Monday, February 3, 2014

Year 2 - Letter 36 - Baton Rouge, LA

Mormon 9:15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

Hey Everyone!
So this week was crazy!  

First of all, the snow/ice came back.  It was insane.  Missionaries everywhere in Louisiana weren't allowed to go out on bikes or in cars, or walk on or near big roads.  So, that was rather interesting.  We had the East Elders over, which means that we had six missionaries locked in our apartment.  We ended up going to El Tio, a Hispanic tienda close by home.  We set up a table with sever copies of the Book of Mormon and some pamphlets and other stuff.  I don't have my camera on me, but I have some great pictures of all of that.   It got down to like 29 degrees, which, when you have been in Louisiana as long as I have, is really cold!  We found a few really cool people around so that was neat.

OK, just wanted to say that this was pretty much the longest week ever!  I keep thinking about us in front of the Tio and it feels like it was forever ago, but it was only a week ago.

Anyways, Wednesday was awesome!  We had interviews with President Wall, and instruction with Sister Wall and the assistants. Elder Asuao and Elder Heile.  We went to the instruction first. We talked about the Atonement, and the purpose that we have serving.  It was interesting seeing how my purpose has changed while I have been out on my mission.  I really kind of started out being on a mission because that is what I had planned to do, and I wanted to help others.  Now, I serve because I just love the people here.  I want to do all that I can to help these people come unto Christ.  I know that what I am doing here has eternal significance.  It was a cool instruction. 

After that I had my interview with President Wall.  I got my recommend renewed, which was kind of cool getting it from President Wall.  President Wall is the best.  I think that I will really miss our interviews and just seeing him around.  Anyways, after my recommend interview, he asked me if there was anything I wanted to talk about.  So we talked about me being a trainer, and things that I can do to be better at that.  Then, President Wall asked me a cool question.  If I had a magic wand, and could wave it and get anything, what would I ask for?  Baptisms?  Investigators? Lessons?  I then said time.  I would ask for time.  He then asked me what I would do with that time.  I told him to keep doing what I was, and that time has just flown by.  He told me that he had been thinking of time lately as well.  He talked about what he would do if he knew the day he would die.  Would he live it up and then repent the last two years, or continue to do good?  He then told me something that I think has completely changed my perspective on life and everything.  He told be to think of time as a resource.  I had a big warehouse full of boxes of time.  Boxes of hours, of minutes, of seconds.  I only have a limited amount of these "boxes". Once they run out, they run out.  That is it.  Now, when I go about doing something, I think, is what I am about to do worth the time that it would cost?  Because once it is spent, it is gone. Yes, you could do something that isn't the best use of your time, and then use more time to do what is the best, but then we have used more of our time.  Why should we fill our time with things that are only good, or better, when we could have the BEST of everything?  That is what I want.  I want the BEST.  Good doesn't cut it.  A cool thought.

Thursday, I was biking from the Library on Bluebonnet  on our way to an appointment, and the cable to my front derailer snapped and sent my chain into first gear.  That was crazy.  I figure it was from the crazy weather going from freezing to warm and humid in a couple of days. Anyways, we struggled back to the apartment and called the zone leaders who gave us a ride to the bike shop to get that fixed.  We went to this place on Essen and Perkins called Capitol Cyclery.  It is a really cool store.  They know us missionaries.  Anyways, they switched out the cable, and because a piece of the cable was stuck in the mechanism on my handlebars, they put on a brand new one.  All for 14 dollars.  They didn't charge for labor.  Cool guys.  It is fun to talk to them about bikes.  Bikes are the best.  So are people.

Well, this week we had a good visit with Blas.  We talked with him about how it is important to pray to know truth, and that he could do that with the Book of Mormon.  We gave him an assignment to read in Alma 7 and pray to know if it is true.  I really hope reads.  Sometimes people remind me of the people that Moses dealt with.  He held up the Brazen Serpent and invited the people to look.  All they have to do is try!  We come to people and invite them to accept a message that will let them live with their family for eternity, and return to their Heavenly Father.  Not only that, we promise that the gospel will bring happiness NOW.  Wouldn't you look into that?  Maybe there is a better way to present that?  We need to let people know what we have!

We also got in contact with a bunch of people that we had lost contact with, so it will be good to get back with them.  

We had a great lesson with David.  We talked with them about where they wanted to be in 5 years, and that in order to get there, there are things that they have to accomplish now in order to get there.  We explained that it is the same with the Gospel.  We must do things now in order to receive certain blessings later.  Elder Glauser shared a scripture and did a wonderful job.  His Spanish is good.  He has a good testimony too.

Well, life is great here!  I love you all!  Thanks for everything!  Keep on keepin on!

Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews 

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