Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Lots of Lessons and Service, Mustaches, Talking to College Kids, and Rambling Henry: September 16, 2013

This week was better compared to last week. We were able to get a lot done.

On Monday we had some fun doing pottery and getting messy then had to rush to get home to have the Chappells take us to go shopping.  Then we had to go teach George, then went to email, and it was a pretty exhausting day biking up and down hills so we could do what we wanted. It was fun though. Just killed my calves.

Tuesday was a bizarre day since the sister missionaries and Sister Chappell took the senior ‘s car to go to a Sisters Meeting in Richmond.  We and Elder Chappell borrowed about 3 different cars to get around. We went to go to pick up and burn wood at a less active’s house. The first vehicle we borrowed to do the service work was a truck and the fan belt broke.  We had to borrow another car to go get a new belt and also go to teach some appointments (which fell through).  Once the new belt got put on the truck, we got it back to get wood from someone else.  We loaded it later split it while wearing our proselyting clothes and surprisingly we didn't get dirty. We then had to borrow another car to get dropped off at Robert’s house. He wasn't drunk this time and was good and sober. However, his conversation was a little odd.  He talked about how the college girls were all clones since they seem too much alike. He also shared some conspiracy theories and talked about guns. Robert told us, after we asked him about coming back to the church, that he will not go back because of the memories and other things. He said he won’t pray or read scriptures either. He’s a good guy though.

We had district meeting and what happens before is called zone portion where the zone leaders will tell us what’s up and what to do. One thing that week was a big contest to see who could get the most investigators.  President Wilson said he would do splits or tract or companionship study with them. I didn't care much for this idea because it sounds like just a big game and I want to find people to strengthen our area, not try to impress a mission president.

During the last zone meeting, one of the sisters made a comment that we should wear mustaches and ask the question, "How mustache you know your Savior?"  So this district meeting I wore a cheap mustache held on by tape and used mustache puns after the meeting. It was funny. Going home after the meeting was pretty hard cuz it makes Elder Martineau tired to make the long ride back and when he’s tired that makes it hard to work. Later that night we played bowling with the youth, Elder Chappell, and B. Boyle so it was a good game.

Thursday was mainly service.  In the morning we went to the food pantry to stack food and sort things and get ready for the afternoon. We got free eclairs out of it and got to talk with some of the owners. B. Manry went with us.  Later, he also went with us and B. Chappell to go burn more wood at B. Goodwin’s and lift stuff. It was hot!  I was finally able to get all the wood out of the tall grass and into a pile.  Afterward, we taught a lady named Mary who believes in everything we do, but goes to another church and it’s annoying. Then we did the afternoon part of the service at the food pantry. We got there and the other Farmville missionaries were there in service clothes and we were all dressed up. It was funny.  The guy in charge said it would be better if everyone would go down the line and put food in the bags themselves, but I took charge and formed the cycle way of doing it like I saw them doing in a food pantry last year. It went by pretty fast and was really fun. We got to talk to some college kids while doing it.

Friday was weekly planning and service.  One service project was putting a ton of books away at the library. It was a big stack turned in by one lady because there is no limit here. Too many books!  Mainly children’s books.  The cool thing was by the end of the day the zone leaders came to help us find investigators in this apartment complex called Sunchase which has a lot of college kids in it. Usually that leads to rejection but we were able to find a few. Elder Hitesman and I went to one side and on our second door ran across this guy named Marty. He’s an older guy and told us after we asked for his religious background that he does big jumps from church to church. He even let us in his house - he told us that we were the only other people to enter his house for a year, like not even his wife is allowed in. It was pretty cool. Elder Martineau and Kennedy got rejection and some interested people.  One was Sam, a college girl.  Her Mormon boyfriend was there that night so they were able to teach her and also a group of college guys that we are meeting tonight. It was pretty cool!  We went to Cook Out and played Bang! at home.

Friday was slow since we hung out a little too long with the zone leaders before they left. We tracted again at Sunchase and got a lot of awkward looks.  We met a lot of Catholics who were not interested, but we got a few potentials from it.  We were finally able to get a hold of Henry (who had a baptismal date when I first got here) and we talked with him. He’s older, like 84 years old. We tried to teach him the Law of Chastity but he went off about the government and some other kinds of things.  Elder Martineau was zoning out half the time and not talking so I was trying hard to get him on track. We set a baptismal date for him for the 12th of October which was the exact day I entered the MTC a year ago. Pretty crazy stuff, right?  Time flies!

Sunday was funny mainly because of all the characters in Gospel Principles who talk a lot and have funny rambling things to say. Henry came to church and he sat next to me in Gospel Principles. We were able to get more dinner appointments after S. Gavillan pointed it out and people coming out with us on splits were going to feed us before the appointment. After church we went to go see people in the unknown section of the area book. One guy named Brent was a former pastor and wasn't interested but he gave me a book called "Eagle in the Sky" since I told him I wanted to go to medical school.  The book is about doctors in the Civil War. Elder Martineau said a prayer really slow and halfway through it Brent said, “Amen!” Later the Chappells fed us and I like it when people feed us because I get to know more about them.

Well that’s it for this week and love you all.
Elder McClure 

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