Monday: we had a district activity where we just went to the park and played basketball, volleyball, ate donuts and talked. It was pretty fun. Anything out doors in normal clothes for missionaries usually means a good time! Haha there acouple of gamers in my district so one of them talked about his favorite video game for like forever. He's a really good story teller so it was actually really entertaining. After we stopped by a few members one of which is a recovering drug addict that has kicked all of it and is now active in church and is trying to kick smoking. So we stopped by him checked up on him and shared a message. Pretty cool story he has. Stopped by an investigator who is now at the point of just trying to gain a testimony. Nice family and had a lot of lds influence. The wife's whole family is lds but she refuses to really even give it a chance, but hopefully we can help him out!
Tuesday: we had our first district meeting of the transfer and it's already like more than half way done haha. There are just so many meetings that happened instead of if. I use the iPads and send the notes and topics for district meeting to everyone, but the zone leaders decided to do iPad check during my district meeting. So nobody had scriptures, PMG, or my notes because they are on the iPads.. Haha so that was kindof dumb. But it went well. My district is pretty cool. Some are really quiet while others love to joke during it
. Supposed to have a district leader meeting after but the zone leaders got caught up. Up didn't tell us so we just sat there for a while waiting wondering where are they. Eventually we just all left and told them we would do it another day haha. In the afternoon we actually made a giant list of everyone in the ward and typed up a little about them and now we and future missionaries will have that to reference. That evening we actually knocked on a door of a former investigator of mine from my first area! He moved and now I got transferred into his area. No such thing as coincidence there! Haha
Wednesday: we volunteered at the local food bank for a few hours! It was pretty fun helping out there and creating the meal packages. At one point everyone had to leave that was working in the back except us so we were kindof stuck running the back part of the food bank by ourselves haha. We went taught a few lessons outside because people are just out loving the weather! We went and tracted in the really rich part of our area. Some funny no's but nothing to out of the ordinary. Then had dinner with a part member family who are all awesome. The dad is an ex-navy seal and really doesn't care for the whole religion thing in general. I can imagine he's seen a lot in his day. Went on splits with members of the ward visiting a few people and that took most of the evening
Thursday: we biked all day because of the limited miles. It seems like there are those days when you go through the same list of people and nothing ever changes. They either aren't home, or to busy but say we can come back or don't have the courage to say no to us. I would rather them say no thank you than us showing up them not being there and it waiting our time. Especially if we have members out with us, because you want to make that the most productive part. We got a call to help a young couple move so we went over and did that for a while. They had a lot of stuff that's for sure. Then I actually skyped Robert cottingham! I've been trying to set that up and trying to align our schedules! We caught up for a little bit, and joked around. We talked about religion and the mission for a bit. It was pretty sweet! I've been trying to set that up with others as well!
Friday: let's see was weekly planning we had a little meeting for district leaders after and then took lunch and those stuff. To be honest I forgot what happened mostly this day. I know we stuck out on a lot of doors. Everytime we get members out with us nobody is home or cancels appointments pretty frustrating.
Saturday: was a day of service, we went and helped a couple move into a house with the other elders we live with! I love moving people, it's like a good work out and you just feel good after getting everything out of a moving truck and into a home situated! Then went to their area and helped move in an old lady which happened to be a lady who was had moved into the Tempe rural ward! So we helped her move and there was a bunch of members from my old ward there so I got to say hello and catch up! Then we got asked to go give a blessing so we went got a member and gave a lady who is fighting breast cancer a blessing. She turned out to be a member. It's pretty crazy how many people are members but they just kindof floats around with no records following them, we find them all the time and the ward has no idea they exist.
Sunday: we had church and taught gospel principles. It was on prophets and I think it went really well! It seemed to flow well, people participated and there was actually a few people there that weren't members so I was glad we had the turn to teach. We then had PEC after church which went way long but i think I'm finally getting to know all the names, people focused on etc. The leadership of this ward are studs! But if only we could get the rest of the ward to have the same fire. we have started the family mission plans with people so hopefully that gets people missionary minded! That's pretty much all we did the Sunday!
That was my week! Not to much to report! Sounds like everyone is freezing their butt off! Haha sorry to hear that! Sorry to give everyone a scare with the crazy dude. It sounded worse than it actually was haha but still pretty crazy stuff!
Gotta go love you!
Faithfully,
Elder Hemsley
