Altering the management of affairs

 This new transfer has just been so slow. It feels like time has just stopped and I have to push every hour forward in order to get to the next one. 

I am now the designated driver, which is stressful- I haven't driven this much since before my mission almost a year ago. It's kinda scary but so far I'm doing pretty great. 

Elder Rigby was sick for the first half of the week then it was my turn and I was sick. 

On Wednesday we went to visit with a family that's returning to activity and they told us when they get sick they would just eat some Garlic and it would get rid of the sickness. I was hesitant to believe that's true, but at this point Elder Rigby was just done being sick. So we drove to Safeway right after the lesson and bought a chunk of Garlic. And as soon as we got to the car he broke it open and popped one in his mouth and gave me a piece too. He was fine for a few seconds then started dying. I started chewing on my piece and. . .WOW. it was like 500 degree heat just going through my body, it came out my ears. It was like the spiciest feeling ever and I wanted to vomit so bad. It seemed as though it kind of reduced the symptoms. 

So that was fun. 

Thursday was powerful. We met with Pugal and he set up a goal to be baptized June 17th! He's pretty funny and really loves Jesus. He also wants to help clean the church house. 

We also met with Emma, she is the one who was led to the church house by the spirit. She loves to talk. Like alot. So that was fun. 

Thursday evening we had a very unique member meal, we have a member who's son recently died by suicide. Our ward has been making sure that she's not alone and the family that signed up to feed us Thursday was also being with her. So we met at a restaurant and tried to be happy and not talk about 'it' at all. But she started asking Elder Rigby and I alot of really deep questions straight from her heart about where her son is and what's gonna happen to him. It was kinda difficult but luckily we knew where to find the best answers we could give and left her with resources. One key thing was that we turned every answer towards Jesus Christ, His atonement and the temple. 

That was very powerful for all of us.

On Friday we experienced another miracle with our Indian brothers and sisters. We were tracking around just being rejected and having fun when we knocked on a door and an Indian woman about 30 cokes from behind us up to the door we just knocked on. So we explained why we were knocking on her door and offered to say a prayer with her. She looked confused and then went inside for a minute and came back to the door with her husband. She explained we were gonna say a prayer. He looks like we're interrupting his day and he doesn't care and we're about to just give up and say "have a good day" and I saw into their home, hanging up on a wall, just barely in my field of vision, a picture of Jesus Christ!

So without thinking I cut off the conversation that was happening and started the restoration- "we also share a really special message about Jesus Christ and how the church he set up whilebhe was here on Earth has been restored" and then a moment of silence. . .

"Would you like to come in?" Was his reply 

So epic. We sat down with them and taught the full restoration and left them with a Book of Mormon. We got to learn more about them and it was really fun. Their names are Davis and Tess. We've prayed for them every day since. 

Saturday is when I really started my turn of being sick. I was dripping water out of my nose everywhere and my head hurt a bunch. So I went to the fridge and pulled out a piece of garlic, maybe it will work?

Nope. This time was way worse than the first. Maybe it aged or was a bugger piece? Idk but it was sooo awful. My whole body was just screaming on the inside. It was so bad I actually threw up most of the Garlic chunks.

Then we went to play cricket in the park with some Indians and other missionaries. I love cricket. I'm just not very good at it. . . .yet! (Growth mindset is something I've been working on a lot especially in relation to ASL and Driving)

Well on Sunday I woke up and MY voice was 3 octaves lower. And I felt like garbage. Also I was giving a talk on the ASL branch. That was tuff.

Emma and Pugal came to church so that's crazy epic. After church I just fell asleep then all the sudden it was 9:00 so I went to sleep again

Monday was memorial day so we had a big breakfast, I just wish I weren't so sick so I could have enjoyed that more. We sat with the ASL branch and I actually completely followed the conversation(s) there were like 3 all at the same time just going on all around me. Pretty cool.

I was in bed most of the day Monday too and eventually I was just so angry that being sick was taking all my time away so I asked Elder Rigby to give me a blessing. It was a beautiful and powerful blessing. I'm so thankful Elder Rigby lives his life so worthilly and consecrated so that when the time came he could give a powerful blessing. 

I felt great so we went out and contacted nobody who said no to us that night. Everybody prayed with us and let us share a message. 

Then we had interviews the next day and I told president about all the miracles that Elder Holladay and I have seen with our Hindi friends and part of me was expecting to get shut down and told that I just need to focus on ASL- but he was actually really proud of us. He encouraged us to keep doing it! He said that they've been trying to get traction with the Indians for a really long time and it's just never stuck so he wants us to keep doing what we're doing! So that's epic. 

This weekend is stake conference which is crazy cuz I was here for the last stake conference. I am really worried about Interpreting for that so plz pray for me so I can do good lol. 

And also, if you could, please pray for our Indian brothers and sisters. The work is progressing and we can't let it stop. Pray for more Miracles and for the church in India. These people are like, the pure example of people kept from the truth because they don't know where to find it. 

Also, in 7 days my trainee arrives! Elder Searle will be here! I'm so excited for that!

Ok, one more thing before I close. I am just about wrapping up the "war chapters" of Book of Mormon. And one thing that has really stuck out is all the fortifying Moroni does. There's one phrase in Alma 49:11: "for Moroni had altered the management of affairs among the Nephites" that really stood out. Moroni completely altered the way they fought and protected themselves. He really changed a lot. And that is why they completely won so much. So with our "battles" with Satan we need to alter our management of affairs. Maybe you need to throw mounds of dirt around the city and put works of timber around until it's an exceedingly strong hold. Find ways you can better fortify yourself so when you are attacked by temptation or trials you stay strong. Maybe it's listening to more conference talks, praying more, starting a gratitude journal, reading more scriptures, listening to church music, spending more time with family. Whatever it takes to fortify yourself and alter the management of affairs so you can win every battle.

Love you all

Have an incredible week!