I will start with the best and fill in the rest.
Saturday we had our missionary conference. Every missionary in the mission came to Reno. That never happens! The conference started at 2pm but we were to be in our seats by 1:30. Missionaries from Elko, Ely and the California parts had driven all morning to get there. It was fun to drive to the church and see the missionary cars heading there too. You can tell a missionary car, they all have the same bike rack on the back. As they started to fill the chapel the Spirit grew and grew. They were all there early and at 1:30 they started to sing. I can’t express what that feels like. The Chesnuts walked in, walked to the front of the chapel and Sister Chesnut couldn’t contain the tears. It was such a special moment to have the entire mission together, singing. They had everyone go to the cultural hall for a picture. It was a big group but they hurried in and out. On the way back to chapel every missionary was able to shake hands with Elder Pierson, Elder Larkin and Elder D Todd Christofferson. It was a special conference. We had talks but Elder Christofferson had the missionaries ask questions. My favorite question was asking him for a missionary experience he had as a young missionary that had an influence on his life. He told how as a leader he had an impression about a companionship that was a long way away. He hadn’t received any information and it was a long distance by bus but he felt like there was a problem and they needed to go visit. He told how he tried to ask himself if it was the spirit or just his own thoughts but they went and there was a problem that needed to be taken care of. He learned to recognize promptings of the Spirit. We thought he might tell a conversion story but really he was telling his own conversion story, something that really influenced his life. He was also asked how they could develop charity and love. He answered with the ten Commandments, the part before the commandments, Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” If we have no other “Gods” before Him. We will not bow down to weakness and sin, we will not be in bondage. We can do this by being “anxiously engaged”. We can incorporate the good and push out the bad. That is how we should love God. That leads to charity. He also blessed them with specific blessings. He told them to not be afraid if life is hard. Elder Pierson told us that we might speak English or we might speak Spanish but those are not our native tongue. Our innate native tongue is a spiritual language and the Holy Ghost comes to bear witness to us in our native tongue. I loved that. It was a very special opportunity to be a part of this. I will never forget what it feels like to be in a chapel full of missionaries, listening to them sing.
The rest of the week was FOOD! Monday we planned and shopped for food and prepared some food. Tuesday morning was Transfer Day and we fed the incoming missionaries. There were only four Sisters arriving but the Office missionaries and senior couples are all invited. We fed about 20 people. We had Chicken Noodle soup, Broccoli cheese soup, breadsticks, grapes, Cuties, green salad, cookies and Rice Krispie treats. Wednesday we knocked some doors but no one was home. We drove by the Truckee River, it is over-flowing! Thursday we started doing food again. We planned, shopped and prepped again. Friday was MLC. We fed 40 people, mostly the zone leaders and STLs. We had chicken burrito bowls, which is rice, chicken, and toppings. We had a big fruit salad, tortilla chips and sugar cookie bars. We learn something new about every meal. Elder Hardman makes beautiful bread sticks and fruit salads. The Vaiavakas came to help on Friday. Elder Vaiavaka quietly washes everything. They are fun to listen to about their mission to Papau, New Guinea. We enjoyed having them in the kitchen. It is a busy week but will be even busier from now on. We will have two meals on Transfer Day. Our extra meal this time was on Saturday. Sister Chesnut was asked to feed the visiting authorities on Saturday night after the conference. After we had our lunch on Tuesday she told me she wanted to make the same soups for that dinner. I told her we would come on Saturday and make the soup, put it in the crock pot and she could serve it that night. We went and made soup on Saturday morning and Elder Hardman even added his famous breadsticks! I am not sure how this became our assignment but so far so good. No one has died.
We have a busy week this next week also but we don’t have to cook for anyone. We only had two transfers in our zone. Elder Katsilas is back, he was here when we first came so it is fun to have him back and we have a new sister who is training. We take around a treat on the Thursday after transfers. It is always something kinda silly but they seem to look forward to it. I steal ideas from Pinterest. This time we took Cuties that said, “peel the love, welcome to the zone”. So if you have any fun ideas……
We would like you to join us in praying for our Elder Johnson. Elder Johnson is from Alaska. Before his mission he was hit by a semi-truck going over 70 miles an hour. His jaw was shattered and they had to rebuild his face. They told him he should have died but he knows he was supposed to come on this mission and that is why he is still here. Monday he banged heads with another Elder and received a concussion. He is struggling and with his prior history they are worried about him. Please remember him in your prayers. He loves missionary work. He loves the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ. He is a great missionary. I feel we still need him in the Nevada Reno mission. I also saw the pain in his eyes on Saturday and I know he is suffering. Please pray for him.
We were asked to help with three lessons this past week and not one of them happened. Elder Hardman told the Sisters how he felt bad that 2/3 of their lessons fall through but she answered with a twinkle in her eye, “But that 1/3 is amazing!” These missionaries lift our hearts! We don’t have to be afraid if life is hard!
The gospel’s true and we love you!
Love,
Elder and Sister Hardman
No comments:
Post a Comment