"An Instrument in His Hands"

Hello everybody!

This week... What a week! We've seen lots of miracles from following what God wants us to do. We've been able to help a lot of people who we wouldn't have been able to help if it weren't for us trying to do God's will.

For example, we were out biking on Tuesday. It had been a pretty slow day - we'd been out all afternoon trying to visit members, some of the people we'd talked to in previous months, and just talking to everybody who we saw and trying to teach them. It was CRAZY hot and we were sweating buckets, until it started pouring buckets. That cooled us off pretty quick. Florida weather... 13 months and I'm still not used to it. Anyway, we had dinner and then headed off to the neighborhood where our bishop lives. We asked him to pray that we'd be able to find somebody that night, and he did. At this point, we're just really hoping that we can find somebody and have a miracle, since we haven't seen anything all day.

We prayed and decided to go to an apartment complex right next to where we live. We have a few members who live there that we decided to visit and see if there were people there we could teach. We get there and... it's gated, so we can't get in. We're about to leave, but Elder Butterfield (the best new missionary on the planet) notices a little gate that the maintenance people go in and out of, and it's open! So we squeeze through and go to visit a member who hasn't been to church in a while. We're both new to the area, and don't know where he lives, so we struggled to find the apartment for just a minute. As we're looking, we hear some shouts, then a door slam, then some angry stomping down the stairs that I know too well from my teenage years. 

We continue walking and come across this lady, sitting on a set of steps, with her legs tucked in close and her head on her knees. We say "hello" and startle her a little, but introduce ourselves and how our message blesses, builds, binds, and strengthens families. She narrates to us the fight that she just had with her husband and declares that we've been sent to her from God (Spoiler alert - she's right.) So we teach her and halfway through, her husband comes out and sits down as well. We teach both of them the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it blesses families and set a time to come back. It was a beautiful example of how God uses flawed mortal people like us to reach out and uplift his children. It's the best feeling in the world. In the Church it's referred to as being an "instrument in God's hand." In the scriptures it's referred to as being "a polished shaft in [God's] quiver." I think that those are both beautiful descriptions of how we should try to live - as tools in God's hands to do his work!

So this week's poem will be "An Instrument in His Hands". 

Our lives are full of chances,

Appointments to bless lives,

Let's choose well or they'll vanish,

For service we must strive.

A hundred times each hour,

He puts them in our way,

He guides us by his power,

To those who've gone astray.

We hang our lives on "our will",

It's true for all mankind,

But lose your life for His sake,

Then your life you will find.

An instrument in God's hands,

Is what we want to be.

Let's tune ourselves to his will,

And play his melody.

I love you all so much - I hope that everybody is having a great end to their summer before school starts! Enjoy it and go uplift somebody every day!

Week One with a "Greenie"

Hello Everybody!

     

  Phew! What. A. Week! So many changes, so many new things, but it's been easy how God has helped us and allowed everything to work out for our good. 

        First of all... My new companion! Elder Butterfield from St. George, Utah. I love him so much - he was a great swimmer back home and has a lot of love for the people around him, especially his family back home. He just came, last Tuesday, from the Missionary Training Center to the mission, so I have the privilege of helping him learn the many, many, many ropes of being a missionary. It's so fulfilling but also super hard! Just by virtue of how new he is, he doesn't know a lot of the kings that seem "obvious" to me know (planning, teaching, working with members, etc.) so it's been fun trying to explain everything that we're doing, in super simple terms. If anybody on earth needs to work on simplifying, it's me (i.e. my mom telling me to remove six pages of useless "fluff", as she rightfully calls it, from a seven page essay) so this is perfect!

Elder Butterfield and myself

Eating after meeting my new companion

          We are both new to this congregation and don't know the members too well, so it's been a big adjustment. Usually, one of the missionaries will stay and get a new companion, then he will leave and the other missionary will stay and get a. We companion, and the cycle continues. That makes it so that at least one missionary in the area knows the members and the people there that we teach. It's a fun transition! We've felt the Spirit helping us in so many ways - we've been working harder than ever before and God definitely strengthens us. We've been able to actually remember peoples' names. Surprisingly, we haven't gotten lost a single time. This week's poem is about "strength" - the scriptural strength, the kind that God grants us when we seek help getting through a trial.

When the end is far away, 

And dawn's hope is far from sight,

We may look down at the ground,

We may shut all from our sight.

If our burdens feel too much,

Far too great for us to bear,

We must lift our heads and think,

"There's another one who cares."

Christ will give us strength unknown,

Power we can't comprehend,

He will shape and lift our lives,

Far beyond our journey's end.

We must ask Him for this help,

We must seek and show our faith,

Knowing that throughout our lives

He will carry us with grace.

Love you all!!! Hope that you have a great week!

Visiting the Orlando Temple

Hello everybody!

        What a week it's been! Many great things, but one was a tradeoff I
had with Elder Weng in the Gainesville YSA (the same area I was
trained in!) He's from Taiwan and one of the funniest people I've ever
met. He's about 5'4" and has a super think accent and EVERYTHING he
says is hilarious. I don't know how, but he can say anything and it'll
make you crack up.

Elder Weng and I on our tradeoff!!!

        We went on campus and were able to teach some great people! It's the
very end of summer break, and there aren't a ton of people, so we are
REALLY excited for it to start.

        Another exciting thing... Elder Stuart and I were able to go to the
Orlando, Florida temple on Thursday! We get to go at our halfway mark
and then right before we go home. It was amazing to get to see all of
the missionaries there and be with them in such a sacred, beautiful,
Spirit filled place.

The drive from Gainesville to the Orlando Temple!

The Orlando Florida Temple

All of the missionaries in front of the temple!

        Our transfer call was Saturday night - Elder Stuart thought that we'd
stay together but... surprise! I'm going to 2nd ward here in
Gainesville to train a new missionary, and Elder Stuart is staying
here to train a new missionary! We're excited but also a little
nervous. It's a pretty big change so hence I decided to write a poem
about change. I'd give this one a solid C, with a big red circle
around it.


Change

From the gorgeous summer sun,
To the windy autumn sky,
To a frigid winter's night,
To the spring when birds do fly.

From the young years of a babe,
To a laughing, growing child,
To a man caught up in life,
To the old man's wrinkled smile.

Yes our lives are full of change,
Bringing joy and pain combined,
So we smile and jump and laugh,
As like silver we're refined.

Here are some pictures...

Elder Faber - this is just before he leaves to drive to Jacksonville Sunday night - he goes home tomorrow and in spending the day in Jacksonville today. One of the most loving people I've ever met - I learned so much from him and how joy literally is contagious!

We had dinner with our Bishop and his family + the sister missionaries in our ward. Such an amazing family - we have a lot of respect for them and the love that you can feel in their home.

Love you all!

Elder McMullin

"Good Mornin' Boss!"

"Hey good mornin' boss!"

        I've decided to open my weekly emails now with ways that
people here in the south greet us. This was my personal favorite this
week - an old black man sitting in a wheelchair just yelled it out to
us across the street with his hand raised and a big smile and it
literally made our lives complete. People here are so expressive and
unique, nobody is bland. Point to be taken from the story? 1) Don't be
boring 2) Say hello to people, it makes a difference!

       This week was incredible though. It's humbling to be on a
mission and I can't explain the love that we feel for the people here.
That's probably been the biggest part of my mission - learning to
love.
    
      We had a powerful experience on Friday night. We have an
investigator named Samantha - young mom with a pretty hard family
situation. We went to teach her, and her boyfriend was there - a super
nice man named Bobby. We're teaching Samantha  and we have been for
about half an hour - we're answering some of her questions about
prophets and the Book of Mormon. Then, out of the dark, I feel a hand
in my shoulder. A little surprised, I look back and see Bobby. He's
standing there, smiling, and holding three bowls. He gives one to me,
then walks to the couch where Elder Stuart and Brother Jack, a member
of our local congregation, sits. He gives a bowl to each of them.
       
     Inside the bowl are two hot dogs and fries, all covered in
chili. It's sloppily put together and a little cold. Let me say - that
food tasted better than any chili/French fry/hot dog hodgepodge I've
ever had. For this family, that much food was a huge deal. It built
our testimony of charity - they gave out of pure love.
      
  So on the topic of love and charity... Here's a poem about charity!

It starts as a feeling,
As small as a seed,
But quickly it blooms,
From a thought to a deed.

Far stronger than armies,
More grand than the sky,
Pure love leaves its mark,
Sometimes unseen by eye

All thoughts lead to actions,
So where does love go?
It's brings us to charity,
Which isn't for show.

Charity ne'er faileth,
It's part of our soul.
So all over the world now,
Our love now will flow.

Feel free to hate on the rhythm - charity ended up being an awkward
word to use in poems because of the three syllables and strangely
stressed foot but OK MOVING ON!

I love you all! Continue to have a great summer :)

        Elder McMullin

Elder Head and I on tradeoffs

Hello Everybody!
        This week was great! So many great experiences.  Friday- Saturday we
had a tradeoff with the Assistants to the President (basically, the
missionaries who help President Lee with everything he has to do.)
Elder Stuart stayed with Elder Botalla here in Gainesville, and I went
with Elder Head to Jacksonville.Here's a description of Elder Head if
he were in a movie.

       The driver's door opens. A man steps out. White shirt. Black pants.
Blue paisley tie. Nametag. Nothing out of the ordinary so far.
        Black hair, European complexion, five o'clock shadow to rival even
the finest con-man. Shoes that have been scraped and polished, scraped
and polished so many times that they're more polish than shoe.
        He closes the door and it shuts with a bang. An infectious smile goes
ear to ear. His warm brown eyes are fiery and lively. He walks toward
us, with an awkward gait that goes along with his tall, lanky stature.
You can feel his love from 20 feet away. 15 feet away. Then ten feet.
Five feet. A warm hug follows, and I feel like I'm getting squeezed by
a black bear. His voice is deep and warm, belying his love and
strength.

Elder Head and I

        I would keep going but oh well, we only have oh so much time. Our
trade off was great though. We had found a lot of GREAT people who were
interested in the gospel, then we get to 8:59 PM and 20 seconds. Why is
this number significant? Good question! As missionaries, we have to
head home at 9PM , unless we have a lesson in progress, then it is 9:30PM. 
So we had 40 seconds to find somebody who we could teach and invite to learn about Christ.
       
      We start running. It's raining. We're drenched but laughing because
of how bizarre we must look. We're just looking around this apartment
complex for people, and see a lighted apartment. We sprint there and
knock the door. We talk to this amazing, sweet, kind lady who is
interested in learning more, and accepts our invitation to learn more.
She said that she'd been looking for a way to build her relationship
with Christ.

        But yes, I just love being a missionary. It's so fulfilling. I love
being able to just focus on one thing - helping people build their
faith and progress. When I get home, I'll never have that same
opportunity because I'll be thinking about family, church, work,
school, etc.
    
       Here are some pictures. First Elder Stuart
in our natural habitat. Walking to and from peoples' doors...

Then this next picture.  It's hot in Florida. We drink a lot of water! We're
away from public restrooms a lot. So this was like manna from heaven.  

Seeking Correction

Hello friends!

        I hope you all had a great week! This week has been busy - we've had a lot of lessons and have been able to be in lots of homes! There's such a difference between having lessons on a doorstep and lessons inside a home. It's always better inside a house, especially in a member's home, because of the Spirit that's there. 

      

  This week we had zone conference, with all the missionaries from the bottom half of the mission.

Southern half of the Jacksonville Florida Mission 

 There were great trainings given and the Spirit was felt. One of my favorite things, that can really be applied no matter who or where you are, is on seeking correction. 

President Lee teaching the missionaries.

   Instead of just obeying out of obligation and a sense of duty, we should be asking for what we can do better. For us, that means asking the missionaries in our zone and the members what we can do better. Especially asking what we can improve to serve them better. 

      

    BUT THIS IS GOOD FOR YOU TOO! The same idea can be applied in home, at work, in church, etc.  Imagine if, in a family setting, everybody was always sincerely asking each other how they could improve. Or at work, asking co-workers how you can help them with their work or uplift them?  Asking friends in college how you can help them and how you can be a better friend? Asking our professors what we can do to be a better student, a better learner? The image that comes to mind is one of those helix wind chimes that spin around and looks like it grows infinitely up. I firmly believe that that's how it will be with us if we seek correction always!

          Anyway, enough if my weird ranting. Here are some poems about prayer. We've been praying and asking questions, and we've seen many miracles as God answers our prayers. 

"A kinda basic haiku on prayer"

In prayer we ask God

How we can serve his children

Answers always come

A kinda poorly written poem on prayer

A prayer with faith is a powerful thing,

With hearts aflame our questions we bring,

Then pause now and listen to His quiet voice

And each time unfailing He guides to a choice. 

Heartfelt prayer is a gift from above,

A way to show Heavenly Father our love.

Sincerely we pour out our hearts to Him,

Our prayer rising up, like an heavenly hymn. 

Love you all! Have a great week.

Gainseville Zone at the conference. Love these missionaries!

My Trainer, Elder Day, and I - one year after he first started training me.

Teaching Eugene

Hello Everybody!!!!

Ahhhh what a week!  It's been incredible and I LOVE being a missionary. Seriously, if somebody had told me a year ago when I left that I'd feel the fire that I do now, I would have just smiled and nodded and been like "Ok, yeah sure." I love the members, our investigators, the missionaries in our zone, and especially my wonderful companion! Elder Stuart and I get getting along better and better everyday. He's so unique  - haha - and not afraid to be himself.

We're so busy! We have several people who have baptismal dates right now. Two of them are 9 year old kids whom we are teaching and preparing for baptism in a few months. They're so great! Their families haven't been to church in a long time but it's powerful to watch them change as they come back to church and the Spirit enters their lives again. They just get happier and happier every week.

This week, instead of writing a poem, I think that I'll describe one of my favorite people using verbose vocabulary that I'd use if I were writing a fantasy novel. So I'll describe our investigator Eugene, an amazing, brilliant man who has his PhD in anthropology. He's preparing to be baptized next month. Here we go...

A clap of thunder shakes the windows of the church. Rain pelts down in sheets as we wait patiently, yet anxiously, for the phone call to come. We've planned. We've studied. We've spent days, even weeks, preparing for the next hour. This is the time when years of study finally pay off. We talk quickly but quietly in hushed and reverent tones, our voices echoing in the chapel hall of the church. We discuss scriptures, stories, all things to assist us for what is about to come.

The phone rings. We answer. A monotone, yet energetic and calculating voice comes over the speaker and we converse for a moment. He's here. It's time.

Up we stand, pacing briskly to the foyer and then to the door. We continue talking, finalizing plans, offering insights, preparing always. We open the door, the pouring rain splashes us. We look around for a minute, searching the wind swept scene. Branches fall in the wind and rain, leaves scatter across the parking lot. Then, squinting, he comes into view through the darkness.

Head down, hands in pockets, he approaches. Around the corner, down the sidewalk, across the parking lot. The rain doesn't phase him. His purple button down shirt is tucked into grey slacks, which fall a little short, revealing white socks that strike dissonance with his black shoes. He raises his hand to push his wide rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, then raises his head as he comes closer, raising his hand in salutation.

His appearance is humble, even ragged, but the fire in his eyes gives off his burning intellect. They look this way and that, glancing about in such a way that paints of picture of numbers and objects constantly flowing through his mind; always calculating, always learning, always growing. He's come prepared, and so have we.

So anyway, cliffhanger to an incredible lesson that we had on Thursday night with him! He's so incredible - he thinks very logically but he's changed so much and it's been powerful to watch his faith grow and grow.

Love you all! I hope you have a great week!!