11/7/16

Hey people of not Maryland. The new thing to do in slow areas is service. So we raked leaves all the week long. It's been pretty awesome what's come from it. Really the only super legitimate thing that has happened came from raking a lady's yard. She has some good Mormon friends, she's 83 mind you, and really appreciated us helping her. The first time we met her was when we were raking her neighbors place and she asked if we could help the next day. The "only thing" I had to write our number in was a Book of Mormon obviously. But she was happy to get a book as well. I talked to her a few times when we helped her out. She said she had skimmed around, and she asked about the names Joseph Smith and Moroni. It's all in the introduction. She said she was going to start reading the book. she also said in a half joking way that she was going to tell her children that she is going to leave Catholicism. She mentioned that actions speak louder than words. So she could be really epically someone who's ready. We're going back Wednesday.

Another highlight of the week was going to a Hawaiian restaurant that some members in our ward started up. It has to have been some of the best food I've ever had. Thank goodness we're missionaries because the check wasn't going to be afforded by my wallet anytime soon.

We had a zone conference this week, which are some of the hardest meetings I have to go to. I mean that more literally because I'm sitting on a metal chair for 8 hours. It's rough. In the fifth or so hour, one of the Assistants to the President told us, "It's not our job to be buddy buddy with people. Friendships come through the Atonement." and later he re-emphasized by saying "It's not our job to be their friends." Maybe he got a little too into his training and pulled a Brigham Young. But either way I don't agree with that at all, and was pretty done with the meeting. It just felt like robot training, thats the truth. though I did really like what President had to say to us. Next paragraph please.

We also had stake conference this week, but in between time we've been able to rake a few more yards. One guy was so beside himself that we wanted to rake for free for him that he called us crazy a few times haha. We also raked a Pastor's yard, the other Elders haven't gone back over yet. All in all almost every time we've raked it's been a really positive experience. I'm ready to be doing that for the next few months. Stake Conference was good though. Our missionary choir did mediocre. Which was a miracle in itself, hahaha.

Monday we've gone to a military base and got to see some awesome helicopters.

Companionship Pull-ups the best unity builder around.​