Weekly Post - 5/28/2012

man, it has been a HOT week. It's been in the upper 90's for the last week, and that has been hard. Our apartment attracts in the heat so it gets toastie. So we go to study and weekly plan at the church where it is cooler.

 

This last week Selena dropped us. She's a roller coaster ride, and just can't make up her mind. She read an atheist book, and said she felt "happy" as she read it, so therefore it must be true. Now she won't respond to our texts, so that's dumb. But what she doesn't realize is that the Holy Ghost, which is what we teach about with those happy feelings, does not testify against what it testifies of- Jesus Christ and the Father! So those feelings she says she felt contradict truth. Sily girl. Oh well, she'll find out that she needs the gospel, and will come back; you'll see.

 

However, I won't update you on that because I got word on Saturday that I am being transferred! I knew that I was going to be because of the emergency transfer earlier, and so I was destined. There was like a 1% chance I could stay in Macomb, but that would mean that Elder Tripp would move because we can't serve more togethe than we already have, so one of us had to go. So I'm off to my last area! MY grave! WOO!

 

Interestingly I've been released as a District Leader. But there's a catch, that I won't voice. So don't freak out mom and dad!

 

Schuyler is doing really well too. He has gone almost a whole week without smoking! That's HUGE! Because he is a way heavy smoker. But now he's going to be a NON-SMOKER! Woo hoo! I made a deal with Schuyler and Tracy that when I come back to visit Macomb after my mission, that I would visit them and we'd have a movie night. So I'm going to have to do that. It'll be cool. We'll watch something cool. He refuses to watch the Lord of the Rings, because he HATES it. They say Schuyler and I are exactly alike. Nope. He hates Lord of the Rings, and I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE Lord of the Rings! It's like the one thing I've been trunky for other than my music. Family is cool too.

 

This last week I told Elder Tripp all about Anchorman, because that movie is hilarious. I couldn't believe he hadn't seen it. But then again, I haven't seen Nacho Libre. But I watched the first bit of it, and it wasn't that good from what I was seeing.

 

We've started working with some Less-Actives out here, that Bishop Thurman told us to go see, and we've got some new potential investigators out of it, due to Part-Member families. YES!

 

We also are going to set up a baptism with non-member who has been going to church at the Macomb ward for like 5 years. She's SOLID. Dry mormon. She gives talks in sacrament meeting and everything. We had dinner with her husband and her on saturday, and it was so bizarre. She had a quad on their living room coffee table, and she's subscribed to the ensign, and has visiting teachers. She also requested at one pointed to be a visiting teacher, but they told her she needs to be baptized first. But she decided while we were talking she just needs to give herself a little kick in the rear and do it. So we are! We're going to start teaching her, and MAYBE her husband. We'll see.

 

Anyways, I can't think of much else to write.

 

My studies are going killer. I'm semi-starting to come up with ideas for my homecoming talk. But not putting too much time into it, because it's not necessary. I've just been reading alot in the Book of First Nephi and it's totally changing my perspective of the Book of Mormon, and I just love voicing it. I feel this urge to just tell everyone about it! So I am planning on giving it as my homecoming talk, because I think saying it behind a microphone would be legit, and satisfying.

 

Anyways, if anyone is reading this then I say hi to you.

 

Now I say bye.

 

Elder Prows

Weekly Post - 5/21/2012

Well, this last week was sweet.

 

Elder Tripp and I killed it. We worked way hard. The only problem that my allergies are going WILD! I need to get better allergy medicine. Our apartment is pretty hot too, so it makes it difficult to sleep at night. But it's all good. A good 10 minute nap during our lunch our takes me through the day. Technically I shouldn't be doing that, as far as I know, but it helps me work harder through the day and that is important to me.

 

We had a really good lesson with Selina this last week. During weekly planning we were trying to figure out how we could teach her about obedience to God's commandments and our Moral Agency. When suddenly it hit us! We went and bought a bag of KISSES! We decided what we would do is offer a KISS (it symbolizing a choice). It was her choice to accept the KISS or to reject it. If she accepted it, we'd ask her how it was and what she liked about it. Then we'd offer her another. If she took that one we'd offer her another. Then another, and another until she rejects a KISS. We would ask her why she said 'no', and listen. The actually answer she gave was she'd "had enough." We pointed out that the choices we make have consequences. Particularly in this examples, we compared it to sin. At first a sin might seem gratifying, and pleasing, so you want to do it again; because you want that continuous pleasure. However, the more KISSES you eat, the more you realize the downside to eating them. You might realize they are very rich, and so you are thirtsy, or maybe you realize you might gain weight. Whatever the reason is, there is always a downside to sin. Sin is our choice. Every decision, in the long run, is ours to make. With every choice there is a concequence. Our Father in Heaven wants us to make the right decision, and Satan does not. But nevertheless, our Father in Heaven gave us the ability to choose for ourselves. This is called 'Moral Agency'! We chose to read with Selina 2 Nephi 2:27

 

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

 

notice the contrast in word choice that we are given by Jacob in this sermon:

 

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to chooseliberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

 

Now notice the source of the contrasts:

 

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

 

Notice that the Devil is only able to do so much with us as his captivity will allow us, as well as the Savior. We have to make choices for ourselves. I remember hearing an analogy by a General Authority once describe it as a voting process- Satan has 1 vote for us, and Jesus Christ has 1 vote for us. The question is where will OUR vote go? Either way the decisions we make determine our happiness. We are free "according to flesh" and so we must also recognize that while our decisions do appear "according to the flesh" the things we know and share as members of the Church of Jesus Christ are of ETERNAL significance. That is why it is important to make right decisions- the liberty and eternal life we are talking about is ETERNAL! The death and captivity that we are talking about can be as well- if we allow ourselves to fall.

 

I've learned alot on my mission, that with every choice there is a consequence. We can choose it either way-

1. We can just make a choice, and face the consequences the come as a result. If you choose to steal something and you get caught you go to jail. You made the choice, now you must face the consequence.

 

however if we look at our other option!

 

2. We can evaluate the consequence, see what we want and then make the choices necessary to get the best result- we are happier. So if you feel tempted to steal, and you realize that there are bad consequences to stealing, you'll probably choose otherwise. Unless you're an idiot.

 

I could go on and on about how important our decision making is. But I know that decision making is critical in our lives. It is through our decision making that we are able to qualify for the Grace of Christ, and by that that we are ultimately saved by His grace.

So make good decisions, people!

 

I also had a way sweet insight this last week when reading the Book of Mormon. But I'm going to save that for another time. But it's something that has really impacted me and I'm glad I had that insight.

 

Have a great week!

 

Elder Prows

Weekly Post - 5/15/2012

Man, this week was sweet.

 

Sunday we had 2 baptisms. Brooklynn and Ian were baptized and that was sweet! It was weird because they should've been baptized like 2 months ago apparently, but they weren't. I got here and I was like "Well freak!" so I set up a date, after working with the Bishop, President Jergensen and the Ward Mission Leader and of course the 2 candidates. In the long run Sunday morning was the only day that they could get dunked so we did that. It was amazing, and spiritual feast. So the Macomb Ward has 2 new members!

 

I also got to my 4th and final phone call for the mission. I talked a good amount of time with my family. I got to reaffirm them that I had been waiting for the Avengers for 6 or 7 years, and that I knew it'd be good because the Avengers are awesome. I will not lie though it was a HUGE gamble for Marvel to make. But it was a good phone call! I was so happy to hear from them. I concider myself really lucky because I haven't had a problem with being "trunky" over my mission after these phone calls. The only one I had a problem with was the first phone call. That one SUCKED big time because we didn't talk about ANYTHING but what I'd already talked about on my blog. It was like "this sucks, I don't want to talk about this."

 

Nikki, a MEGA solid recent convert left this week too because the students left. She's gone back to her home in Idaho. She's gonna be ok then, because she's in Idaho, and she's going to go to college in UVU- so that's good. I want to make sure that every recent convert I know can be as SOLID as I can. It's hard when they don't stay as solid as they can. But Nikki is solid so she's good, I'm sure.

 

That was basically my week. It was good. The college students are gone, so the streets aren't as packed. So that's kind of depressing, but I'm leaving in like 2 weeks anyways.

 

This email was short but all I had to say.

 

Elder Prows

Weekly Post - 5/7/2012

wow, this was a hectic week. I do not want to be transferred like that ever again. It's hard to have something like that happen, and not be able to explain it to members or your district. But you just gotta do what you gotta do.

 

So I'll just go over the week-

 

MONDAY:

The transfer took place. At 1 PM Elder Holms and I met up with the other missionaries who were involved with the exchange, and the Zone Leaders. We talked to the Zone Leaders for a bit, one of the missionaries had a good long talk with Elder Holmes, and the other Elder, and I talked to them for a bit too. I will not disclose details. But in the long run we talked for a bit, recieved instruction, and moved my baggage to one car, and the other Elders to the other, and we parted ways. Elder Tripp and I went to Latter-Day Harvest to do some Mother's Day shopping (hint hint, Mom?) and we drove back to Macomb, Illinois. My new area. I really didn't want to go back to Illinois again. But the Lord asked, so I will go freely.

First thing I found out that I'd have to do as a new District Leader is that same day I was going to be giving a baptismal interview. I didn't mean to express my enthusiasm vocally (meaning: Awwwww-raaaaawrrr! or I could just discribe it as a loud groan, with a little bit of a CRAP! added to it...) either way it was an amazing experience. I had a privilege of sitting with the Carthage Sisters baptismal date, and asking him the Baptismal Interview Questions (which I still need to memorize...) and discerning his needs, and approving him for baptism. It was sweet. I loved having that experience, and I'm sure I'll have more. By the way Nauvoo is in my district. So I now get to go there every other week. WHAT'S UP!

 

Tuesday:

we had lessons with pretty much all our investigators. I got really lucky. I came to an area that has 5 baptismal dates. They're all sweet too. Brooklyn and Ian are getting baptized this week, and it's exciting. Brooklyn is way funny, because she's black and pregnant so she definately has personality. Ian is pretty chill. He really likes Mass Effect, and is in school to be a Cop.

Ashley was pretty cool too. She's roommates with a recent convert named Nikki who was baptized like a week ago. Nikki is as solid as they come, and she keeps telling me I need to go see the Avengers first thing when I get back. I KNOW! I've only been waiting for it for like 6 or 7 years! But on another note, Ashley is solid, and would be baptized if she weren't a student and leaving to go back to Ohio for the summer this Saturday- nooooooo!

We also taught the Law of Chastity to a girl named Selena. I immediately was like (Selena Gomez??? My mind is going crazy.) But no, she's only our way cool investigator with a baptismal date. She gives a little too much info on past transgressions, but we're trying to help her to understand that she doesn't need to disclose that. Not so much what she did, just HOW she did it. It gets kind of graphic, and awkward. But hey, sometimes people just need open ears.

 

Wednesday:

We had exchanges in Ft. Madison with the Zone Leaders. We did lots of finding and potential work. I went with Elder Chairez. He's solid, and a convert. I like to tease him because he's solid, and convert, from California and played baseball. He laughs alot. He has that same thing I have I think where once you start laughing you have a hard time stopping. I hate that! What kind of an issue is that? Hey, at least you're happy and not sad right? It was a good exchange though.

 

Thursday:

I did my first District Meeting in Nauvoo. The Zone Leaders liked it, so I was glad. I trained on Revelation through the Book of Mormon. I was pleased with how it went. I also met this day ou baptismal date Schuyler pronounced Skylar). He's solid. We're kind of similar too, in personality so we get along. We had a long conversation before our lesson about how you shouldn't turn the radios volume into odd numbers, unless it's in increments of 5. But you never do it at a 4 because you can just put it at a 5 then. It's an art! You have to have your volume just right, or it won't sound right. I hope everyone can understand how Schuyler and I feel about this. Because it is true. 

 

Friday:

Weekly planning. It was weekly planning. OH! We got to do this service project thing that we do weekly at a radio place. We sit in a room, put on headphones and read newspapers into a microphone. It's really weird cause you can hear yourself through the headphones so you can make yourself sound better. Yes, I did do a little beatboxing... don't judge me because I have other weird things I do than you do! You're hypocrites and jerks! Naw, it's all chill. I forgive people who judge, because I am just that nice. Anyways.

 

Saturday:

FINDING. This day was slow.

 

Sunday:

Church. It was funny with everyone being surprised to see me. I was sad because I wanted to bear my testimony, but the people here are FAST. They got up there before I could fully comprehend the last Amen. I like to say to myself inside a loud AMEN. I debated on just going up there while someone was talking, but I didn't feel that was appropriate for some reason. The spirit constraineth me going up there and making me look like a fool.

 

in short that was our week. Now we are going to have a good P-day.

Our apartment is very hot. It's in the attic of a members home, and it gets very hot. We finally got our fan to work though. So that's cool. Today feels good.

 

Ok bye.

 

Elder Prows