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| Hunter got baptized! Her sister, Skyler is next to her and their nephew jumped in one of the pictures |
Rushed email today...busy p-day. We went to the Brigham temple bright
and early. Then we went to Costco and then went to the Roy rec center to work
out. Then we went and did zone yoga (p90x yogax). Nobody really came except six
of us, but that’s ok. Now we are emailing for a bit then going to do haircuts.
This week has been good. Hunter got baptized! It was a good service.
She had many family members from other faiths there, so the Restoration presentation
from Elder Coronado and I while they were changing was effective; I hope. We
didn't have much enthusiasm, because we both had a fever at that time. We were
both sick for a couple days.
Friday was probably the most sick I have been my whole mission. At
the dinner appointment, Elder Coronado ate and I sat on the couch trying to
hide from the light, because it made my head feel like it was going to close.
He got a split, and I slept at the stake president’s house that night from six
to nine. It was weird. It started in the morning, so I took a power nap at
lunch and woke up, and it was worse. I took headache medicine and took another
nap, and it got worse. Then went to dinner, and it just kept getting worse and
worse. Well, we are better now thanks to resting on Friday for me and then
Saturday for Elder Coronado (that’s when it was worse for him). I hate
staying in on my mission, but this was one of those times when we didn't have
an option. I think it was a migraine, but I never really had one of those so I
don't know what to compare it to. We just have colds now, so nothing really
that slows us down.
So, two of our more solid investigators got baptized, so our
teaching pool is slim right now.
We had a training from President this week right before interviews
on The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It was about how to implement it
into our teaching. Last, after we gave a training to the zone, I had my
interview with President Hiers. He asked what I wanted to do my last transfer
and said he planned on taking me from West Point. I said if I was leaving, I
wanted it to be to a Spanish area. As has been the tradition, they are
releasing people from leadership their last transfer to be with a greeny. There
are no new Spanish, so I will probably just be greeny busting in a Spanish area
somewhere. I guess I'll find out, but either way, there is still work to be
done and things to be set up in West Point if they are going to have 60 baptisms
this year like they set as their goal.
Before I forget…thanks for the poster, Mom; I love it! Amanda looks
so beautiful! And thanks for the thank you cards (that sounds funny I don't
know why) and the valentine’s package.
(I’m back-here’s the rest of my letter)
So, things are still pushing forward. I am almost through studying
the three missionary lessons-about done with lesson three then I will move on
to some other topic I want to polish off a little bit better. Some days, I am
way focused during personal study and other days (usually when for some random
reason I have more energy) my mind is racing, and the hour flies by, and I
realize I have been day dreaming for a lot of the time. I guess I better enjoy
whatever it is I am studying, or I will spend too much time day dreaming rather
than studying.
For a few days this week after juicing at the Facer's house, I decided
that I wanted to study nutrition. Actually, probably more like one day I was
thinking about it, then I realized I wouldn't have any idea what to do with a
major like that, and on top of that, why was I thinking about what I was going
to study? I have plenty of time for that. I talked to President about that in
my interview. I mentioned how I was concerned about what I was going to study,
and how I would set goals if I don't even know where I am going in my career;
whereas, it’s the opposite in the mission; it is a very clear goal and thing to
shoot for. It was bugging me, so I asked him, and he basically just kept
telling me it'll all work out, and I have the tool necessary to decide, so
of course that answer didn't satisfy me. I don't think about it often, but it
is disheartening when I do and wonder what on earth I am supposed to do when I
get home. I guess this sounds like I am trunky. I don't think that I am at all.
95% of the time my mind is in West Point; it’s just when I write in my journal,
or I am thinking in the morning time and wonder how I am supposed to
decide all of this and what I am supposed to do all summer until then.
My last transfer, since I won't be here, I think I am going to
convince everyone I still have three months left (two transfers) until the end
when I just go home all of the sudden. It will be more fun that way, and it'll
avoid people asking me so much what I am going to do when I get home. I don't
like telling members how long I have been out; I usually just say 18 months or
over a year, because if I say I go home in April then they make this face and
say, “Almost there! Are you excited! What are you doing? Did you leave a girl?”
and all of a sudden they don't want to talk to me about missionary work, they
just want to talk about my plans for going home, ha-ha. So I just try to avoid
it altogether.
Who else are we teaching...The W. family is a recently returning
family that we have been teaching and have come twice so far. The dad is the
one that is harder to get out and have be committed. At times, it seems like
there is not much we can do except strengthen the rest of the family and hope
that he follows but the head of household certainly has a lot of pull on what
happens.
So in the past, I had told you about the Nielsen’s, I think. We
stopped teaching them, and they immediately stopped going to church. We visited
Brother Nielsen and talked to just him, and his family just isn't on board and
really doesn't have an interest in going to the temple. So he just
kind of gave up, but we told him to set the example. So he went to church last
week by himself, we were so happy for him. I can imagine he is in a tough
situation, but he has so, so much support and people helping him out in the
ward. I am sure that makes it better.
Taegan is doing well and should come to church this weekend (he is
with his mom, Kellen, in West Point this weekend). He will get baptized, I am
sure, in March. It just slows things down with church here only every other
week. The real challenge is getting his mom back, and she doesn't look like she
is budging even though last time she did admit she will come back one day, so
that is progress.
Still lots of potentials and waiting on members to invite or take
the next step in helping them so all we can do is keep following up about it
until it gets done. We have tried a few contacts this week on people who
members were working with slowly, but
none of them worked out as they usually don't which is why working through
members is so much more effective.
The zone is doing ok. Not as unified as it could be; everyone seems
to be a little cliquish, but we are doing the best we can to help them all love
each other and quit acting like high-schoolers. It's kind of funny; the all-Spanish
district never does anything together on p-days, lunch, or anything at all, but
when they get together they are all best friends, because they are all Mexicans
(almost) and are just immediately bonded by that and joke around together. The
English district, on the other hand, gets along less and doesn't have as much
in common even though they have lots of activities on p-days and FHE's, lunches
together. Now the issue is just getting the Spanish district less excited about
Mexican food and more excited about baptizing and missionary work. One
companionship requested to be pink washed (sisters come in to replace them)
immediately, because the leaders say all they do is flirt with girls and don't
trust them. We are going to go visit the branch president and talk to him about
it, but I already believe the leaders 100% without talking to them.
President Hiers also encouraged us to keep memorizing scriptures and
trying our best to use them, so Elder Coronado and I have been trying to do
that in comp study, but we always forget and are inconsistent so not a lot gets
done.
Well, I think that's all for this week. I love you all!
Elder Bassett
PS Someone asked, so I just wanted to clarify that last week the birthday party for Elder McGrath was on p-day when we did it. I
am not sure if that was clear in my letter. We wouldn't have surprised him and
ate cake at ten in the morning unless it was p-day (keeping in mind it was at
ten, because we did all our studies first). Anyway, I just wanted to make sure
that was clear in case it came off like I was slacking off or wasting time to
either of you that it was under the right circumstances. You don't have to put
this on the blog I just wanted to clarify for you two.
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