, I wasn’t able to give them a satisfying answer, but throughout the day I thought more about it, and I had an epiphany- (btw in 9th grade I had a short segment on morning announcements called “Ethan’s Epiphany”. It was super cringe and I apologize to anybody who remembers that)
Okay but here is my epiphany haha.
The truth is, if you were drinking coffee and tea and stuff, you would probably be fine. Your kidneys probably won’t explode, your health would probably still be decent, and life would most likely still be good. I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t think God’s issue is really about the tea and the coffee. Instead, it's an issue of obedience. It’s a test. Heavenly Father wants to see if you love him more than you love coffee.
And that doesn't excuse the importance living the commandment because of the health benefits, but really I think God just wants to see if you'll listen to him.
And I think this idea applies to many other things. God tells us to do something that seems silly, and yea overall we’d probably survive without listening to something little like that, but really the whole idea is that God wants to see if you love him more than everything else. He wants to see if you’ll obey the little things just because he asked. And with that obedience, comes the blessings. “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”
So I’d invite you all to just obey the commandments of God because you love him. He can see the whole picture. I guess to be frank, you don’t know squat. But he does. So listen to him!
That’s about it folks. I hope you somewhat enjoyed the longer email because I’ve been slacking off a little bit lately. You are all fantastic humans and I hope you are making good choices out in the big bad world. Remember that you are a child of God!!!
Adios hermanas
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