Week 63

Tuesday: We had our last district meeting of the transfer. It was all focused on being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ and if we are truly converted we wont worry about being transferred into a new area, we will work as hard as we can no matter the circumstances. We also talked about aligning our will with Gods will. After district meeting we had to start preparing for Karlys baptismal service. The Graham’s went and picked us up Panda Express since there needs to someone watching the font fill. The baptism went pretty good but a little irreverent but that was no surprise with how crazy she is with her ADHD, other than that it’s was pretty good. The new stake president was there to see it as well. After the baptism we went to Chuckarama (a buffet) and ate dinner with their family. We had some good conversations with her biological dad who isn’t too interested in religion, he said he isn’t much of a reader or a writer he just likes to talk so he wasn’t too interested in reading the Book of Mormon. While we were waiting for the baptismal service Sister Mazanis who is over the housing for missionaries checked out a basement apartment we found and suggested to get us into since its in our stake boundaries and it was cheaper and nicer than the apartments we are in now. 

Wednesday: We had exchanges with the Elders one last time before the transfer ends and before Elder Sandino goes back home. I was with Elder Sandino in their area and Elder Sherman and Healy were with Elder Bretschneider. We got a call from our zone leaders in the morning telling us that they needed some help at the draper temple to plant more flowers. So we all headed over to the Temple after we started exchanges. Well we get to the temple and the elders were laughing so hard for some reason. So apparently Eder Healy got two aggressive drivers, which comes from a little monitor in our car. So if we are speeding or turning too hard it will tell us and give us a violation. If you have too any violations you cant drive anymore. Well within the first two minutes Elder Healy got two violations which is crazy haha! Planting the flowers for the Draper Temple was awesome. After the planting we had some lunch. I had a baptismal interview for their investigator Mars who would be getting baptized on Thursday. She passed the interview but when Elder Sandino told her that the bishop wouldn’t be there to baptize her due to an unexpected work trip. Well Mars is from the Philippines and apparently its a cultural thing to have the person with the “highest authority” do things and she was determined that she wanted bishop to baptize her so we had to move her baptismal date and there were some conflicts. The only days we could do it were Friday and Sunday and Mars didn’t want bishop to baptize her right when he got home from his work trip she wanted him to be relaxed. So we asked if Bishop could call her and figure out a time she could do her baptismal service. 

Thursday: We had a slower day till the evening. At night we taught the Jacobs family in the draper 17th ward. The dad is the second councilor in the bishopric. We taught a family that is struggling in the Draper 11th ward and it was really good for them and their kids. At night we met with one of our new ward missionaries in the Hidden Valley 4th ward and then he had an appointment with someone at 8:30. Well turns out it was with Brother Hias who is the man with the basement apartment haha! When we got there he said that we are moving into his apartment. 

Friday: Well we were doing our normal Friday routine with weekly planning and lunch Correlation with the Grahams and we get a call from the Elders in our District saying, “hey Mars is getting baptized today.” Elder Sandino was down at Temple square in Salt Lake City for a departing missionaries so Elder Bretschneider was with his MLS couple and he was going through the messages and apparently the bishop got a hold of Mars and he was all set for the baptism to be on Friday! The Elders didn’t see the text or something so they had to get the baptism all figured out and to inform everyone. Luckily with the zone leaders and our help we were able to get everything set up. Elder Sandino got home from the temple just before the baptism. It was a good baptismal service and lets just say Mars is a character she is so funny. 

Saturday: We had the rare opportunity to have the president of the quorum of the 12 apostles to come speak to our whole mission. President Nelson was a great speaker and all those that spoke before him. There was a general topic and that was the Book of Mormon. President Nelson gave an outstanding talk in this past October General Conference where he talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon and the things we wouldn’t know without it. The list amazed me of the things we wouldn’t know. The Book of Mormon clarifies; the pre existence, resurrection, judgment, the priesthood, baptisms before Christ was born, and agency. The list goes on and on. I know that the Book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon and the Bible go hand in hand and they support one another. The Book of  Mormon calls all to come unto Christ and be perfected in him. It was such a good fireside and it will definitely stick with me for my life. I know that President Nelson is a called apostle of Jesus Christ in His restored church. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and that anyone who reads it will draw closer to their Heavenly Father and their savior Jesus Christ. One of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon is 2 Nephi 33. This is a prophet in the American continent Nephi and he goes on to say (paraphrasing) These are the words of Christ and if you don't believe in these words believe in Christ, but if you believe in Christ you will believe these words because they are the words of Christ. I invite all to read the Book of Mormon to truly know if there is more of the word of God. 

Sunday: Well my night/morning didn’t start off to great I was sick all night and into the morning. I don't know what is was but I think I got food poisoning from what I ate Saturday. I wasn’t feeling to well and was having all sorts of body fluids coming out. Won’t go into to much details haha! I went to our Stake Conference since I knew it would only be around an hour and a half. I am glad I went because a member of the 70 was there as well our mission president and his wife spoke. They reiterated what we heard in the fireside with President Nelson (Elder Christensen spoke at the fireside on Saturday as well) It was a great meeting and afterwards I was physically drained and spiritually filled. We didn’t do too much after that because I wasn’t feeling the best. At night we had to go to a live broadcast of two apostles speaking to all the young single adults around the world answering their questions. It was another great meeting and a good way to end off the night and week. 

Well we got the transfer calls today and I will be staying with Elder Healy. I was in a trio so I had two companions for just two weeks. Elder Sherman is going to the West Jordan Utah stake and Elder Healy and I will still be in the Draper Hidden Valley Stake. We will be moving out of apartment we call the shoe box because it is just a little box with no rooms. We will be moving into brother Hais’ apartment. Bad news though, we will no longer have a car in the area. So it will be biking time till at least January! Wish me luck! 

Hope you all have a great week and a great Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Aaron Ashby