It was so great to see Alex this past Holiday Season! I was going to say a week ago but it has been longer! Is that even possible? I think I really enjoy the last half of the mission much more than the first. That seemed endless and now it is just flying by. It is a testament to the power of the mind and looking forward to something. Anyway, Alex looks great! He has a smile and that is good. The sense of humor is good, still there anywhere. And he has lost a bunch of weight. He showed us his belt that he was 2 or 3 holes from the top when he left, it now has 3-4 holes punched into it and he can grab a handful of cloth on either side of his pants. Why won't he buy new pants? Weird, I am not sure he can or can't but I am sure he doesn't want to waste so he doesn't buy them. I wonder what his true size is now? I think he was a 36, maybe a 38 and now has to be 32 or less even! That makes me cringe a little bit! But he looked good and happy and his hair is turning white...What? Yes, my 20 year old son looks like he might have a head of white hair for medical school. I sent away a little boy and I am going to get back an "old" man. Wah. We will have to see in real life but...
Well, in the aftermath of the Christmas party and having our office painted, things are starting to settle down. Elder Spencer is bringing in a trainee Secretary, and another Elder will be coming in to replace one of the senior missionary couples, who will be my companion for the next change. In the end, another office Elder will come in when Elder Spencer leaves to replace the other senior couple. So we will be four, and the new Secretary will be my companion, and the other two senior replacements will be companions. When all this gets figured out in another change or so.
Maybe I should draw a diagram.
No, it's not interesting enough.
Another fast week of work has has passed by since we talked. The sector is still fantastic and young and white for the harvest. I am still satisfied immensely by my work. We had some lights almost cut yesterday, but I was able to figure it out. I've officially banished my fear of phone talking. I haven't the slightest bit left of that. I have special permission to use a headset that I use for an hour a day, I've started liking it, even.
I think the main lesson of the office, though, is not how to file expenditures or how to talk to people on the phone. It's about learning to make time to study the scriptures and be a better person within the bounds of a daily job that isn't seminary teaching or being a general authority. I have to work a lot to make time to study the scriptures and think about my investigators. I imagine it's similar for any adult, really. I know I needed to learn about this here to be able to keep all the progress I've made away from wasting time and studying to be an expert in what I do. It would have been easy to go back and go back to it all, if you will.
I'm starting to go hypoglycemic a little from the two hour soccer game. I'll finish this up for you.
(I am not diabetic though.)
We are about to divide our sector, which is too bad, but either person will have two secure baptisms each, so it's hard to complain. All of them, barring physical dumb things that take them out of town, etc., are the only things that keep the people we are teaching from getting closer to baptism. They are so prepared for the gospel that there really isn't any convincing to be done - just teaching sound doctrine and watching as they gain faith through the understanding we bring. Easy.
I haven't made a lot of spiritual breakthroughs recently, but I haven't felt a great need either. We're working on doing more contacts and using our ward better, for example, to get them do the teaching of new converts by themselves to strengthen their bonds between each other instead of with us. Normal stuff. Seeing the power of God working good in everyone, including myself. That's my job.
Speaking of things like that, please consider
Writing in your journals
Getting your patriarchal blessings
Doing family home evenings
Reading scriptures daily
Reading scriptures daily with purpose
Have you ever heard the phrase "Wherever are your treasures, there your heart shall be also."? Please keep that in mind. I think Mom and Dad, and Grandma and Grandpa pretty much get this - happiness comes from the right. Please take a moment to think about what you do on a daily basis. What of it brings you closer to God? (Let's not be naive with this one; I think, for example, that Black Hawk Down brings me closer to God. It doesn't have to be a Church thing.) What of it brings you nowhere in particular? And perhaps what of it brings you down? Some things can be enjoyable and not good for you. Think about it once or twice. Then change.
Have a good week and stuff.
Love,
Elder A Conrad Crist
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