Dear
family,
This week was same
old, same old. We're kind of in a stalemate when it comes to missionary work. I
don't know what to do differently, but we aren't teaching many people, we
aren't finding many people, and nobody wants to talk to us... Every time we try
to transition to the gospel, the conversation ends. Anyways, I still feel
really discouraged. Like I said before, this is the most trying time in my
mission. I feel like every day is a warzone. I don't know what to do. I am
definitely going to pray more fervently and more often. No matter what happens,
I have a testimony that prayer works, and that God cares about us and our
situations. Everything will work out though. If we didn't have trials, we
wouldn't know joy.
The ward members also
have a big influence on your perspective of missionary work. My favorite member
so far is Sister “P”. Hands down. She has more missionary experiences every
week than we do. She had a garage sale and handed out 3 copies of the Book of
Mormon. She's so cool. No one else in our ward is as fired up about missionary
work as she is. She told me that she had a period in her life where missionary
work was really discouraging. She said everyone she tried to share the gospel
with was not receptive and thought she was weird. She said it's a miracle that
everywhere she goes, she finds people that want to read the Book of Mormon and
come to church. She's brought several people to church on her own. That just
shows how the darkness comes right before the dawn. I feel the same. I have a
feeling this discouraging time on my mission will go away eventually.
There was also a young
adult convert of about 3 years that got up in testimony meeting and told us of
a cool missionary experience that he had. He is a security guard for Microsoft.
He had the opportunity to talk to his coworker for about an hour one day about
the church and shared passages from the Book of Mormon on his phone. He invited
him to read the Book of Mormon and he accepted it! Since his parents aren't
members, he told us he's bringing his mom to our ward BBQ on Saturday and
he's probably going to invite us over for dinner to meet her!
So in answer to your
question mom, I will try my best to not spend as much on my debit card. Today, I
have to pay for the bike shop to replace my brake pads and adjust the brakes.
When we go out to eat or get drinks at the gas station, I try to use the money
from my mission fund card. We shop at a place called Grocery Outlet,
which is a bargain market, and we only go out to eat for lunch on P-Day. I will
put the money you gave me to good use. I have to write a card to you, and
grandma and grandpa.
I love you all so
much!
Love,
Elder Herbert