Email 25/9/17
Hello everybody,
I think this is my 70th weekly email that I’ve sent out. I wonder if anyone still reads these. But if not, it doesn’t matter, because I’ve written in anyways, and even if it just sits in your inbox for the rest of eternity, doesn’t matter either because I’ve done my part.
Well, on Tuesday, we had a Zone meeting in San Fernando, which continued on our streak of having to get up early and travel places for the meetings and conferences that was going on the previous week. At the conference, Elder Kassing and I preformed an arrangement of “I Need Thee Every Hour” and “Nearer My God To Thee” that I made. He sang and I played the piano. After the meeting, I was able to eat the Dominos all you can eat pizza buffet for the first time since February, so that was pretty nice.
On Tuesday evening, we had a nice noche de Hogar with three of our members and two investigators, Maru and Angel. (That makes it sound like they have some sort of relationship, but they don’t — they’re just two friends of one of the members.) We taught them about the restoration, and it went really well. Noche de hogars are the best!
At one point this week, a member fed us “menudo,” which is a dish where the main ingredient is tripe. Or in other words, cow stomach. It was actually pretty decent, as long as I wasn’t thinking too much into it.
On Saturday, we went over to El Puerto de Santa Maria because the hermanas there were having a baptism! Apparently what happened was they had invited Manuel, their investigators, a few weeks ago to be baptized on the 23rd and asked him to think about and pray for that date to accept the invitation, because I guess he hesitated accepting it or something. Anyways, they had a lesson with this past Wednesday, and he surprised them by asking, “so, am I still getting baptized this Sunday?” So, they organized a baptism for him really quickly, and Manuel was baptized on Saturday! Elder Kassing and I were the witnesses for the baptism. There’s nothing better than a surprise baptism.
Elder Kassing and I also preformed our musical number there, and after the service, one of the Zone leaders asked us to play it at one of their upcoming baptisms, and we’re going to do it in sacrament meeting here sometime too, so we were joking around that we’re just going to change our assignments and go on tour now, but I guess we are only a one hit wonder, so maybe that’s not very wise yet.
Also this week, we had a cita with a member, an older man named Antonio, who was baptized a few years ago. He told us the story of how he was introduced to the restored gospel and why he decided to let the missionaries in to talk to him. He said that one day, he was walking down the street in Sanlúcar, and saw two Mormon missionaries walking down the street at a normal, brisk, missionary pace. Also walking down the street was an older lady who’s grocery bags suddenly broke. Even though the missionaries had already passed her some time ago, they turned around, and helped her out with her things. This simple act of service is what convinced Antonio to listen with the missionaries when they showed up on his doorstep sometime later. Obviously, we don’t serve other people to look good in the eyes of men, but miracles certainly do come from serving and helping others.
As the hymn “Have I Done Any Good?” says:
Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,
A blessing of duty and love.
Don’t forget to serve! Also, don’t forget to watch General Conference this weekend. It’d be kind of stupid not to, for as the Lord has said, “whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” (D&C 1:38), and who wouldn’t want to be taught by the voice of the Lord?
Love,
Élder Stark ??
Photos
1: Elder Kassing and I saying goodbye to Hermana Gibson, who went home this week
2: La Zona De San Fernando
4: Not quite the full mission, but Elder Holland is in this picture
5: Here I am
6: This is the full mission, just without Elder Holland (we took a group picture before and after the conference because a number of missionaries arrived late, but Elder Holland couldn’t stick around for the second set of photos)
7: That’s me
8: Chillin
9: Until next time
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