I have been using the phrase Frenchman in Wyoming to depict my feeling of isolation, the feeling that people don’t care about me, and my feeling of sorrow not having people to talk to. I felt reluctant to use the phrase. I now know why this phrase is poisonous. I am not on a mission for people to accept My beliefs. I am not here for people to love California and love the art and activities I loved. This feeling is scary and I often get angry because I don’t want to lose myself in the work. There is so much good I miss from home. However, I am not here to make others accept the joys of my life. That is not my duty. Christ simply said let that which is Ceasar’s be Ceasar’s, and that which is God’s be God’s. I am learning to give up the Ceasar in me, my passion for issues and for my joys — losing myself in the work and giving myself to God. It's super hard. I'm starting with this, however. I have a problem of wanting to share and often not listening intently to others speak. I have so much I want to share and I care so much that I'm not truly considering others. People don’t really seem to care what I have to say; I have not received fulfillment from talking. My dad once told me, people like to talk about themselves, so just ask questions. He also told me, after your jaw begins to hurt, you've been talking too much. He told me something else I liked: when he’s on a shoot, no one he films cares about him. No one on the crew really cares about what he has to say concerning his views on life. He’s not there to have people love him. He’s truly there to be interested in them. I am here to soak up all that I may learn about people and truly slip into their shoes and walk around. I have often approached people or ideas I disagree with two ways: argue until it ends poorly, or don’t say anything and stay silent. Both are not very Christlike. What I have learned from my dad is the third option. Be interested in people and just ask questions. Elder Laudie has been missing home lately, so this week I decided not to add any of my own stories but to ask questions and listen. I learned a lot about him, even from what he didn't say. He seemed to be happy. I, in turn, was very happy and we grew as a companionship. Maybe that's the key. I am in a two year interview. I learn, I write, and I photograph. I have decided I am not here to express or give anything, I am a student of the world. I am a system of intake. My purpose is to bring people to Christ. I can use these tools to deepen my love for the Savior and deepen my love for and understanding of others. I may be more open with my parents than almost ever. Not to say I was closed, but I'm just sending raw journal entries straight from the forger's fire, so I suppose they are learning a lot about me too. I appreciate this gift of technology. The fact I'm allowed to have my phone; the fact I broke my hand and couldn't handwrite as I wished; the fact that I heard that statement that journaling is almost a commandment and that we need to do it; being inspired enough to do it every night; having anxiety attacks every Tuesday attempting to write everyone; until....I just sent my journal entries. This was the answer: having a phone that takes good photos, having a desire to photograph, being able to write every night for an hour-plus straight (which I did scarcely before) and having a baller Mom who is a creative genius with the skills, love, and desire to form my words into a readable, intact, experience and pair it with my photography. *Sponsored content. I woke up to the alarm and basically sprung out of bed and was in running clothes in a minute. I could tell Elder Laudie didn't want to run, but there was a fantastic spirit and he ran anyway. I felt good on the run. Just three miles. But it felt great. Anyway we rushed and got ready for zone conference and got picked up at 7:50. We had a wonderful zone conference. Essentially, it's all of the missionaries from surrounding areas brought together and we have a meeting and training with the President. I love our President. He works so hard and really cares about each individual. He asked me about running. We talked briefly, and he told me he receives strong impressions about companionships and he felt very strongly about my name with Elder Laudie. He told me that Elder Laudie would help me and I would help Elder Laudie. I believe this is true. I have seen my growth progress exceedingly and I can feel how this companionship has helped tremendously. *Editor's note: Mission presidents voluntarily leave careers and home, serving full-time without pay for three years wherever they are assigned. Henry's Mission Presidents oversee 200 missionaries in the Fort Collins, Colorado mission. So basically, they oversee two hundred Henrys. So basically, they're saints. Anyway, afterward, there was a little time, and the lighting and sky was nice outside so I got each person from the district and took a portrait of them. I had so much fun doing that. It brought me so much joy to position people and frame them in a shot again. I could do it forever. I want a lighting kit when I get home. Set up a studio in the dorm, lol. *Click photo for slideshow The high for today was 47, tomorrow it's 23. The next day will be 14. The low for the week is -2. There's almost a 50 degree difference. Also, I was able to go run this morning. I memorized my scriptures so I got up and changed. Elder Laudie did not want to. Like really didn't. But he was a trooper and got ready. I told him he didn't have to run the whole time; we could run to the golf course a few blocks away and I could run in laps for 25 minutes. He was so nice and just waited, trying to sleep in the overwhelming Casper wind. I miss home, but I'd miss the insane weather and craziness and spirit and joy and people and comps and hardships here as well. I can’t wait to continue the workout program my mom's coach created for us. Also, I set a goal to run from here to home by the end of my mission. It's a total of 1140 miles. I'm already down to 996! I hope by the end I'll be able to cut it down to zero, but as for now, there is a foot of snow and it's 4 degrees outside, feels like negative ten, and will be much worse until March. But I'll be able to run after March. I have found God answering my prayers. He has answered my prayers in my earnest asking for a love for others and for genuine interest in them. It says, if you don’t believe, pray for the desire to believe. Same with love. If you don’t love, pray for that desire. I truly felt my heart turn toward and care for these people. After feeling self pity and inner mourning, I had an, Awake!, my soul, moment. My dad, while I was talking about my struggles, asked if people thought I cared about them. I thought, you know, maybe they think I only care about California and don’t really care about Wyoming. He also said I sounded prideful and judgmental. I admit, he was right. Those feelings dug under my skin and maybe I let them simmer for too long. After realizing this, I took steps to change. First, I openly talked about how I felt, why I felt justified to think that way, and opened up to my Heavenly Father. I then took a minute to recognize all of the blessings that the Lord has given me. I noticed how long that list was. I then told Him why I knew it was unreasonable for me to feel this way. I then stated how grateful I was for all my blessings and trials. I then asked for specific blessings and support and stated why I thought they were necessary, but if not, to let Him take charge. Then, I stated my trust in Him and recognized His greatness, to the best of my abilities. This pattern I copied from my boy Nephi in 2 Nephi 4: 17-35. It is phenomenal to watch such a good person communicate with the Lord and can help us all in our communication. Anyway, after that trial, I hunkered down, and tried my best to love continually. To truly love and be interested in those around me. I loved it. I love my home I'm making in Wyoming. I heard a wonderful quote from C S Lewis in an email from our mission president. It reads:
"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship...there are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, [and] marry." We had a district council today where a convert told us how wonderful was his mission. How it will go by like nothing, and you'll sit at home and be like "what just happened?" It will be the best two years of your life. I can already feel how wonderful it is.
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Last night, Elder Laudie and I had a great conversation. It was a true answer to prayer. We talked about life and he just talked a lot and it was good. We were talking about the differences in our personalities or the way we see life. He said, let me think of a way to describe it. He sat there for two to three minutes in silence and then said, oh I got it. You're like a classy Frenchman who eats tiny sandwiches with the back of his fork and I'm like the type to spear an animal, kill it and then cook and eat the meat right there. Well, a Frenchman in Wyoming sounds like a screenplay that never got picked up, but I like it, I see what he’s saying. He said the minute details are what I see and he sees the big picture. It snowed a lot today. We walked out and the lawn was splotched with snow. We went to missionary coordination meeting and then, after studying in the church, walked out and it was pouring fat snow flakes. Like inch to inch and a half sized. Really pretty. I love the snow. No one we were teaching showed up to church this week. D.M. was hunting. We found that out when we stopped by and they had just gotten back and were skinning an elk in their garage. Never seen that before. Low key wanted to pull a Revenant and sleep inside it. Anyway, when we got back from church, the sidewalk that was leading to our front door was covered in snow. I then uttered a sentence I've never uttered in my life: "we better bust out the snow shovel." Well, that's the first time I shoveled snow. Won't be the last. But "shoveling snow outside my apartment in Wyoming" is not a sentence I ever thought I'd say. Elder Laudie keeps trying to joke with people that I've never seen snow before. Anyway, we walked everywhere. It wasn't bad. I absolutely love the snow. It makes my heart happy. Plus, when I take off my beanie, it makes me feel like I'm getting out of the ocean because my hair is all messed up and I'm all wet. And I get to wear my sniper gang beanie, shout out to my boy MRKL! I had a fun day today with Elder Delgado. I talked with him about some of my frustrations in living with any companion and asked for advice. He told me, essentially, to give people the benefit of the doubt. He really lives this. We had an outstanding experience two days ago. We got a call from a bishop in Casper telling us to contact a different bishop in Idaho. We called him and he asked if we cover the hospital area. He told us that a young man had an accident falling from a telephone pole and that he'll be in the hospital for a while and needs a priesthood blessing. We contacted the parents and they finally got back to us and told us to come around 8:30. We got there and talked with them. The dad is less active in the church and the son is no longer active. Because it was late and we have to be home at a certain time, we expressed concern to the bishop about getting back. He asked us to really be a good example for the family because they're in an impressionable spot in their lives and the dad felt that people at church "care more about rules than helping people." I wanted to help. We went and talked with the dad about his mission and he talked about his struggles with the church and we talked to the mom. He asked us about getting back on time and I told him "we're here to help people, not sleep." We waited a long time. Only two at a time were allowed in the ICU and we waited for about an hour. We got a call from the zone leaders and they asked us if there was a way we could do it tomorrow or get someone else to do it because we were going to be late. The son was going into surgery and we couldn't call anyone else. I said it was important for us to stay and that we'd be home on time. After I hung up I prayed we would, and a few minutes later we went into the front area of the ICU. The dad wanted to administer the blessing, but Elder Delgado and I have to stay as a pair. The front desk lady told us only two at a time. We asked if we could do three. She asked and said no. I then said, "we are doing a religious blessing that requires all three of us to be there. Could we all go?" She said she'd ask again and she gave us permission. We entered and talked with A. Paralyzed from the waist down, we gave this 21 year-old kid a blessing. We gave him a Book of Mormon and talked with him. As we were leaving, the mom said, when you were talking to that lady at the front desk, I could tell by the power you spoke with that you are from God. That made me feel happy. I really felt good giving that blessing. The most difficult and scary part of religion is the fact one has to change to be better. To let go of things you love and bad habits and put them on the altar. When we're baptized, we lean back. There is a great metaphor in that. Like Lott's wife, how often we look back at the city we've left behind, wishing to be back there. If we look back at all we've lost, we cannot look forward to the blessings to come, and are salty because we don't really want to leave things behind. As my dad had to teach me when I drove, wherever you look, you'll steer that way. I, hopefully, am trying to defeat and then redesign the way I perceive and act around people. Frankly, I need to be more patient and meek. Elder Delgado and I talked a lot about meekness over our exchange. Elder Laudie told me, "we just were raised so differently from each other." I agree. The Frenchman in Wyoming. I do not look down on him or think my beliefs are better. Maybe I do, but it's not something I am proud of. I try to be humble and meek. He also said that, if when we say goodbye, we say, "I'll miss you," we've done a good job. We've spent 8 ½ weeks together and he said he isn't praying to get out of this companionship, that he's not done with me. I'm actually happy he expressed this. I have high expectations for companionship unity. However, through striving and trying I think we've done alright. We have been raised and lived differently, and yet after never leaving sight and sound of each other for 8 ½ weeks we are still friends and aren't sick of each other. That's pretty phenomenal. I love the kid. I've learned a lot. My dad sent me an email about a scripture I had already been mulling over. It's Philippians 4:12, which reads: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I have thought about how I can be full and hungry. A life long endeavour for all. However, the next verse and the verse before give wonderful encouragement. He says, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
I'd like to welcome you, to the WYO show. Where it was 73 degrees yesterday, 25 today, and will be 53 in two days. In 3 days, we'll have a a high of 73 and a low of 10. What? That's a very long way of saying, IT SNOWED!! I haven't seen snow in a while and it gives me flashbacks to Sun Valley and hanging with the fam and Miles. I only have happy memories, even if I ran in 14 degree weather. Just the crunch of snow brings a little smile remembering walking up the metal staircases, stretching my legs after a 13-hour car ride, and being herded with our suitcases up the stairs to Grandma’s condo. This journal is such a blessing. At the MTC, a teacher mentioned that writing in your journal was basically a commandment. It's not, officially, but for years I have felt a need to write in my journal and felt I never had the time. President Eyring’s words rang in my head: he spent every night before going to bed writing how he had seen God’s hand in his life that day and it helped him in prayer. I have been trying to do this for years, and finally, at the MTC I just wrote. My dad’s words were true when he said that writing and dumping out your mind and heart is a form of prayer. I love this so much and am grateful for my dad. This journal has helped me articulate an often wild mind. I think about a lot, and when it has no place to land, it’s a little stressful. I love being able to share me in this journal. Much like my photography, some struggle to see and understand me, and this blog and journal is simply a window into my life and I'm so happy to share it. It's often lonely, with personal issues or just being a person with energy and often unusual views on the world. It is so comforting when you can finally show someone why you do things and who you are. It's so fulfilling. I am just so happy to finally share what it's like to be on a mission. Now, back at the well-decorated apartment thanks to mom’s care package of Halloween decorations, I continue. This morning I fell back asleep and felt bad about it. I certainly needed rest but maybe that wasn’t the right thing. I will do better and pray for strength and motivation to do better. We took a long time attempting to get ready for the day. We spent some time lingering and then having personal studies, which, well-rested, I had a great time doing. I felt awake and it was very meaningful. I read President Eyring's talk on Holiness Being Happiness. He spoke that we earn holiness by enduring well and being forged through trials, and qualify for more happiness. I highlighted a few of my favorite phrases. One line reads: Greater holiness will not come simply by asking for it. It will come by doing what is needed for God to change us. I had a good day teaching. We had an opportunity to teach a kid whose mom asked us to stop by. He’s in the behavioral institute. He’s 16 and he’s a foster kid. So nice. I loved talking with him. I could tell he was good but struggling and it felt nice to teach him and to uplift him. It made me happy. Visiting the sick and afflicted fills both souls. I could tell he was appreciative. I could tell he liked it. I taught him about Paul and how he talked about his infirmities and how he takes pleasure in them and taught about relying on Christ to help you turn them into strengths. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I need to work on being proactive with my time and being more diligent in the way I use my time. Everyone struggles with this and I know it is a lifelong habit, so I don’t expect it to come immediately. I can’t wait for the day when it comes, but meanwhile I'll make intentional decisions to do good. In a conference talk I watched, the speaker spoke about decisions. He said that the Lord does not expect us to be amazing at everything, however, He expects us to make intentional decisions. We are to continually try and fail. It is why we're here and should make you smile! Failing helps us rely on Christ, thus propelling us beyond what our mortal capabilities could do. My dad sent me an email about someone who said that sin was not a weak man falling to temptation, but someone who could have done something and didn't. This morning, Elder Laudie really wanted to go mountain biking, so we had Brother Sorensen drive us up in the morning and dropped us off at Rotary Park to ride Bridal trail. Bridal trail is fun, it's a big loop with a lot of gain and drop, so it's fun. However, the first portion of it is just straight rocks and loose dirt and super steep so we walk our bikes up that part. I hate that part because I fall off a lot when we do ride and I can’t get anywhere and I slam my calves into stuff, and they are always sensitive. So, we had gotten through the majority of it and Elder Laudie was far in front of me and I was trying to ride. I slipped off and the pedal slammed into the top part of my calf muscle, the part that was always really sensitive from straining it in high school, and it did not feel good. That was the tipping point a little for me, so I needed to get off my bike again to walk it and I kind of threw it and was super angry and may have said loudly some profane words. I biked up to a switch back, turned around, and Elder Laudie was standing like ten feet from where I just threw that fit (I guess one would call it). I just rode up and he asked, "what are you mad about?” I just told him, I hate mountain biking, but that's ok. I'm good. I try to be patient and kind, but sometimes I try to squash emotions and just not interact with people. Vulnerability is difficult when you don’t choose who to be vulnerable with. Anyway, I told him that I banged my calf up and wasn’t in a good mood. He offered to ride the full suspension bike, which was nice. He insisted. I think he was just trying to be nice and make it a better time for me. Anyway, while riding, it struck me he probably feels the same about running, which made me feel bad because I love it and I feel my success and light dwindle when I don’t run. But I have been treating it like a requirement and not recognizing Elder Laudie’s sacrifice in running alongside me. It's not fun for someone who doesn't love running. While biking to the church, we were talking and I made a joke about that outburst and he kinda laughed and said, you know...now you know how I feel about running. This saddens me but makes me appreciative of someone being in a position to do good for someone else and hating it; feeling unrecognized and miserable. I now know how I can better appreciate Elder Laudie and help him and love him. I just expect people to run, not realizing that this is an acquired skill and that not everyone enjoys it or understands the role it plays in my life. I'm grateful for these experiences even though they hurt sometimes. It's funny, God works in mysterious ways, from swearing on a mountain, to emails I receive from a cousin, to someone mentioning a scripture, I am sharpened, strengthened, and shaped by God into the man He eventually wants me to become. As it says in 1 Nephi 20:10, For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. I love this scripture, but man, it's difficult to swallow sometimes. My dad gave me a great piece of advice though. He told me that he wished, on his mission, he had been less hard on himself and enjoyed the process in which one becomes a good missionary. I wish and pray and actively work for that mentality. It can be easy to forget. There is always more you can do. However, he talked about a reporter who was interviewing Russell Wilson after the Green Bay Packers game in 2017, where they came back in the last four minutes of the game, tied and proceeded to win. The reporter asked, "how do you stay so positive?" Russell responded, "I don’t stay positive, I stay neutral." This caught him off guard: “Neutral? How could you be neutral and hopeful in a game in which you’re losing so bad?” Russell Wilson was wired that game, and there's a clip of him, two scores down, walking on the sidelines past his offensive linemen and saying, “there's 2 minutes left.” He wasn’t focused on winning or losing, he was simply focused on what was true: there were two minutes and thirty two seconds left. Not saying we will win or lose. Just, there are two minutes and thirty two seconds left. You begin to naturally think positively by focusing on what is true. Not necessarily unrealistically, but what can I accomplish by focusing on what is true? What is true? I am dead center in the whitest, most conservative, gun loving, Trump devout, Republican place in the country and expected to love the people I serve. I am not expected to submit to their will. However, I am expected to learn to love them for their potential. Not to say their views are wrong and mine right, but I sometimes let the "flaws" I see overwhelm the fact that they are good people and that all of God’s children will look back at some of the biases and beliefs we hold now and need to change. They don't have to fit the mold of what I think people should be like. I am here to help them and to serve them. And, frankly, it may be the only way that they come to see the normality and the goodness in a "liberal." I have certainly seen it change my perspective about people out here. Watching John Oliver and SNL doesn't give you the loving perspective about the midwest a mission would. So, like that horrible ab circuit I do in the mornings, I'll get better. Kendrick Lamar once said, "I'm not on the outside looking in, I'm not on the inside looking out, I'm in the dead center looking around." I have never felt so alone, so together, so loved, so excited, so tired, so bummed, so full of light. Being right here, in the center is a missionary-photographer-filmmaker-runner’s dream. With that, I leave an amen. All hail broke loose today. It was sunny, then three minutes later it had already hailed like crazy and filled our lawn and streets. Then it stopped and was sunny again. Wyoming. Nothing like it. It was actually cool. Right when we were about to go out it began hailing hard. And then harder. It was super cold today and we were dying -- it was only 41 degrees with 20 mph winds. Imagine... soon it will be -20 with 60 mph winds! We stayed up talking really late about girls and high school. I'm just learning, and no place to do it like Wyoming, where people really hate California and liberals. Just kidding. (Not really). But I still love the people here. Working to love someone you disagree with, not only in thought but also with the way they view your beliefs and thought processes, is a task. It's hard loving and respecting someone who disagrees with you. Being open is good. I’m learning arguing does not get you anywhere. How easy it is to surround yourself with people who agree with you. It is strange how much we are used to our bubble. But, oddly, the more we pop the bubble, the more meaningful the world becomes. As A$AP Rocky said so eloquently, Create, Explore, Expand, Conquer. The application of expanding your world view is a lot harder than it sounds, as I've found. I'm mostly getting used to people not liking or attempting to persuade me away from my views on life. I'm tempted to say I know they're wrong, but I know the ignorance in believing that the way you believe is the only and best way. So exercising humility and then stretching your muscles of understanding has been a fun challenge; something I've enjoyed. I certainly hope I don’t go back to San Diego and think, “oh, good, a place where people are right again.” I also sure hope I don't leave here and believe I've left a higher way of thinking. However, leaving with love for people despite our differences would be an absolute victory. Leaving with a bit of compassion and understanding for others’ way of thinking would be amazing. I'm not even talking politically, but just about anything that people see. It's interesting how different life is across not seas, but states. You know, we often feel that we need to control our reactions and control our circumstances. We can control what emotions and thoughts we dwell on and how we react to our emotions. I know that being long (sometimes loooooong) suffering, we will look back and be forever grateful for trusting in God and enduring, because we will have learned and be so much more ahead than what we thought possible. By recording thoughts, impressions, and experiences, we can lean on them for spiritual, physical and mental strength. I've already experienced this reading journal entries from less than two months ago (tangent: what! Two months ago. I was me two months ago. I think my balls dropped about six inches because I don’t feel like the same kid. I still feel, in a sense, like I find joy in fun stuff and I'm still silly and love to laugh, but I'm no longer the same person). I feel like metal in a hot fire being scorched, burned, and heated while being formed and molded to a better and stronger soul. I cannot imagine God’s plan for me or what I'd do without the constant guidance from the Holy Ghost and the gospel. What a great life! I love the Lord even though (in fact because) I am able to endure the beautifully crafted trials and tribulations He’s put before me. Like a coach with a difficult workout plan, I feel His careful consideration and His constant guidance in helping me push myself to be better. Anyway, the fire will never burn you, just heat you till you are molded strong. How odd it is that the days I feel so happy and excited, I don’t have as much to say, but the days I feel scorched and almost burned, I am the most reflective and close with the Lord. I guess these trials are a love letter from God telling me how much I mean to Him and my potential when I abide in the vine. Well, serenity will come, but I suppose I need to get thrown for a little loop before I increase in knowledge. Serenity: it's something I desire, but secretly, I think God only gives me little tastes just to keep me going. To quote my main man Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24: So run, that you may obtain. I love striving to be like Paul. If anyone is going through a trial, bring it to prayer and study the scriptures earnestly. Now, when I say this, I mean truly pray and trust God will fix it, but if not, that He'll take care of you. Like Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, trust that God will save you from the fiery furnace. If this is difficult, which it is for all, pray for inspiration, a desire to read and search the scriptures for answers, and for discernment. It will take daily practice, but this exercise will have you look back and be so grateful to God and for your past faith. Being agreeable is another quality I appreciate in others and may come in handy as a missionary. How often, especially when we are in a poor place, do we put ourselves in a position to see the bad? I know it's hard, I do not expect perfection on this. I know I'll slip up and it's ok to see the bad sometimes. However, as we see the good, even if we have to fake it a little, we become more like Christ. How often we get caught up in our own priorities, our own world view, or our self-consciousness and lose that eternal perspective of what makes people so good. Their potential to be like Christ and how good they are now. Ask for and seek correction and ask how you can have a ready heart. One story I like is the story told by the guy who wrote the original The Office (Ricky Gervais). He told stories of the old jobs he worked for a couple decades before starting The Office. He worked desk jobs, he worked in jobs he hated. Once he made the beautifully crafted and funny tv show, he asked his wife, “why didn't I do this years ago?” She replied, “because you wouldn't have been any good at it.” The answer surprised him, but reflecting back, he realized how those sucky experiences formed him into the artist he is now. Film is simply an art form in which you create a stage for people to play with compassion. In order to do so, a Christlike love and a charity for all seems to be required before you properly hold a camera and press record. I have found beauty in everything. I love the world. I got a Nike box in the mail for Elder Laudie and me. It's cold weather running stuff. It's actually dope. We're wearing it tomorrow. We got running spandex, he got a running jacket, I got a beanie that I'll run in which will be awesome, and a running shirt that's perfect. I love my mom. I appreciate the love and care and hopefully it will help a whole lot especially in Elder Laudie’s desire to run.
We got back from exchanges with Elder Kambale today. It was fantastic. He is the Elder from Africa and now lives in Ogden, Utah. He is a convert of two years. It was nice to talk to him throughout the day about being a convert to the church and his struggles. I really gained a deep respect for him. He holds himself to a high standard. I love him a lot. We went to a wonderful fireside Elder Kambale gave. His life story is outstanding. He was a child soldier and his parents were killed and his grandparents were killed. He walked weeks without food or clean water and ended up in a refugee camp. He found his aunt and some siblings and they were moved to Salt Lake. He then was befriended by a fellow schoolmate and didn't like church. But, after being tricked into going to General Conference thinking it was a double date, (still dating that girl...) he heard Elder Holland and felt the spirit. He then took the missionary discussions and felt the spirit about the Plan of Happiness. He read the last chapter of the BOM, then flipped to a middle one: 3 Nephi 27, and felt the spirit again. Then his sisters did the exact same thing and flipped to the exact same pages in the same order. How crazy. We had a lot of fun today. We went to this girl’s house and helped her build a fence. Elder Kambale was really handy and the lady was really funny. She said she really liked me. She also said that my haircut looked like Elder Kambale’s and that was funny. I enjoyed Elder Kambale. I loved asking questions and genuinely listening to him and getting to know him. It was great. We spent a lot of time doing service. After, we did street contacting in downtown. Elder Kambale and I approached people and talked to them about the gospel. At the end, there were two people singing and playing the guitar. I just sat near them and listened for five minutes. When a moment arose for an applause I clapped and asked them some questions. I asked if they were interested in hearing about worshipping God through pursuing your passion (shout out dad). They weren't, but they seemed a little changed. I loved talking to people. Elder Kambale told me during exchange inventory that I was a good missionary and that I was good at being comfortable with people and talking about connecting things and bringing it back to the gospel, but not robotically. I also had the opportunity to share with Elder Kambale the emails my dad sent about 2 Cor 12:7-10 and Peter being imperfect but a prophet and one of Christ’s most trusted. He seemed comforted. After we got back, we talked as a companionship, which was nice. During the convo, Elder Kambale told Elder Laudie, “listen, you have a good missionary. Seriously, a good missionary.” That was so nice to hear. It’s getting dark earlier and earlier every day. It got really cold today too. It was the beginning of the avalanche. The high was 58 and it was about 44 when we came back inside. The low for last Wednesday is the high for today. It’s crazy. It’s supposed to snow Monday so I'll get my first taste. I won't be out of winter till near my birthday! That Filson jacket may be getting topped with my Northface overcoat AND a face mask soon. I'm really worried about how I'll handle the winter. Can't run, can’t go outside, always cold, work slows. It's ok. I will make the most of it. Elder Laudie gave me a deal that every verse I memorize I get to run a mile. It caps out at 3 except on Fridays it caps at 5. Sounds fun. Way better than what I've been doing, which is not running. It's a good trade. Every scripture I memorize is one mile and every scripture I use in a lesson or contact is a half mile. He actually mentioned he wanted to go running tomorrow and said he feels good and is down to do it more! Stoked. Also, after the run, which was pretty quick, I felt awesome. It was three miles down to the freeway. My form felt better. Elder Laudie was behind me when we got to the turn around, so he turned around early. I gained like 75 meters on him on the way back, pretty decent. Anyway, while sitting at my study desk (even thinking about it gives me an excited, calm, happiness) I just felt fulfilled and excited to be in the work. Running is key to my success. It's so strange how even a small amount of running will truly clear my head; like finally blowing your nose after it has been stuffy, you have no idea how good it feels to have a clear nose. You could breathe through your mouth, but now a whole new world that is so much easier to relax in is open. It felt fantastic. Oh, also, in the morning we went and helped someone move. Even before, we set a weekly goal of finding two new people to teach. We then prayed about daily goals and I felt pretty good about writing down two, which surprised me. I am typically not one for putting high goals that are semi out of reach. That was lofty. However, we went to help this person move from 6th to 3rd ward, and we ended by sharing a message with the wife, who was one new person we taught. How cool! New people weren’t the only thing we got from moving. While we were taking out one of the beds to the dumpster (they were bringing a lot to the dumpster) the little daughter went, "that's the bed bug bed." We were like, uuuuuuh. The dad was like, "stop making up stories!" The daughter mentioned bed bugs a few more times and they were throwing bags of clothes into the dumpster. So we stripped down and threw all our clothes into the washer and immediately washed them when we got home. I feel bad for that family. We had dinner with the C's which was fun. Their son-in-law was there and he's scared of missionaries so far, but still has a goal of going to the temple. We taught the whole family and therefore got another new person. We reached our goal of two for the week! I had a fun night. Elder Kambale and Elder Delgado came over because they were dropping us off and were hungry, plus needed to do area calls. It was just fun having such cool people here. Elder Kambale is so cool and quietly amazing. Elder Delgado is so loud and funny and is an amazingly deep thinker and interesting person. I got an email from my mom. She told me she was in Idaho--half a day’s trip to here, haha. I got an email from my dad but haven't entirely read it yet. I love my family. Elder Kambale speaks about how difficult it was to lose his parents and siblings and grandparents all at once, knowing he wouldn't see them again. I don’t know what I'd do without my family. My family is so good to me. I look up to them. My mom, dad and sister make me so happy and I am so grateful for them and how they love me and their fantastic example. I just had a memory of New York: standing on the stairs of the Highline looking down at my parents with London, Scout and Miles. I saw sister Johnson today at the devotional so that may be why. The Casper Central District chat is going crazy right now. It's transfer day, which means we will find out where everyone is going for the next six weeks! Elder Laudie wanted a car before winter, but...we will be staying in Casper for the next month and a half. Super stoked on that. I can feel the Lord answering my prayers in us becoming closer and having less contention. I am learning tricks and what-not-to-do’s about how to live with someone for so long. Not talking about contentious topics, keeping it light, serving them and loving them, listening, talking less, and being genuine and honest in your struggles and leaning on them in times of need. I think it will be great to stay together. Plus, we’re running now!!!! Very excited. I read an email tonight from Mark Bragg of the Seventy, our friend from the LA Westwood 1st Ward. He’s such a good person. He gave me a call right after I found out about my mission call. He gave me some advice and some love. He’s great. Anyway, he’s crazy busy but my dad says he emailed him about reading my blog. He told me he has been working with the mission in Argentina to change the root of the issue of their missionary work. He said it was in their goal setting. They need to set goals and daily plan and act on the key indicators. Today, I actually took initiative in daily planning. I had inspiration and we created a plan in which we did a lot of contacting, making lessons with people and helping those who haven't been contacted and those striving to be baptized. I need to focus a little more on goal setting and planning around those goals and the key indicators. So happy for President Bragg’s (technically Elder Bragg, but my dad still says President from when he was stake president in LA, haha) email. Made me happy and will be helpful as I implement that into missionary work here in Casper! I felt like I should try to do Elder Laudie’s plan and memorize three scriptures for three miles. It was hard, but I finished D&C 4 and then he said to do D&C 20:37. I was like "no." But I had a feeling to submit and do it. It was super long. But I did it. I sat there and memorized and afterward I was so proud. Both Elder Laudie and I could feel the spirit and we were so excited. I felt so close to God. How running can change my day and allow me to be so successful, myself, and happy. Also, I was so happy, I felt much more inclined to take photos and take them of Elder Laudie. It's a sign that I am loving the world, my companion, and myself.
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