Well Keokuk is awesome. I love this area alot. The only complaints? ALLERGIES and BUGS. The bugs are coverred with pollen and they love to crawl on my face for some reason- not Elder Medina's- mine. And so my allergies go wild, and yeah. The weather is strange too cause it takes a toll on you physically so the allergies turned into a cold, and now I'm sick. It's been rough but I'm pushing through it. I called Sister Jergensen to get help on what to do cause I got tired of trying to fend for myself- so I had to turn to my mission mom. She's awesome by the way, and so is President Jergensen, they just helped me out, and now I'm doing WAY better, even though I'm still sick. The nights are the rough part because I cough alot. But I'm getting better. There is power in a priesthood blessing I've found too.
It was cool on Wednesday when I got to go on exchanges in Ft. Madison with the Zone Leaders. Why? Well I was with Elder Drake who is also a Theatre Nerd so we just talked plays and musicals and stuff, and then we had a keyblade battle, and then we went and tracted... and the cool part about Ft. Madison is the streets are named as Avenues, and they aren't numbered... they're lettered! So who can guess where the first place I looked to tract was?! You guessed it AVENUE Q! :) It was pretty awesome. So I can say I've tracted Avenue Q. I rock? Yes I do. Here is a picture to prove it.
So I learned a valuable lesson about obedience this last week. I didn't do anything too bad, it was done I made it right instantly and there- but what was amazing to me was that as soon as I made the choice to go through with it, the spirit was gone. I knew it and the other elders knew it, and that was when we were like 'this is stupid let's not do it'. I don't know how many people take having the spirit very seriously, but I do, and not having the spirit is terrible. It really really is misery, especially as a missionary where it is essencial. I learned from that experience, while I have been a very obedient missionary, that even letting one small thing slide hurts. You can't pick and choose things to live with the commandments. You can't say I'll live the Law of Chastity, but not the Word of Wisdom. If you don't you are not a clean temple, and the Lord does not dwell in unclean temple, nor does the Spirit. So I am sorry for what I did, it's in the past and I;m moving on. I'm pushing on in exact obedience. I am sorry for the let down everyone, I promise I will do better to represent the you and the Lord out here in Iowa. Luckily we have the Atonement right?!
Anyways, while on exchanges I had another lacking the spirit experience, but it was different. We were sitting and talking (Elder Gordet, Drake, Medina and I) about ghosts and spirits. I've come to find on my mission that the spirit world is very real, and to and extent so are ghosts. But it's an interesting subject. In the long run we got on topic about spirits, and people seeing crazy stuff- essentially just Ghost Stories. But These all tied into the gospel and the devil trying to bring men down, and tearing apart the work. As we talked we slowly felt the spirit leaving, and we got on our knees prayed and talked gospel stuff, and brought the spirit back into the room. It is scary when you feel the spirit leave, and this experience was unique because it wasn't just the spirit leaving, but a bad spirit entered. We felt a threat. I want to bear my testimony that the adversary is VERY REAL. Satan is there, and he really does hate the Gospel, and wants to bring it down. Don't every let yourself fear him, and don't open yourself to him. He will do anything he can to get you, and know that the Savior is there for you. He loves you, and wants what is best for you.
So lets talk good stuff! We had some pretty awesome appointments this last week. We taught Thurman and Tiffany again, and about the Plan of Salvation. We taught that lesson twice this last week, and I have a very strong testimony of it. What kind of hit me about it is that there is no literal Lake of Fire. The concept is simple; we are to each live in a state of glory, regardless of if we accept the gospel or not. But those who do not accept the gospel will live with the knowledge that they fell short of their potential. For me to know that I didn't make it to the celestial kingdom, and got Terrestrial, that'd suck! Lucky for me I'm shooting for Celstial right?! :D But we taught the Plan of Salvation to Phillis too, and I don't know if I said this but she grew up in Carthage, with the only knowledge that Joseph Smith was a "horse thief". Silly people. But she's dating a LA and she didn't think that what she'd heard from family sounded legit so she is taking the lessons and love the church. She's been coming every sunday! Except this last one because she had to go to a graduation ceremony in Springfield, but what was cool was she suggested to her boyfriend to find the local ward in Springfield so that they could go! So hopefully they did do that :) She's solid. I'm pretty dead certain that we'll see her baptized.
I bore my testimony on Sunday and it was nice. Since I was sick my voice cracked alot so it was funny. Especially when it cracks when you introduce yourself :) Luckily I am past that stage in life where my voice is all scratchily and crackily. Yay men! Speaking of that my electric razor isn't working to well anymore, maybe it's just not strong enough to take my manliness? What a jerk. HA! So I'm going back to regular razors cause they work way better and all that stuff. All though I still hate shaving. 2 things to look forward to when getting home 1. Music 2. no need to shave. (although I will still shave... every now and then ;] ) and how the heck did I get from the subject of bearing my testimony to my masculinity? Has anyone ever noticed how subjects just change so quickly? It just flows and goes! I love how it works, because if you are on a role you can write like a song or a poem or something or just get a good laugh. Ah, chijuajuah.
Anyways, I'm cool. But the weather isn't! the other day it got up to the 90s and it was pretty humid, but not as bad as it gets apparently. So that sucked. And the bugs still do too. It's so annoying because the cicadas are really loud, and so it gets hard to hear people sometimes. Hopefully the all die soon? Then they won't be back for another 17 years or so.
Anyways, the church is true, and we have a prophet on the earth. I love this gospel and I know that only through "faith, hope, charity and love with an eye single to the glory of God" can we achieve 500, and only through that can we achieve Zion.
Love you all! I hope all is well, I pray for you.
Elder Prows
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