It Really Isn't a Sacrifice at All

Well, I feel like I need to talk to Collin first. Hang in there bro! 2 more weeks! Then you’re going to be a state champion! I LOVED volleyball! You know why??? Not only is it the absolute most fun sport there is, but playing for Highland taught me discipline and to WORK or CRY. A lot of people who fail in life today are the ones who cannot stay patient or hang in when the going gets tough. Whether it's in marriage, work, or church sometimes people figure it’s just easier to quit, give up, you know, take the easy way out. Before I did pest control my boss asked me what is the hardest thing I had ever done... Hahaha the answer was volleyball. The real question he was asking was HOW MAN ARE YOU? or ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT 3 WEEKS IN? I'm going to have to break it to you buddy, but all of life it's going to be easier to just QUIT, but let me just tell you whether you have to walk 4 miles a day on a foot that doesn't fit into your shoe because of a stingray incident to just get cussed out and make 0$ a day, or you’re tired of making a certain someone happy in the family by keeping stupid, furry poop machines in the garage, or getting absolutely destroyed by a reee dooo doo diculous schedule that consists of school, volleyball, and other church activities, everything is for your benefit and if you can endure and have a GOOD attitude while doing it life becomes so much easier. Pray for help, maybe not to win, but to have a good attitude and to work your hardest, and you will do all right. Way to be a champion though! :)

 OH and HAHAHAHAHA AVA!!! You smashed ketchup into someone’s face?! You little Stinker! Way TO GO ZACH! Who was even at Zach’s farewell? Isn't everyone gone? Well I'm super pumped for him and I cannot believe how fast things are going. OH and Uncle Spencer??? Really? I can see that happening. :) RESPECT! I'm super excited for Grandma and Grandpa and their anniversary. I hope you enjoy the sweet pork and other Cinco de Mayo festivities this week. You make sure to brag all about how yummy the food is and I am still definitely counting on bragging about eating Frosted Flakes with the Prophet. :)

This week was super good!

Monday night we got to go hang out with our YSA ward for FHE to help fellowship a recent convert, Johnathan. We played the game "Never Would I Ever." That was pretty fun! I also may have forgot to mention that I gave a talk last week in the YSA ward. I talked a lot about my "mission theme" and super heroes.

Tuesday, we had interviews with our mission president... I LOVE my mission president so much and in the words of Elder Evans he is thee most QUALIFIED MISSION PRESIDENT IN THE WORLD. Haha. Don’t tell Trevor. It seems like a lot of this mission used to be pretty lazy and or apostate, but every day this mission is making LEAPS and BOUNDS forward. Without words really to explain how or why but he definitely has changed the whole outlook of my mission and what I am meant to do. Also Tuesday we met with Mindy and Alexa to take them to the open house. Greg wasn't home from work yet so we had to reschedule for Thursday. We also taught Jeff, the RLDS guy, again. He was hung up on a lot of issues that really aren’t very important. An RLDS convert named Bishop Cato met with him too and answered his questions but we hated that lesson. We explained to him again that these answers aren't whats important, and to read the scriptures and pray and ask God whether this is where he needs to be. (Don’t worry, it was in a much more loving manner.)

Wednesday: I’m short on time. Nothing too special.

Thursday: UGHHHHHHHHHH! We went to Greg, Mindy and Alexa’s house to take them to the temple and make arrangements for all of them to get baptized and when we got there Alexa, the ten-year-old girl opened the door with cuts on her neck and face. Mindy is in the hospital, and Greg is running from the police... We said a prayer with Alexa and her grandma who was there watching her. At first, I was kind of bummed but then I realized that it might be for the best. It was going to be really difficult baptizing all three of them because Greg and Mindy are not married and Greg needed First Presidency clearance. So we prayed and sat and talked with them for a little while. Mindy still really wants to get baptized and she really likes having us over.

Elder Taufa

Friday we went on exchanges and I got to work with Elder Taufa, the Hilarious Tongan elder from Mesa, Arizona that I have mentioned once or twice. It was definitely a sweet day for both of us. It’s just nice to have a little break from your own companion now and then and man we sure did have fun together. Not only that, but we got some serious good work done! He really taught me the importance of loving people, that missionary work is not a business even though you have to record your NUMBERS and plan your days it is absolutely not a BUSINESS. He promised me that he would go visit you guys once he got home and I said you guys would let him eat food from the pantry. We also visited Alexa again and she asked us when she can get baptized and we set a date with her and her mom to get baptized on the 26th of May. Oh and on a less important note, when we first walked in the TV was on and I noticed it was a preview for the Avengers movie... Satan won that battle as I got a little absorbed into that one. Can you blame me though??? THOR, HULK, CAPTAIN AMERICA, IRON MAN, BLACK WIDOW and the ARCHER GUY????? That movie is going to be so Sweet to watch in two YEARS!!!

Saturday we took Connie to the temple open house. She absolutely loved it. Afterwards we sat and talked with her and she basically told us she knows it’s true but that she will have to make a couple sacrifices. She is super willing and I found sweet scriptures to share with her (Mark 10:17-23 and Alma 7:11-13). When you compare the two side-by-side you realize NOBODY can sacrifice more than what Jesus Christ sacrificed, and even when we do make sacrifices they aren't even a sacrifice because the Lord blesses us more than we can imagine when we do. Also, another miracle happened. We visited a less active member to help him and to get him to church. His friend was there at his house and we taught her. She asked if God answers every prayer and I asked her if there were prayers she felt haven't been answered and she started to cry and told HORRIBLE stories about her health, abusive husband, and mother. We talked about the Atonement, shared Mosiah 24: 13-14, and I think everyone there was crying at one point or another. We invited her to be baptized right then and there and she said she would! Oh and not only that but we had a team-up who is 19 with us. He has been struggling to know whether he should go on a mission or not... I think that night really showed him how AWESOME some missionary work is! And that it really isn't a sacrifice at all.

 Love,

Elder Ward

P.S. Go Hawks

P-day volleyball

We aren't sure why Connor sent this picture??