Hello all!
I'm going to abbreviate some of my answers to the questions so I can get down to the nitty-gritty, as Nacho puts it. :)
Answers:
1.) First aid kit is good to go, no needs :)
2.) Elder Love and I are doing quite well and seeing much success and will see more as the days and weeks go by. It is crazy to think it is week 5 of this transfer already. CRAZY. Elder Bennett is actually going home after this so things have been a little crazy altogether. :P His Grandpa dropped by to pick up his bike too. Cool guy.
3.) I did get your letter from DearElder.com, and I will reply to that in a second. :D
4.) Sis Warkentin gave us good chalk and little chalk holders, like mechanical pencils for chalk so we don't get all powdery during scripture study class. (Every Wednesday, something I "brought" with me from Palmdale 5th ward!) It's SUPER nice to have actually! :D
5.) Yes to the picture with Oryang, left to right, Elder Gehoski, Elder McKennon and Elder Oryang. McKennon finished his mission that's why they took the picture. :P
6.) I’ll talk about the learning moment later...
7.) What I like about Ridgecrest……it....has.....err.....dirt. :) And...free Taco Bell! :D
But really, what I like most about Ridgecrest is the fact that there is so much work to do...everywhere. It is by no means a goldmine for investigators or less actives, but there is WORK. The kind of work that drives you nuts with people's stubbornness, the kind of work that makes you exhausted at night, and the kind of work that makes you feel like you are a two man team in the middle of the land desolation....and I am PUMPED. Because we are getting this Ward pumped. And the Bishop is going to get PUMPED. And work will EXPLODE. There is a lot of "long term" efforts that have to be put into this Ward and we are starting that now. I may very well never see any results from my time in this Ward. I might, and I hold to that hope, and I'll never let go...but there is a chance both ways. Either way, that's what I love about this ward.
8.) Wow. You asked some pretty intense questions... (Mom's note: heehee! that's my intention!)
D&C 4 is the perfect scripture for missionary work. One thing I noticed a while back is how important it is to recognize that there are very serious QUALIFICATIONS to do the work of salvation. We MUST have charity in our hearts, we must have a desire to serve and work hard and do the Lord's work on HIS time frame.
I have been doing the very best I can to meet those qualifications that are found in D&C 4, and as hard as I try, I fall short… Enter the Atonement. I love teaching about the Atonement, and learning more about it. It is literally the only way to make it.
9.) As far as learning about the Spirit and how He talks to me, it is still something I find difficult to explain. It is more clear to me now when I feel the promptings and testimony of the Holy Spirit, but I'm still practicing how to explain it. All I can say at this moment, is that I have grown a close relationship with the Spirit and have learned to rely on those promptings, in situations I didn't even think mattered all the way, to times where they may have saved my life. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we can ever receive in this life.
Sorry I haven’t gotten many snail mail letters out…It's pretty tough because in all honesty even on Preparation Day, we only barely have time to get all the necessary stuff done, including things in the area book, and making all other preparations for the week...I found out early on that Mondays are not a "day off" because the work doesn't leave time for "time off" like that. So we have decided to cut back on email time, and focus on doing more effective work, even on Mondays. So most of the time I will only get a letter off to you guys...and maybe one or two other people. :) But you guys first!
Good reminder about the music! :) (Mom's note: Share that even the beat and rhythm can interfere with being sensitive to the whispers of the Spirit, so choose music wisely when he listen to music others give him.)
And that’s actually hilarious with those Elders' names. (Mom's note: I shared with him a "Fun Fact" regarding 2 other companionships. Two of the Elders were named the same as a Bible prophet and his younger brother, and two other Elders were named the same as a Book of Mormon prophet and his young brother. Cool coincidence!) Elders Bennett, Page, Love and I found that QUITE amusing. XD
I love you guys a bunch! Keep going strong. Now and always. I will try to write a letter later this evening if I can with some other details. Love you all! BYE!
~ Elder 9
I'm going to abbreviate some of my answers to the questions so I can get down to the nitty-gritty, as Nacho puts it. :)
Answers:
1.) First aid kit is good to go, no needs :)
2.) Elder Love and I are doing quite well and seeing much success and will see more as the days and weeks go by. It is crazy to think it is week 5 of this transfer already. CRAZY. Elder Bennett is actually going home after this so things have been a little crazy altogether. :P His Grandpa dropped by to pick up his bike too. Cool guy.
3.) I did get your letter from DearElder.com, and I will reply to that in a second. :D
4.) Sis Warkentin gave us good chalk and little chalk holders, like mechanical pencils for chalk so we don't get all powdery during scripture study class. (Every Wednesday, something I "brought" with me from Palmdale 5th ward!) It's SUPER nice to have actually! :D
5.) Yes to the picture with Oryang, left to right, Elder Gehoski, Elder McKennon and Elder Oryang. McKennon finished his mission that's why they took the picture. :P
6.) I’ll talk about the learning moment later...
7.) What I like about Ridgecrest……it....has.....err.....dirt. :) And...free Taco Bell! :D
But really, what I like most about Ridgecrest is the fact that there is so much work to do...everywhere. It is by no means a goldmine for investigators or less actives, but there is WORK. The kind of work that drives you nuts with people's stubbornness, the kind of work that makes you exhausted at night, and the kind of work that makes you feel like you are a two man team in the middle of the land desolation....and I am PUMPED. Because we are getting this Ward pumped. And the Bishop is going to get PUMPED. And work will EXPLODE. There is a lot of "long term" efforts that have to be put into this Ward and we are starting that now. I may very well never see any results from my time in this Ward. I might, and I hold to that hope, and I'll never let go...but there is a chance both ways. Either way, that's what I love about this ward.
8.) Wow. You asked some pretty intense questions... (Mom's note: heehee! that's my intention!)
D&C 4 is the perfect scripture for missionary work. One thing I noticed a while back is how important it is to recognize that there are very serious QUALIFICATIONS to do the work of salvation. We MUST have charity in our hearts, we must have a desire to serve and work hard and do the Lord's work on HIS time frame.
I have been doing the very best I can to meet those qualifications that are found in D&C 4, and as hard as I try, I fall short… Enter the Atonement. I love teaching about the Atonement, and learning more about it. It is literally the only way to make it.
9.) As far as learning about the Spirit and how He talks to me, it is still something I find difficult to explain. It is more clear to me now when I feel the promptings and testimony of the Holy Spirit, but I'm still practicing how to explain it. All I can say at this moment, is that I have grown a close relationship with the Spirit and have learned to rely on those promptings, in situations I didn't even think mattered all the way, to times where they may have saved my life. The Gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift we can ever receive in this life.
Sorry I haven’t gotten many snail mail letters out…It's pretty tough because in all honesty even on Preparation Day, we only barely have time to get all the necessary stuff done, including things in the area book, and making all other preparations for the week...I found out early on that Mondays are not a "day off" because the work doesn't leave time for "time off" like that. So we have decided to cut back on email time, and focus on doing more effective work, even on Mondays. So most of the time I will only get a letter off to you guys...and maybe one or two other people. :) But you guys first!
Good reminder about the music! :) (Mom's note: Share that even the beat and rhythm can interfere with being sensitive to the whispers of the Spirit, so choose music wisely when he listen to music others give him.)
And that’s actually hilarious with those Elders' names. (Mom's note: I shared with him a "Fun Fact" regarding 2 other companionships. Two of the Elders were named the same as a Bible prophet and his younger brother, and two other Elders were named the same as a Book of Mormon prophet and his young brother. Cool coincidence!) Elders Bennett, Page, Love and I found that QUITE amusing. XD
I love you guys a bunch! Keep going strong. Now and always. I will try to write a letter later this evening if I can with some other details. Love you all! BYE!
~ Elder 9
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