Living in a FOG(H)

Hey friends! Sorry to write you on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday but we had zone conference yesterday so our p-day got switched to today. 

So first, the best thing that happened this week, it rained! It was seriously the greatest thing ever, especially since it's been in the 90's recently. Rain is my favorite thing in the whole world I think, ice cream of course being a close second.

We had a really good lesson with a new investigator named Joe this week. He was a referral from the Spanish Elders. I was a little skeptical because he doesn't seem to own a shirt and his house stinks like weed like you wouldn't believe but, it was actually really good. He recognizes that his life is better when God is in it and he wants to get back to that. We were supposed to see him yesterday too but it didn't work out so hopefully we'll get to see him again soon.

Jessica also has a baptism date of June 11. I'm not sure if she's going to make it since she is still really struggling with the word of wisdom but we're keeping our fingers crossed! We also had a lesson this week with a man named Melchezidck! How crazy is that! He's friends with a family in our ward but it turns out he lives out of our area. But, another family has a friend named Loc staying with them that we had our first lesson with on Sunday. He's not Christian but open to other ideas and he really likes church so we'll see how it goes! 

The real highlight of this week was being able to go to zone conference. It was good as usual, but this one was a little different because it is the last on the we will have with President and Sister Miller before they go home in July. So they gave us their dying advice at the end. Ha, all the zone leaders "had something in their eye", and Elder Sanchez was very concerned about what was wrong with Elder Bracken. It was really good though, President and Sister Miller have been amazing and I'm so thankful that they were here for my whole mission. I also had my dying interview this week, which was strange. We spent a lot of time talking about spiritual gifts obtained and how to continue to progress for the rest of your life. He also said that if I wanted, he would interview my future fiance before I got married so I might have to take him up on that =D 

As for a spiritual though, I have two but I think I'm going to save one for next week because I'm a bit low on time. Something that President Miller said both in my interview and in his advise at zone conference, was that living the gospel is simple, it's living life that's hard. And life is what can sometime trick us into over complicating the things of God. The primary things we invite investigators to do to progress in CPR. Go to church, pray, and read your scriptures. Generally, assuming you're attentive, and apply and all of that, that's all you really need. Sometimes, when questions, concerns, and trials come up, you need other things, and of course you have to follow and listen to the council and revelation you get, but when you are doing those three, and for members of the church attending the temple regularly, you will progress, you will grow, you will move forward. It is something I have seen again and again. No matter what stage you are at, high or low, we can always do better. We can always ask with an open heart "what lack I yet?" and find the answer in those things and come closer to Christ. So, if you are doing those 3/4 things, keep it up, and if you're not, commit to start, today. 

Oh, one more thing that happened, I told President and Sister Miller that they couldn't get trunky in their last few weeks and he just looked at me and said "ain't nobody got time for that!". Sister Miller said they were living in a FOG(H) (the H is silent I guess), a fear of going home. Ha, I told them I was in a pretty thick FOG(H) too. 

Well, I hope you all are doing great and having a good week! Talk to you soon! 

Love, 

April 

Are you less active?

Friends! We just got back from a baseball game! There was an afternoon Albuquerque Isotopes game and our zone got permission to go! It was I have to say pretty awesome, and certainly a change of pace from basketball in the gym. Not that that's not good too. 

Last week at sports we played a game called flicker ball, which is like ultimate Frisbee but you play it in the gym with a football, and instead of getting the ball into the end zone you get it into the basketball hoop. It was pretty fun, so if you're ever looking for a weird new game to play give it a try! 

We picked up a new investigator this week! Yay!! His name is Eric and he's friends with a member of the branch. We met him at FHE and after we left he asked the Branch President for our number because he "wanted to talk to us about Jesus." Can do Eric! Can do! He doesn't know much about the church though, or even Christ really. In our first lesson he asked us what it was like to be nuns and he brought us some incense that Catholics use for some kind of ceremony. So that was nice... Ha, he's a nice guy though so hopefully he's interested in learning more and is willing to put some effort in. 

We met with that family that I was telling you about a few weeks ago, where the father passed away suddenly. We hadn't ever really talked to them up to this point just because of everything that was going on but we did this week. Guess where they lived before Albuquerque? Marysville, Washington. How weird is that?!? 

We also went on a few less active adventures and were happy to find that a few of them were actually active and just like to travel. We were talking to one thought to be less active member who asked what we were doing for the day and we said "going to go see less actives." They laughed and said "I hope we weren't one of those!" ... they were... 

As far as something spiritual for the week goes, we are still reading those books by Elder Bednar. Today we talked about being offended and taking offense. This is a clip from one of the talks we discusses. 

On of my favorite quotes from Brigham Young goes something like: A man who takes offense when offense is not intended is a fool. A man who takes offense when offense is intended, is also a fool. 

Ha, anyway, I hope you all are doing well and have an amazing week! 

Love, 

April

p.s. Sister Gibbon this morning accidentally called Pahoran Pathoran.

Answered Prayers

 Friends, I have bad news. I forgot my planner today, which has all of my notes on the crazy shenanigans that have gone on during the week. So, I'll tell you two stories and leave you with a though and try to not forget it next time, sorry!

 We were having a meeting and somehow off hand it was brought up that Sister Gibbons has a Cost-Co card. One of the Elders started protesting about how he lived right behind Cost-Co and he had to see if every day but he didn't get to go inside. She offered to let him use her card. He thought about it for a minute and then said "No, I'm too poor for Cost-co. All I really want is a hot dog.". So now whenever we see the Bosque Elders or something disappointing happens we just respond with "will someone please get that man a hot dog?". Maybe you had to be there but I was, so it was pretty great.

 The second thing happened yesterday during our weekly planning. We live about half a mile from our zone leaders and the other sisters in our zone. Around 2:30 we got a text from the zone leaders asking us to call them. We did and were asked if we could bring over some butter. When we asked if they were home now they said yes and that they weren’t going anywhere any time soon. When we asked why they said "Well... it's kind of a long story but Elder Thompson was trying to fix a leak in the sink and now his hand is stuck in it." So naturally then needed the butter to get his hand unstuck. We came over and brought them my tool kit, Windex, and some butter but... it turns out that they actually just wanted butter so that they could make cookies. It was pretty funny and we totally fell for it, but we came away with a new motto for the transfer. "Don't wait around for your Zone Leader, he's probably stuck under a sink.".

 So anyway, now on to something slightly more spiritual. A lot of times on the mission I've thought back to my old areas or my old companions and thought "if only I could go back and serve there again, I would do so much better the second time.". Not that I was bad before, just because I know more now. Towards the end of my last transfer in Hondo Pass, when I knew that I was going to leave, I asked Heavenly Father that if it was possible, I would like to go back to somewhere I had been before. Or get the change to work with/ around some of my old comps I had before. And I promised that if that happened, I would be better this time. I would use what I learned to do what I should have done the first time. In this transfer and last I've been blessed with that in literally every way you could imagine. I'm an STL again, in a YSA again, in a family ward again, I'm serving in ABQW again, and work in Rio Rancho again, and even get to work in two of my old areas. I've had the chance to see and work with many of my old companions and even just people that I've known from the past. And I know I haven't been perfect this time around, but I hope I can keep my end of the deal and do my best to make things better this time and make things right Anyway, just a thought, what a huge testament of the love Heavenly Father has for us and how perfectly He knows us! Anyway, have a good week!

 Love,

 April

we got to go to the Albuquerque temple yesterday

Well friends, I know that you're not going to believe this but, I don't have a lot of time! So sorry if this ends up a little short. This week we had some fun events. One of which was our poor little car being the victim of a hit and run. We weren't in the car when it happened but someone smashed out bumper and then took off. Don't worry though, we used our detective skills to find them again (we were just across the street and saw it happen) and get their plates and file a police report. And that was 3 hours of pure fun, let me tell you! It actually wasn't that bad, it just took a long time. 

In happier news, we got to go to the Albuquerque temple yesterday. which was great! We get to go twice a year, usually after conference, so we were surprised that it was this early but hey, I'm not going to complain. And going up to Albuquerque from El Paso is always a full day trip since it's 4 hours one way. We got all of our planning done though so it was still productive, don't you worry (because I know that you were all so worried right?)! It's always nice to be able to go up as well because the whole mission goes on the same day, so often you get to see other friends who are serving in different areas. Unfortunately for me though, I owed one Elder some Mentos and I brought them all the way up from El Paso to give to him but I didn't see him there. So naturally I had to eat them on the way back. 

I think that I told you all that we have been focusing more on part member families and unbaptized children of record here in the mission. This week we received three new investigators from it. All of them are children who have a member parent but haven't been baptized themselves. Teaching kids helps us to remember how to be simple, but it's always cool to see how easily they get it, and really how simple the gospel really can be. 

Something else that I've really enjoyed this week have been Charles' new member lessons. He is teaching them to us and we are being "investigators", which is really fun. It's like an enjoyable role play, and it's good to be able to see his growth and understanding. His wife has even "secretly" been listening in and last week she told us that she wants to read The Book of Mormon! So we'll see where that goes. 

We met with James again this week, and he is still doing really well. He is very honest in his questions, which is nice. Often times, people ask the same questions he does but without the intent to understand, just as an attack. 

Which brings me to what I've been thinking about this week. I've been reading over my journal and something we talked about in one of the Sunday meetings in the MTC has been on my mind. We talked about when Christ goes to the temple and reads the scripture that talks about the coming of Christ and says "this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Saying in essence, I am the messiah. Well, the people had a freak out, yell blasphemy, and decided to stone him. And he leaves of course and goes somewhere else to talk to other people. The lesson to learn though is that what Christ said was true, he was the messiah, and just because it was different from what the Jews were expecting, didn't make it any less true. If they had opened their hearts and listened and learned from what he had to say, they would have been enlightened and found a lot more, peace, happiness and certainly spiritual understanding. But instead they get angry, defensive, refuse to consider other options, and literally try to kill the messenger. Now, obviously we can apply this to investigators, and people that we as missionaries meet on the street, but more importantly, we should apply it to ourselves. When we hear something that doesn't quite fit in exactly with everything that we already believe, especially something spiritual, do we stop, think, open our hearts and try and learn? Or do we get defensive, justify, and get rid of or try to "kill" what we are hearing? Sometimes, what we are hearing will be wrong, and if we are calm and rational about it, we will learn and understand that. But sometimes, it will be right and true. And just because it's different from what we think or think we know, doesn't make it any less true. And we may be denying us of further peace, happiness and understanding. Anyway, something to mull over.   

Well, I hope you all are doing amazing and talk to you soon! 

Love, 

April  

p.s. A quote from our bishop this week when talking about fast and testimony meetings. "I just figured eventually that this was the Lord's true church. He wants these weird people in it just like he wants the normal ones." 

one cool experience

Well friends, I'm not sure that I have anything really all that exciting to report this week. Honestly, really just the regular stuff. I am considering getting color contacts though. We had a lesson with one new investigator this week who we promptly dropped after, when he sent us a text telling us how much he had fallen in love with my eyes. Yeah... I wish that was the only time that has happened. I think that's probably #4. Just as a word of caution, when someone starts complimenting your eyes, especially someone you don't know, just leave. It's just going to go down from there. But hey, I haven't been called or asked to participate in prostitution for a good month now so things are looking up I guess! 

We did have one cool experience this week where we tracked into a guy who invited us to come in right there and teach him. He seems like a really cool guy so that was pretty nice. We've also been working with Charles more this week with his new member lessons. They're pretty fun because he teaches us and we pretend to not know what he's talking about.

We also got to take Shirley to a baptism this week. She has been doing really well, which is awesome, especially considering her situations. She is living with her son and daughter in law and her son is deploying later this week. Her daughter in law won't let us in the house though so we always have to meet somewhere else. She has a lot of determination though and said "If we have to meet on the driveway, that's fine with me!". At the baptism she also gave Elder Montoya a hug and his reaction was pretty funny.   

This week I have been considering how everything Heavenly Father does is for our benefit. And if we don't understand now, we will in time. We were watching Prophet of the Restoration and it was talking about all of Joseph Smith's children who have died. I was thinking about how of course that was tragic and from our perspective it seems unfair, and like he was being punished, or at least not blessed or something. I thought though, that there is that thing about parents being able to raise children who have died during the millennium. Joseph Smith had a crazy life. Perhaps, his children were allowed to die, so that he would be able to raise them later during a happier and more peaceful time. I mean, obviously I don't know, but, when we take the time to really stop and think about things that seem unkind or unfair, we find possible positive reason. And even when we don't, we can take what we know about God, that he is our loving Heavenly Father, that really does want and only do what is best for us and exercise the faith to know that it will all work out in the end.  

Anyway, hope you all have a good week.

Love, 

April 

Charles got baptized

So this week Charles got baptized!!!! Finally, !!!!!! Charles is only the second person that I have been there on the day that we met and then also there on the day that he got baptized. The first was John, who is also amazing! So we spent a good portion of the week getting things ready for that. They interview and speakers and all of that good stuff. Our WML was out of town this weekend too so that added to the fun. 

This week was also Pope Day! That's right, the Pope came to town! Well, actually he came to Juarez, but you know, close enough. I was expecting honestly it to be a bigger hindrance for us than it was, but really it just meant the people were all inside watching the Pope on tv and got mad when we came to their door. So pretty much just like any Sunday when a football game is on.  

We had a really cool experience this week when we went to go see a recent convert that just moved into our ward. She lives in an apartment complex that has a big "no soliciting" sign in the front of it. As we were leaving the complex a lady come out from the office and starts following us. I was pretty sure she was going to yell at us for "soliciting in her complex" aka walking through it, but actually she asked us if we had an extra copy of The Book of Mormon. Her brother is a member and told her to look into it! So we gave her one of course and are planning to meet with her later. 

We're still meeting with Tina and Molly and they're doing alright, although both of them need their dates pushed back. One of Judi's struggles with the Word of Wisdom is that she gets really bad migraines and drinks coffee to get rid of them. That's why she started even drinking it in the first place. So we're not quite sure what to do about that. If you have any ideas, we'd be glad to hear them. Molly is the same old stuff. Crazy family life and trying to work things out with her dad. But we're going over later this week and we'll see how it goes. 

We also had a good lesson with Tina who lives out in Chappy. She really asks a lot of good questions and thinks about what it is that we're saying. And when we brought up baptism she said "I'm glad you mentioned that because I do want to get baptized. I've always known that I needed to." Of course we still have a way to go before she gets there but, it's pretty great! Oh and it was also Sister Dummar's birthday this week. So we of course told as many people as possible. It reminded me of when it was always Sister Bowen's birthday. 

This morning we listened to President Uchtdorf's talk about the forget me not's where he talks about the difference between a good and a foolish sacrifice. This is something that I've thought about before so hopefully I haven't talked to you about it already, but I was reminded of it this morning. He says that somethings are obviously good to sacrifice for and some things obviously not so much. I was thinking though about how a lot of the time, if somethings is a good or a foolish sacrifice is up to us. Take a mission for example. The sacrifice has already been made, but if it's a good sacrifice or a bad one or not is up to me, the things that I choose to do, the way I spend my time and thoughts and attitude. Getting an education is a sacrifice, and if it's a good or a bad one or not is up to you. What you choose to study, how diligent you are about it, and what you choose to do with what you study. In so many instances what the sacrifice becomes is up to us. Another talks says it similarly. He talks about how Christ says that Heavenly Father only gives bread, and fish and eggs, and not serpents and scorpions. So, Heavenly Father only gives us good things. But, with our actions and our attitudes, we can turn those good things into bad things. Especially if the good thing he gives us, isn't the thing we want or the thing we expect. So ask yourself when you are in a position of sacrifice, is this a good or bad sacrifice? Or if the sacrifice has already been made, am I going to make it a good one or a bad one? 

So anyway, hopefully you all are doing well and have an amazing week!

Love, 

April  

#diesouth!

Hello friends, not a whole lot of excitement I feel like this week to report. I guess that's a good thing though because it means that I might actually get to finish writing this to you without having to rush. I guess the biggest missionary things is transfers. And the verdict is.... #diesouth! Ha, I'm still here in Hondo Pass going on transfer #5 and at least 8 months in El Paso before I leave. If I ever do that is. It's a good place though and good things are really starting to happen here though so I'm excited. This time for transfers the district all met at our apartment and our District Leader gave everyone a candle. If you left, he blew out your candle. He had way too much fun with it but it was fun and different. Only one person from the district left though so it was a little anticlimactic. I was really surprised though how few changes there are going to be in the district/zone, especially considering the new stake that we're in but hey, it's fine with me. 

  

In other exciting news, we went with Charles to a baptism in Spanish this last weekend. Since only 1st ward and us speak English almost all of the baptisms are in Spanish. Despite only being able to understand every other word it was pretty great, and I think that he liked it. When we asked him what he thought he said "Well, the water will be cold and I need to bring a change of clothes." Um... yes... I guess so? Ha, he is doing well though so I'm excited to be able to be here for his baptism in a few weeks. 

Speaking of Spanish, we had exchanges this week and I got to go to Rio Grande. It was kind of fun to be back over on the West side. Don't tell our friends here in the North East but the west side is the best side! The north east has freak weather. Like yesterday when it was 70 in the morning and sunny and snowing in the afternoon. How does that work? 

We were able to pick up a really cool new investigator this week named Erika. is interested in the gospel has had a rough and interesting past, but she seems really eager and open to learn, which is awesome of course! I'm excited to be able to work with her more. 

At dinner the other day our ward mission leader and his wife were telling us about the possible places that they might be sent to by the army and they said "Hey, you're from Washington. do you know a place called Marysville?" Ha, yes, yes I do. So they might end up living there or in Everett. I've never heard of someone going to Marysville because of the military but who knows! So, if the Maenhardts end up in your ward you people back home say hi and know that we hung out first in El Paso. 

Other exciting news of the week, we had some authentic Jamaican food. It was pretty good; I have to say that I am a fan. I saw on the menu that you can get ox tail there so maybe I'll try that some time. The member that took us, who is originally from Jamaica said that Ox tail is only good if you have someone who really knows how to cook it right so... there you go I guess. 

This week I have been studying a lot from last year’s Relief Society and Priesthood book because I realized that I have it but never really read it so now I am. Anyway, today I was reading about "follow the prophet". One of the things it said is that the most important prophet is the one who is alive today. And to beware of people who would put a dead prophet over a living one. He also goes on to talk about how people praise the prophets of old but mentally or emotionally reject or crucify the current one. We see that a lot of course with people who don't believe in prophets but I think that if we are not careful we can also see it in ourselves. A prophet tells people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. And if they say something that we maybe don't like or pricks us in the heart, maybe we should consider 1 Nephi 16: 2-3  "wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth.Now, does that mean that you are a terrible person if you are doing something wrong? Or if you don't agree exactly the second you hear some council? I certainly hope not because otherwise I'm a pretty bad person. But it is important to remember who knows best? You? Or Heavenly Father's servant (btw, probably not you in case you were wondering)?

 Something that really called me to consider my attitude towards the prophet was when Elder Bennett was talking to us about inviting to baptism. I asked what to do when you invite someone and they freak out and don't let you meet with them again. He talked a lot about why it's important and how to do it and all of that but at the end of the day the bottom line was this. The call to invite others to be baptized at the first lesson the majority of the time and no later than the second lesson the rest of the time comes from the prophet. If you don't support that principle, you don't support his council. Sorry, that's just the truth. Now, does it always "logically" make sense? The way that it appears to our natural eyes? No. But neither does tithing, or fasting, or so many other commandments that don't 'add up" if we scientifically analyze them. But they are true, and they are from God. And as we do them and do his will, we will be blessing, including being blessed to understand why. So, when you have a fork in the road ask yourself, who knows best? Anyway, sorry for the ramble. And lest you think I am contradicting myself by my last ramble about scripture study, prophets say to study the scriptures so there! Ha, just don't put them above the living one =D 

Anyway, I hope you all have an amazing week! 

Love, 

April