Week 71...Meet the Mormons & Zone Training

October 13, 2014

This week was a pretty awesome week.  Meet the Mormons was amazing!!!  I recommend anyone—member/non member-- to go see it.  Seriously, I mean everyone—go see it J  I am bummed that you guys were not able to see it yet because I was anxiously awaiting to hear your thoughts about it in your email today, but whatever such is life.  Like I said, we had a good week, but unfortunately we had quite a few lessons set up and a lot of them fell through.  So we kind of had a crappy week with numbers L  Well, onto the questions…

1. How was your week?  What were the highs/lows?  It was a good week.  It had its shares of ups and downs.  I’ll start with the some of the highs.  The first one was yesterday we had a few nonmembers at church.  The cool thing is one of them was a media referral that the University sisters gave us. We have been trying to contact her and we finally did.  We had a lesson set with her on Friday but she was late because her son got in trouble at school so she had to cancel.  She is also from China.  Her name is YL.  She doesn’t speak very good English so through a text we decided to invite her to church and see how that worked.  She responded and said OK.  We were both curious to see if she would really show up.  Church time came yesterday and she was not there when church started, but when the sacrament was over she and her husband walked in. Unfortunately, they left after the speakers and we hurried out to talk with them.  They were clueless about what went on at church so now we have another appointment for Wednesday to talk about sacrament meeting and church etc.  Our low for the week was having a bunch of things fall through last minute.  However, I feel like we worked hard and are starting to get to know the area better. 
2. What's the status with Elder R's VISA?  Apparently his mom sent him an email saying that she called the VISA department.  I guess it has gone through and she said it will probably be the end of the transfer when he leaves, so about 3 more weeks.  Really, it could be any day now.  So we will see what happens.  So I think it is in the process of being issued. 
3. How's the training going?  It is going well.  Unfortunately, it looks like I don't have much longer doing it unless I train again next transfer. We will see what happens, only a few weeks left and time will tell.  So training is going good.  The hardest thing for me is dealing with the greenie fire that Elder R has and wanting everything to go as planned.  I know it’s totally typical of a new missionary.  But it is hard for me because the constant change/plans falling through etc. is not really anything new to me now and I have learned that sometimes that is the way things go.  So I think that may be why I was given the training opportunity. I need to get back to the basics again and have high expectations and set really high goals instead of being satisfied with whatever happens.  
4. How are things with you and Elder R?  Can Elder R speak Chinese with W (investigator)?  Things are going good.  Yes, he has spoken a little bit with her.  Hopefully, for his language study we are going to get some Chinese people from the student branch to come and practice his Chinese with him. 
5. How was your zone training & Meet the Mormons?  Zone training was good.  The majority of it focused on family history and how we can use that as a better finding tool for people.  I am just waiting for the family history stuff from you.  We talked about different ways to use family history.  On the other hand, Meet the Mormons was AWESOME!!!!!!  I think it is something everybody should see.  All of the stories were awesome and well done.  My favorites were the Navy football coach, the Candy Bomber, and the missionary mom.  Funny story about that...the kid that is the son of the missionary mom went to Alta.  He was a year older than me but I recognized him and knew his name.  I thought it was great how they portrayed Mormons. Each of the people/families they focused is given the opportunity to share their life in a very personal way.  The movie portrays Mormons as “normal” people from all different walks of life trying to follow the path that the Savior walked.  Each of them has their own set of challenges and struggles and they use their faith and testimony of the Savior to help them overcome the trials that come their way.  There are themes of love, compassion, service and respect for all of God’s children no matter what your religious beliefs are.  I don't know what else to say besides AWESOME.  I hope you enjoy it when you finally go see it.  The best part was for me no tickets required and not having to deal with sell outs. 
6. How are the meal appointments coming along?  Meals are going awesome.  The RS is doing great getting things taken care of for us.  So I am not concerned about it at all.  I should be taken care of. 
7. Any new members that you've met that you'd like to tell us about?  We had dinner with the T family, a young family from Idaho.  We had dinner with them and then we played a game that is sort of like Farkle (if you know what that is).  We played and the loser (which was me) always has to eat a nasty mixture of stuff.  The mixture is different every time, but the stuff I had to eat was a mixture of mustard, soy, jam, and garlic, I think.  I had to eat a spoonful of that for losing.  It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. All I could really taste was mustard.   
8. How are the investigators?
1. W ?  She is doing well, but we could not meet with her this week because we didn’t have another guy with us.  We talked to her on the doorstep for a minute.  She did read the chapter in the BOM that we gave her.  We are going to see her again tomorrow. 
2. B ?  He is doing well.  We are not sure what to do with him because he is not really progressing.  He just talks about nonsense at every lesson.  We kind of starting bashing with him a bit why he should read the BOM told him that the questions he has will be answered in the BOM.  We are giving him one last attempt.
3. Any new leads or investigators?  Just the one media referral that the University sisters gave us. 
9. How do you like Pres. Johnson?  He is awesome.  I really like him.  That just may be the fact that I have seen him quite a bit since he has been out and I’ve been able to get to know him more.  I didn’t have the opportunity to get to  know Pres. Topham that well.  
10. What member/investigator has had the most influence on you during your mission?  I will always have a special place in my heart for President  W  from the Ridgway branch.  He has such a firm belief in never giving up on people/things.  He reminded me that change is good and that the Lord has a hand in all things…totally awesome guy J. 
11. Any fun things that you've seen or done in State College?  We enjoy wandering around downtown and being on campus is lots of fun.  It is always  fun to pass the football stadium.  The thing looks small on the outside but when you get inside, it is huge.  I think it holds like 106,000 people.  It makes Cougar stadium look tiny.  I wish I could go to a game just to say I have been to one, but that won't happen.  The University sisters went to one a few weeks ago, but Pres. Johnson said that would be the first and last time anyone would go to a game.   
12. How's the weather?  It is starting to get colder.  I think our days in the 70's are gone and we are on the final stretch of fall and then winter will be in full force within the next month or so.
13. Are you feeling pretty comfortable with the area?  Bus system?  Bikes (did you find the helmets)?  Yes, to all.  The bikes are nice, but they are kind of small for us so we are using them when we need to get somewhere fast.  They are nice to have, but we’ve both determined that sometimes it’s just easier to walk. 
14. Any other news/info you'd like to share?  This morning I was reading 3rd Nephi right before Christ comes and the Nephites are becoming very prideful.  I read a quote by Hugh Nibley from the seminary book that you sent me that I found quite interesting.  In only 6 years the Nephites turned from righteousness to wickedness.  Hugh Nibley describes it as the “Nephite disease” and he says that we have it today, but God has prescribed a cure.  It’s a disease that will result in physical & spiritual death if it’s not cured.  He refers to the D&C talking about how we can’t become like the Nephites of old.  My point is that the pride of the Nephites was their stumbling block and it ultimately destroyed them and that is what is going on with the world today.  If we let pride & Satan get hold of us we are doomed for trouble, unhappiness and pain. It’s a warning from the Lord to keep us from becoming as the Nephites of old.  I remember you always talking about the “pride cycle” when we studied the BOM. 
        
    
         There’s another wrap on my week.  I hope you see and like Meet the Mormons.  I can't wait to hear from you again.
     
    Love you,
    Elder Muir
     
         PS…Oh yeah, one thing that I forgot to tell you.  I am going to get some new shoes today, hopefully at Macys or JcPenney.  Just letting you know so that you can watch my card.  Thanks!!!