make sense when you get answers to your prayers and you find out why
you were supposed to follow those promptings. That has happened a
couple times to me this week. It sounds like y'all had an awesome week
as well! Mine was too. I was able to strengthen my testimony through
experiences that I've had. One of my most treasured times that I love
is the hour of personal study we get each morning. We get to take time
to truly convert ourselves. We cannot convert anyone beyond our own
conversion. Personal study is so important because that is the time we
can treasure up in our minds what to say throughout the day so that
the Holy Ghost has something to pull from (D&C 84:85). I love y'all
and as the southerners would say, "have a blessed day!"
5-9-16
For P-Day, we cleaned the apartment and worked out! After that, Tammy
and Jake took us to go eat and then to get groceries. She was
expecting a delivery of her daughter's new phone today and didn't want
to miss it. She had to sign for it, otherwise they wouldn't leave it.
It was supposed to be delivered between 5:00-5:15, so she had to be
back at her house. We got out of Walmart at 5:10 and didn't make it
there until 5:25. The whole way there I was praying that the delivery
truck would still be there. For some reason I wasn't very worried.
When we got there, the truck was right across the street. It was
actually sitting there waiting. What delivery truck does that? He said
it was the only slow day he's had, so he decided to wait a little bit.
I thought that was amazing. I would've felt bad if she went out her
way to take us to dinner and get groceries and we caused her to miss
it... Tender mercies are so real!
5-10-16
We went to the ghetto today and it was interesting as usual! A black
guy told us about his time in jail and how he used to deal drugs. He
sang in prison and now he's really good at singing! He sang Amazing
Grace for us. Haha. We also met with an awesome guy named Anthony that
we had an appointment set up with. He custom ordered a brand new 2016
Camaro SS right from the factory. It has all the "bells and whistles."
There are all different kinds of traction control for it. It was such
an awesome car! We had a really good lesson with him as well. We
taught the restoration and he really opened up with us about some
experience in his life. We discussed the priesthood and he said that
if he found out if this was true he would "have" to be baptized by
that proper authority. He actually grasped the importance of
authority! After the bomb lesson we had with him, he took us for a
ride in his car (which was sick) and took us to a Japanese steakhouse.
Yes, he stepped on it a few times for us. It pulled me back against
the seat! He is such an awesome guy and I hope he follows through with
the commitments we left with him!
5-11-16
Today, Bro. Solomon picked us up and we went to go visit some members
that he wanted to visit. We planned to see three less actives and they
were all available! We went and gave a less active a blessing in the
rehab center. He has pneumonia and mold in his lungs. After that, he
took us to the apartment and we went to go help Sis. Mason paint part
of her house. Then, we had to rush back to the church to have ward
coordination. Our new ward mission leader is awesome! It was a pretty
busy day which is a good thing for a missionary!
5-12-16
Tammy Barefoot and Jake picked us up and we went to go eat lunch with
them! Jake likes to go to the same restaurant every day for lunch. The
employees there love him. He's like a celebrity there! Haha
After lunch, she took us up to Sis. Mason's and dropped us off so we
could finish painting. When we finished with that, we stopped by a
couple members and visited with them. After that, we met up with
Jeffrey Laffidy and picked up a couch for our apartment that Tammy
Barefoot gave us! We got it all cleaned up and it's nice now!
5-13-16
Towards the end of the day today, We met up with Bro. Tadlock because
his nephew was with him. His name is Wyatt and is about 11 years old.
Bro. Tadlock tries to spend time with him to get him out of the house
because Wyatt had a pretty rough childhood... He told me that Wyatt's
dad once chained him to his bed for two whole days just as a
punishment... I was so heartbroken to hear that. We thought it was
okay to play tennis with him and Bro. Tadlock. Wyatt had a blast and I
was so glad he did. He's a nice kid. We taught him a little bit about
what we do as missionaries and our church. Playing tennis with him was
a really good service in my opinion! He wants to come to church now,
but his parents won't let him go to a Mormon church. We will see about
that!
5-14-16
Today was a lot of fun! The youth had an activity at the stake center
in Florence and it was about missionary work. They called it "Camp
Helaman." At the activity, they broke up into companionships and they
had trainings on how to teach different principles. I was invited to
go there and help participate in that. I was so honored to be able to
do that. There was multiple times where I was able to bear sincere
testimony to these young men/women about my personal conversion and
the importance of a mission. We were there to help them learn how to
teach people through role-playing. They had RMs that spoke to them and
gave the trainings. It was an awesome experience for them and also,
for us as missionaries. There was only four Elders out of the whole
zone invited. The two Zone Leaders, our District Leader and I were
invited by the President! The DL from Cheraw came by to pick me up and
we left our companions together in Hartsville. It was like a mini
exchange! I was so glad that I had the chance to be able to go and
participate in that.
There were some kids that I could tell that didn't really want to be
there and they were kind of forced. I thought back to when I had times
like that and I noticed how it looked and how much of a turd I was. I
wanted to go back in time and shake the crap out of myself! Usually, I
ended up having a good experience at the activities though. I kind of
focused in on those kids and tried to make it enjoyable for them.
There was a time during the camp towards the end where they put all
the young men in a room with us just to ask questions. It was a great
experience to hear them open up to us and ask some good questions (and
crazy ones too). Ones like; "What has been yall's favorite
experience(s) on your mission so far?" I talked about the Holy Ghost
and how as missionaries, we are the most in-tune with the Spirit than
we will ever be in our lives. I shared an experience of me following a
prompting. We had wrote down our daily schedule on the whiteboard, so
I spoke about the importance of obedience. I referred it to qualifying
for that companionship of the HG and how obedience is key to being a
successful missionary. We also got questions after we said we have to
go to bed at 10:30 like; "what if you fall asleep in the shower?"
Haha! Well... I couldn't answer that one because it hasn't happened on
my mission yet! Or, "do missionaries have to follow a specific diet?"
The second counselor in the stake presidency spoke at the end and he
said something that has really stuck with me. He said, "After your
mission, you are going to try and spend your whole life trying to get
back to as close as the relationship you had with Heavenly Father at
that time in your life." I thought about that and how that is probably
so true. We are set apart and have covenanted with the Lord that we
would serve him with all our "heart, might, mind and strength" (D&C
4:2) for just two years. In return, he has promised to shower
blessings upon us AS LONG AS WE ARE OBEDIENT. These blessings include
that strong bond with you and the Holy Ghost to be able to carry out
his work. I love this church and I love only having to worry about and
focus on my relationship with the Lord and bringing others to Christ.
I don't have to worry about school, bills, girls or anything right
now!
When the Cheraw Elders came, they brought Elder Webb's bike that he
left. He gave it to me, so that we had a backup just in case we get a
flat or something. Then, we can just go and get that one without
taking the time to fix it at that time. I spray painted it all black,
so it looks pretty slick!
5-15-16
Church went really well today! We had two investigators there and 5
less actives that we've been working with showed up as well! The talks
were perfect for them as well. It talked about how we should be as
active in the church as we can because everyone's talents are needed
to help build up the church. There was a guy that flagged Elder Rose
and I down on a road awhile back and asked what time church started
here. He had just moved here from Tennessee to work in a new
restaurant that is getting ready to open up here. He showed up today!
It was awesome to see him there.
After church, we ate lunch and then did some weekly planning. Towards
the end of the night, we stopped by Vanessa who I haven't seen in a
long time. She had just graduated from Coker College here. We caught
her while she was home and got to talk and teach her and her roommate
a little bit! She's awesome, so it was nice to catch up and see how
everything is going for her. We invited her to church this coming
Sunday, so hopefully she will come!
Love,
-Elder Mitchell
Elder SaltLakeCity
