I think this literally might have been the longest week on my mission yet... It's hard to believe that the last time I sent out an email I was still in Ardmore, since there's been a ton of things that have happened this week that make each day seem super eventful. So... I guess I'll just have to do a day by day type of thing and we'll see where that takes me.
So... last Monday was my last time going to Confetti's, which was kind of sad... but I got to take some pictures there since I actually remembered my camera and it was a blast! That night ended up being a night to pack after an awesome dinner with the Griffith family. Then came the sad day of Tuesday, where I had to say goodbye to as many people as I wanted to on my last day in Ardmore. I was pretty successful in seeing all the people I absolutely had to... there were a few I didn't get to see, which was probably the saddest part of leaving, but it's all good. I got tons of pictures with people... but I don't really feel like sorting through those right now. while getting pictures though most families wanted me to share a scripture with them so I ended up sharing 2 Nephi 33:10-13 and also Jacob 6:11-13 a couple times along with my favorite of Alma 37:34-37. Suffice it to say that I got some pictures with people and it was good.
Wednesday was definitely the longest day of the week, perhaps even the longest day of my mission. We got up earlier to drive to transfers since we had to be in Paul's Valley by 8 to meet up with the zone leaders before they had to be down there... so we ended up getting to transfers relatively early, which was alright. But then we had plenty of time to talk to people so I was able to catch up with a ton of mission friends who were also getting transferred. Of particular note was Elder Beus, my companion in Choctaw, who was going down to Ardmore South (the other area in Ardmore), so that should be fun for him. Eventually it was time to head out, but it turned out that one of the Guthrie Elders' investigators is moving down to Moore soon so we had a service project lined up to help her tear out some carpet in the new place - which was super gross. Eventually we did make it up to Edmond, and got some Chick-fil-A! Woooohoo! Sadly while there we talked to this fellow named Barry, who told us he was open to and searching for truth and then just spent the entire time we ate telling us things he thought were wrong about our church... most of which weren't true anyway. After that we went back to the apartment and Ashley - a girl going on a mission soon (she's waiting for her call) - dropped my stuff off at the apartment and then took all of us missionaries shopping at target! After we were done with all of that we went and got to talk to this fellow named Russell and then a sister in the ward who lives down the street from him. Finally it was time for dinner, which was at our apartment - supposedly something that never happens here, or so I'm told. After dinner we headed off on our bikes to try and see the Thompsons. On the way there my back tire went flat due to some evil spikey burr things, but we were already almost there so we just walked the rest of the way. We did get to talk to Sister Thompson, which was pretty sweet and we talked about practicing the lessons with her and her family, and they liked that idea so it should be fun! One of my favorite lessons to practice with people is the plan of salvation, particularly because of this one scripture in Alma 34:
" 8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish;yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made." Then while we were walking back toward the apartment my front tire went flat - again from the evil spikey burr things. So... that was kind of depressing and we called a couple members and eventually found one willing and able to come pick us up - Brother Orgill. He picked us up, and we dropped off the bikes at the apartment and then he was nice enough to take us down to wal-mart to get some new tubes, and then his son Josh convinced him to go to Braum's, so we snagged some shakes, and then finally made it back to the apartment. So... I was pretty tired, but it was quite the eventful first day!
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish;yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made." Then while we were walking back toward the apartment my front tire went flat - again from the evil spikey burr things. So... that was kind of depressing and we called a couple members and eventually found one willing and able to come pick us up - Brother Orgill. He picked us up, and we dropped off the bikes at the apartment and then he was nice enough to take us down to wal-mart to get some new tubes, and then his son Josh convinced him to go to Braum's, so we snagged some shakes, and then finally made it back to the apartment. So... I was pretty tired, but it was quite the eventful first day!
Thursday wasn't quite as eventful, since we had weekly planning in the morning where I was told a ton of information about the area, and then after lunch and fixing my bike we got to help Sister Champlin move some stuff around, and get stuff out of her attic with the help of her awesome home teachers in preparation for her move down to Pensacola. After that we had to change and stuff and by that time it was about time for dinner, so we had dinner and then headed out. That night we had a lesson at Connor's house with his friend Hudson, which was fantastic. It was a blast for one, and for two it was super spiritual, so that was neat. We talked about a ton of stuff, reviewing mostly since they hadn't gotten to see Hudson in a while, and we also watched this sweet video: VIDEO! We talked a lot about the Joseph Smith story and the restoration, and it was sweet.
Since I'm of course running out of time, I'll breeze through the next couple of days... On Friday we had an awesome district meeting and district lunch, and then I got to go on an exchange with Elder Tracy in Guthrie South. It was a blast as we got to go out with a young man named Alex for the afternoon and then had dinner with his family before going out with President Larson the EQP for their ward. It was a pretty awesome day, and we got to see a few of their people they get to work with and it was just a blast. On saturday we got to do a service project with the Moon family, some members in the Guthrie ward, and they fed us a delicious lunch. After that we showered and go to work through the day until dinner with Sandy, a recent convert who is super awesome. Yesterday we had ward conference, which was a blast and there was a ton of people I had never met before, but we got to hear from President Bowman, which was awesome. After church we had studies and then dinner with the Larsen family, who had some of their family that lives down in the Village there as well. That was awesome, and then we got to go out and about and I met a few other fantastic families throughout the night. At one family we had an interesting discussion about second chances and why we get those even if we grew up with the gospel and just chose not to do the things we know we should, so that was good. I would share more about my studies... but I forgot my study journal and I also have a really long email already... so hopefully the things I've already included are good enough of a spiritual boost. But I also wanted to close with a quote from President Uchtdorf's talk:
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a place for people with all kinds of testimonies. There are some members of the Church whose testimony is sure and burns brightly within them. Others are still striving to know for themselves. The Church is a home for all to come together, regardless of the depth or the height of our testimony. I know of no sign on the doors of our meetinghouses that says, “Your testimony must be this tall to enter.”
The Church is not just for perfect people, but it is for all to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.” The Church is for people like you and me. The Church is a place of welcoming and nurturing, not of separating or criticizing. It is a place where we reach out to encourage, uplift, and sustain one another as we pursue our individual search for divine truth.
In the end, we are all pilgrims seeking God’s light as we journey on the path of discipleship. We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true."
The Church is not just for perfect people, but it is for all to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.” The Church is for people like you and me. The Church is a place of welcoming and nurturing, not of separating or criticizing. It is a place where we reach out to encourage, uplift, and sustain one another as we pursue our individual search for divine truth.
In the end, we are all pilgrims seeking God’s light as we journey on the path of discipleship. We do not condemn others for the amount of light they may or may not have; rather, we nourish and encourage all light until it grows clear, bright, and true."
I hope y'all have a fantastic week! Love y'all!
'Til Next Time,
Elder Jordan Nielson
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