Monday, February 10, 2014

Hard Work is a Great Plan

This past week has been pretty routine! Tuesday was an especially weird day, this week I resolved to just get out and work. So I took the PMG promise and just went to work. I basically forced my companion to work with me all day, we took a half hour lunch and dinner break but other than that we were out knocking doors all day long. We ran into a woman named N, I dont really understand why, but when people see missionaries, they automatically begin to unload everything bad that has ever happened to them on us. As if we are going to make it all better, Nicole, the wonderful daughter of God she is, spent 2 hours venting, crying and swearing about how her husband is abusive, she ruined her life to drugs, she hates her daughter and her dog and her chairs. 2 hours straight she was just talking about how her life is falling apart. In the end she wasnt interested in hearing the gospel, she just wanted to vent. She expected us to make everything better for her, all I said was that we cannot better her situation, but we can teach her how to work through it and involve her loving heavenly father. Oh and the entire time it was windy and raining, and she was alone in the house so we couldnt go inside, so we were freezing. It was fun. Then we went over to our favorite investigators, B and Z. They are awesome! It was hard though, because Z had a misplaced idea that he had a "deal with God." He thought that God was ok with him smoking and drinking still as long as he is trying to be good. We finally gave him an ultimatum and made sure he knew what he was getting himself into. He finally agreed to be 100% sober with his baptism and for the rest of his life. We were really worried going into the lesson but the spirit was there and it ended up being really good! 
Wednesday was very uneventful, we were out knocking all day. One cool thing that happened was I ran into D, he is that super awesome deaf dude who thought we were J-dubs. I taught him a very simplified version of the restoration in ASL and he then said that he wasnt very interested. He just liked that I could sign. That was a bummer but the rest of the day was good. One thing that I love about being on a mission is that without fail, every single day, if it was a very long and hard day, if plans fell through, people slammed the door in your face and nobody wants to listen, the Lord always rewards you that night with a spiritual experience. Ours was that night with Sister L (aka Mommy #2). We talked to them for about 2 hours about temples, she then asked us to give her a priesthood blessing for her to quit smoking. She wants to go to the temple, and so does her husband. The spirit was really strong in that lesson, and Im very thankful to have been apart of that. 
Friday was a really good day, we had ZTM at 10. First, we had a training from President Wilson, who of course gave us a big lecture on obedience and the importance, I was really happy because I figured out that I was doing things agaisnt the rules without even knowing it. So now I can change it and be happy! Sister Wilson totally chastized us on working. Her thing was that we need to work smarter not harder. We have been trying to do just that but it is near impossible for us to get our members involved. We have had 1 member refferal and after they gave us the refferal they didnt want any part in fellowshipping because they didnt want to lose their friendship. We told them that it is a commandment as well as a reward in of itself but that hasn't grabbed hold yet. We are continuing to talk to the Bishop and ward missionaires, which by the way, we have 6. I only knew about 2 up until yesterday, but we are just trying to get everyone involved and it is super frusterating, because knocking doors all day long is no fun at all. Especially in white neighborhoods, white people are so mean. Hispanics will actually talk to you for a bit and then turn you down.

Saturday was very uncomfortable, we gave service to a family called the Sheldons. They are an extremely messed up family. They have 4 kids that are all in Juvy or in foster care. They are also super loaded so they insisted they take us out to lunch, in which the whole time, the husband is complaining about how he hates his kids. How 3 of his kids tried to kill his wife, how his oldest stabbed him and he broke her arm or some freaky thing. The whole time I was just like "I freaking love Utah." You dont get all the crazy messed up things out here in Utah. People are usually nice, out here they are scary, and kind of crazy...Anyways it really strengthened my love for my family and the place I lived. California is nice and all but there are just way too many problems out here, like gang violence specifically is a huge one in rosamond. The gangsters love us though, they will literally do anything for us. So that is a plus! 

I hope all of you have a wonderful week and an even better Valentines day! Hope to hear from you all soon!

Elder Carper

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