This last week on Monday we went to
a Chinese buffet for my companion’s birthday. The place was actually really
good. I didn’t grab anything too extreme just the normal stuff. It was a bit
like panda express.
Later that day we had just come out
of the store after buying our food for the week and a member offered us a ride
which we really needed because at that moment we were supposed to be at a
family home evening. We packed everything in the back of the car and headed out
with them. We got to the house and when we opened the truck my gallon of milk
fell out and exploded all over the concrete, that sucked. But after that we
headed to the family home evening and we had a pretty cool lesson.
On Tuesday we went with Nicha and
she didn’t want to get baptized, she told us that she had talked with her
daughter and had changed her mind. But after the lesson she decided that once
again she would get baptized so we were going to have the baptism on Saturday. We also found this new family. The mom’s name
is Naima and the daughter Presila. They actually contacted us on the street. The
daughter has gone with her boyfriend to the church five times and is in 2nd Nephi.
The mom hasn’t been at all but both are really open.
On Wednesday we had training from
President Chavez. He gave us a cool lesson on the difference between doctrine
and principles. A doctrine is a general concept that answers the question why? Why
we do the things we do. The principles are more like the actions or
applications that we get out of the doctrine.
They answer the question, What? What is it that we do? He compared it to
an apple the seeds are the principles and the doctrine is the fruit encasing. The
fruit part that we eat is there to protect the seed which is the most important
part of the apple. The part that allows the apple to continue the cycle of
life, grow and reproduce. He also compared it to a bag of M&Ms the doctrine
would be the package that contains all of the M&Ms which are the
principles.
After the lesson we went to the food
appointment where a member had made a cake for my companion because of his birthday.
The cake had a layer of Nutella in the middle it was really good. She also took
down all of our names to added us on Facebook, and the next day she asked me if
I had someone managing my account while I was gone and I told her no because I didn’t
know that you guys were managing my account. Then she gave me crap about
getting on the internet to accept her request.
Also later that day while walking in
the street this car that was driving past us had its engine explode. There was
a giant flame that encased the front. I tried taking a picture of the flames
but the flame disappeared before I could get a good picture.
On Friday we went to visit Naima and
Presila. And we had a cool lesson with them, and they asked us if we wanted
something to drink before we left. And we said yes because we did because it
was way hot outside. She brought us out the juice and I chugged it, my companion
got about half way and asked the lady to see the packet that she made it with. It
turned out to have black tea. I broke the word of wisdom, as a missionary.
The lady felt way bad for giving us
the juice after we told her we couldn’t drink it. The only thing that sucked is
I was warned by the spirit. When the lady asked if we wanted a drink. In my
mind popped up a picture of the exact packet she pulled out later to show us. My
comp had pointed that packet out in the store the other day and told me it had
black tea. I didn’t think anything of it and just thought I was being too
paranoid because I had rejected all other teas only to find out later that it didn’t
contain black tea. They had just turned out to be blended fruit and water
heated up. The lady then brought over the cups and handed them out to the
people at the table and returned for more and I lost the desire to drink
something, and had the thought to tell her never mind. But then I thought of
how hot it was going to be outside and didn’t say anything. So I ended up
drinking it.
Later we were talking with a member
who is watching over the wife’s mom who has altziemers. They told about how she
doesn’t remember anything. She doesn’t recognize her as her daughter, doesn’t
remember that she was married, she doesn’t remember to bathe. She always fights them trying to leave and
take off from her house one of the few places she remembers, she says all day,
of I’m going to take off now. Or, are they coming to pick me up? They don’t
know if she thinks or if she ever understands what is going on. It is
really sad to see this and hear about this disease.
On Saturday we had the stake
activity. It was an activity for the recent converts. It was decent. The ward I’m
in had all of us missionaries sing some songs for the activity. I think the
best part was the talk that President Chavez gave. He went up with a box of
donuts asked for a volunteer. Someone knew how to make donuts. Some lady went
up and explained some of the ingredients and a bit about the process. He then
asked her what would happen if you didn’t have all of the ingredients like for
example you didn’t have the flour. Well obviously you can’t make the conversion
from the ingredients to the donut. And he thanked her and sent her back to her
seat with a donut.
After that he asked some of the
recent members to come up and share their stories. He then gave them a donut. And
sent them back. There was a missionary who went up and because of his
conversion he cut the way long hair that he had had to go on a mission. He left
his family who calls him periodically throughout the time he has here in the
mission to tell president to send him back home. But he doesn’t want to get
back because he is converted and wants to serve two years because he promised
the lord two years. Someone else told about how they had a problem with being
angry and getting mad easily before and told how his conversion helped him
change.
Then President Chavez tied that in
to the donuts. Saying that everyone there had experienced a change in their
lives. Great things come from the change of heart from the conversion, for
example the donut, something we all know and love came from a conversion of
ingredients.
When someone stops having a desire
to do something contrary to the will of God they have a conversion. He says
that the purpose of our conversion is to help others with their conversion. We
as members can be the ingredients to help make the change in others. The
ingredients to help them become a donut. But they won’t be able to make the
change it they are missing an ingredient, us. What kind of ingredient are you?
It has been raining quite a bit here
the past week. It feels really good though, we look forward to it. It feels so
good after a blazing hot day. This last week someone told us that it was 41 degrees
Celsius; I think it is like 106 Fahrenheit.
It is going really well with my new
companion, he is pretty cool. We got up this morning and went to the park and
played some soccer. He wants to learn how to play soccer. He has a lot of
experience as a missionary and I have a lot to learn from him. He is really
good with the people. He knows how to build up the confidence and make them all
loosen up and become more comfortable with us as missionaries. We do get along
and he has been a cool companion so far. I am learning a lot from my companion.
The food is really good still and still enjoy it.
Love Elder Blanchard
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