Sunday, September 13, 2015

August 31st–September 6th: The Temple and a Fireside

The two highlights of the week was definitely going to the temple on Wednesday and the missionary member fireside on Sunday.  I just loved the feeling of the temple and I learned so much!  It is the same each time but also different.  When I went to the temple, the question I had in my mind to find an answer to was how to be a better missionary.  The answer I got was two parts: (1) find joy in the work (2) don’t seek after the honors of men, you are here for the Lord and the Lord alone, and don’t forget that.  Until that time, I didn’t realize that I was getting into the mission culture of baptisms and numbers and “Oh, I taught so many people how many did you teach?” or “I gave out more Books of Mormon than you did.” The fireside was fantastic.  Recent converts bore their testimony and told their story.  Then at the end, President Ulrich bore his testimony about the restoration.  It was so powerful.  He went through the first vision and all that.  It was brilliant.  I love listening to him teach and bare testimony because it is so powerful.  He knows!!!!!

To update you on the people we have been teaching:  Damien dropped us and his mother is determined not to act on the things she has felt but the spirit keeps her coming back so we shall see.  She has definitely felt the spirit.  She went to the missionary member fireside with us, so she definitely felt the spirit there.   Eleta is getting the answer she needs for the Book of Mormon but she doesn’t recognize it.  She says that she gets it sometimes when she reads but other times no.  We actually met her husband this week who seemed nice. We have a new investigator (well friend might be a better word for now) Adam.  We meet with him at the Church.  We played chair football.  It was super fun.  So what you do is everyone has a chair and the goal is to protect your chair while getting other people out by touching their chair with the ball.  It is a lot like revenge dodgeball.  The last game we used as an object lesson.  We didn’t use any of the rules, and it just got all messed up.  It was to teach him the value of the “rules” that God gives us to live by.  It was really good and he is starting to open up a bit. 

We did a little more service for Anna, and we had some street displays.  We met some good people, and hope that something comes of them.  It was a crazy busy week. 

You asked about the food.  I think it is pretty normal.  I think a little bland but not too terribly different from back home.  I have had sausage rolls (that Kade and Phil talked about), and it was fine.  Not really anything to write home about, hahaha.  The ward is super small so we don’t get fed much.  Usually once to twice a week. 

The reason I am here is for Heavenly Father.  To be 100% honest, I would rather be home and in school and with my friends, but there is nothing that would make me leave because I know I have been called of God to be here and that is where he wants me.  He is the man with the master plan so that is why I’m here.  I know this is what I need to do that that this is where I need to be.  I’m not here for me, and I’m not here for anyone else, I am here because this is where Heavenly Father wants me.

Elder Tarbet

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