Mission: Week #89 Letter & Pictures

Well I am staying for a second here in Staten Island. Probably already knew that from last week's email but I bet you didn't know I was on my 14th transfer.

This week was more of a slower one. No one came to church sadly and we weren't able to find any new Investigators:( but usually we find lots of potentials one week and the next they turn into new Investigators so hopefully this week we will find some!

4-17-17

"If I'm reading this correct, and I like to think that I am, this is probably the least accessible vault made by man."

"Yep."

Welcome to the 80th week of Summaries of the Day! This is around my 81st week on the mission. But today was super fun as we went to the zoo for our district activity. We got our laundry done in the morning, had transfer calls and I'm staying. Went straight to the zoo afterwards. We had lots of fun walking around and we ended up spending 2 hours there, longer than we thought we would have. Ate lunch at McDs and went to the church and got all the pictures and videos put on the flash drive and sent them in emails. Went to the Spanish chapel and played basketball and soccer while emailing on the side. Once preparation day ended, we got cleaned up and went to the church to send off some prepare to learns and scriptures and found out the church is haunted. We saw lights turned on that weren't there before and no one was there. We checked the parking lot like 5 times and kept asking if anyone was there, but no one was. So we immediately left and drove far away to look up a member. Then at night, we found another mouse roaming around the kitchen and spent an hour trying to catch it but lost him. So we set the traps up and bait.

4-18-17

"I'm gonna have a shower!"

We didn't catch the mouse this morning. But we had Transfer Exchange and we picked up the Zone Leaders from PepBoys as their car is in the shop. We made a pit stop and picked up some sister's luggage to take and then we got there. Elder Stewart and I didn't need to be there for another hour so we went to the mall and ate lunch. Went back and had leadership meeting. Elder Weisler is the new assistant and elder Parrish got released! And we are no longer having zone Training meetings. Afterwards, we loaded a sister luggage into our car and drove 2 hours through traffic to Brooklyn to drop it off and then drove the Zone Leaders to pick up their car. We had dinner and went to the church to send off things to our investigators for this week. That ended our night.

4-19-17

"See these people I ride with but for this moment, we own it." This week seems to be going by slowly for me for some reason, but then I think about it and it's already Wednesday. I can't figure out my mind right now. We had a lesson with Banjo this morning finishing up the Plan of salvation and then getting lunch. Had district meeting and I gave the workshop as I usually do the first week of the transfer but it didn't feel like the first week as we already know each other really well. No one left, no one came. Then we went straight to the church to have our lesson with Margaret but she never came on. It is Wednesday but we said we couldn't do Tuesday and said Wednesday but she never got on. Hopefully tomorrow. Did some other things online and did a look up. Had dinner and went to visit Kenny and he said to come back tomorrow as he was busy now. Then visited Howard and he expressed to us how he wants to help us and for us to help him sort of thing but learning wise. So he wants us to teach him and he wants to teach us too, but he wants to teach about being successful and that sort of thing. He is a funny guy. We feel bad as he wants to take us to physically see places but every time he asks about something, it is something we can't do... but he is trying still. He wants to take us to New Jersey, Manhattan, out on his boats, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, everywhere we can't go and he says how Staten has nothing! Haha:) but he ended our night.

4-20-17

"Phil? Um, his name's Agent." Its Thursday and we had a slower one. We went to the church and started weekly planning and then tried to teach Margaret. She got on a little late and was off and on but we got to teach what we planned to yesterday and then rushed to teach Kenny but he wasn't there in the end. He apologized when we called and asked to reschedule again. So we aren't to sure what to do with him as he really wants to meet with us but keeps leaving when we get there. Anyways, went back to the church and finished off our lesson with Margaret and sent her the pamphlet for Saturday's lesson. Had dinner at Wendy's and saw both sister companionships there at the same time. First time that has happened. Then we went and looked up a few people and knocked around them. Talked to some people but no one was interested to continue talking after 5 min. Darn. We did that to a few different look ups to complete the night.

4-21-17

"We are waiting, I am smoking." It's Friday:) Fridays always seem different to me from the rest of the days but not by much as we do the same things as the other days. Nothing new. But we woke up and had some studies before going to try to teach Banjo but he wasn't home. So we changed and went to help with service with the other missionaries in our ward. Then had lunch and changed. Went to try to teach Kenny again but once again, wasn't there. So we went to the church and sent off some things to Margaret and got a member to come with us to teach her tomorrow. Went to look up a few people and knocked for a bit. Wen to the church and spent dinner with the other missionaries from the ward as a member made all of us dinner. Then we went knocking for a bit before going to Sister Angevin's. She likes to get confused apparently and we try to explain it but the next time we go, she has the exact same problem again and so we explain it the exact same way we did last time and she is good. She has gotten to the point now where she is like arguing with us. Annoying but we keep proving her wrong and try to move on.

4-22-17

"I know what you came here to see. If you're afraid then come on with me." Standard Saturday except for our sweet dinner. We helped in the morning with earth day service cleaning up the community but we only cleaned like a block and along the sidewalk. Not much but still good to clean up. Then changed and ate lunch before trying to teach Margaret. She wasn't home so we went to the church and spent a little over an hour preparing the progress record for ward Council and also typing up the district's transfer goals to send to the Zone Leaders. Lots of paper work stuff. Went to look up some former investigators near by and that's when Howard invited us to dinner so we met him at his home and he took us to a nice restaurant by the river. He always treats us so well. It was a nice place so our nice attire as missionaries had us fit right in funny enough. Then we finished the progress record to end the night.

4-23-17

"They shoved my clothes in the bin but they folded yours! That's rude." Today was a tiring day up until we took a nap. For me, it was because I had pink eye all night and kept me up for most of it and woke up exhausted. But we went to ward council and that's an ok experience. Had church but both our investigators that were supposed to come didn't sadly. Margaret messaged us half way through Sunday school that she was sorry. Didn't find out why though. After church we went home for lunch and studies when I was still super tired. I laid down for a nap during dinner and so did elder stewart. And for naps, we always forget to set a timer so we ended up sleeping until 8 when we realized how late it was. Made the most of it and walked around our apartment area talking to people till the end of the night.

Ok, Margaret didn't progress much this week as we only got to talk to her once and she didn't come to church. We are about to start teaching the big 3 commandments, Tithing, Word of Wisdom, and Law of Chastity. But we need to make sure before we teach those that she has a testimony of the Book of Mormon to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. That will be a big focus this week and helping her understand the importance of attending church. Then Banjo didn't come either when he was supposed to. We only met with him Wednesday and finished teaching the Plan of salvation. Onto the gospel of Jesus Christ now. Howard is amazing and still wants us to teach him but he also wants to teach us a few things. And take us everywhere basically. But we are restricted to Staten Island sadly.

That's about it for the week but hope everyone else is having a fantastic week! In elder's quorum, we learned how fear is the stumbling block to life's greatest moments. Don't let it get in your way. Analogous to skydiving. Fear leads all the way up until you jump and you are flying. That's when all fear leaves and you can enjoy the ride:) Have a great week:)

EJH

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