[Note from Meredith: This was a reply to my last letter asking if it was difficult to do online teaching then turn his investigators over to local missionaries for baptism, how he was faring with the challenge of people being "discourteous" (abusive) to the missionaries, and if we will be able to contact him on Christmas.]
Mom,
Wanted to answer a few of the questions you asked in your email.
Yes, online teaching is incredibly fulfilling :) Amazingly, I've never been devastated when handing a missionary someone ready to be baptized. The digital zone taught me something I think every missionary should know; performing an ordinance is like doing paperwork for a field trip (2 Nephi 31, yeah it doesn't talk about paperwork, but it's also a good analogy :) It's required and it's incredibly important, but it's not the event.
The event is what required the paperwork, and what the paperwork eventually enabled. Getting to know someone, learning about their situation, serving them, teaching them; not the paperwork, yet all the most worthwhile time spent. That's the field trip. The field trip is the people we meet. It's the time we spend with them, the sorrows we share together, the trip to the temple we loved, the lesson we had to re-teach, and that time they hit on the sister missionaries we laugh about :) Eventually, the field trip is the temple and eternal life.
Yep, you have to do the paperwork, with the right authority :) Important stuff, that. But I would let someone else do the paperwork any day, if I get to go on the field trip :)
Rudeness: It's a battlefield out there, and an unfair one at that. We have to heed Christofferson's (via Alexander Pope) warning: "A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the pierian spring. There, shallow drafts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." Testimonies of today must be strong, and study must be through the spirit. That's how we deal with it.
Remembrance Sunday was really nice. It was the first time I've ever seen patriotism in England. I never realized I was a very patriotic person until I came here, where no one really "loves" their country. But we rallied together and I wore a poppy, and I finally felt like I was really English. A weird feeling, that. I've definitely become a piece of this place :)
Elder Gill is doing well...we learned a lot from each other. I think my ability to love and not judge was increased, as was my patience. It's amazing how the Lord teaches us; I've never been able to say how or why He is doing something until after the fact. It's easier and much more happy to just accept His plan. It is the best plan, after all.
Christmas! I have no idea, really. With the move and everything, I don't even know where we'll be staying for Christmas, let alone Skyping. I'll try and build up some information when I get to Oxford. I'll shoot for a Christmas tree :)
I loved hearing about your girls weekend. I love you soooo much, Mom. Miss you and the family, you're in my prayers.
Love,
Stew
Mom,
Wanted to answer a few of the questions you asked in your email.
Yes, online teaching is incredibly fulfilling :) Amazingly, I've never been devastated when handing a missionary someone ready to be baptized. The digital zone taught me something I think every missionary should know; performing an ordinance is like doing paperwork for a field trip (2 Nephi 31, yeah it doesn't talk about paperwork, but it's also a good analogy :) It's required and it's incredibly important, but it's not the event.
The event is what required the paperwork, and what the paperwork eventually enabled. Getting to know someone, learning about their situation, serving them, teaching them; not the paperwork, yet all the most worthwhile time spent. That's the field trip. The field trip is the people we meet. It's the time we spend with them, the sorrows we share together, the trip to the temple we loved, the lesson we had to re-teach, and that time they hit on the sister missionaries we laugh about :) Eventually, the field trip is the temple and eternal life.
Yep, you have to do the paperwork, with the right authority :) Important stuff, that. But I would let someone else do the paperwork any day, if I get to go on the field trip :)
Rudeness: It's a battlefield out there, and an unfair one at that. We have to heed Christofferson's (via Alexander Pope) warning: "A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the pierian spring. There, shallow drafts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." Testimonies of today must be strong, and study must be through the spirit. That's how we deal with it.
Remembrance Sunday was really nice. It was the first time I've ever seen patriotism in England. I never realized I was a very patriotic person until I came here, where no one really "loves" their country. But we rallied together and I wore a poppy, and I finally felt like I was really English. A weird feeling, that. I've definitely become a piece of this place :)
Elder Gill is doing well...we learned a lot from each other. I think my ability to love and not judge was increased, as was my patience. It's amazing how the Lord teaches us; I've never been able to say how or why He is doing something until after the fact. It's easier and much more happy to just accept His plan. It is the best plan, after all.
Christmas! I have no idea, really. With the move and everything, I don't even know where we'll be staying for Christmas, let alone Skyping. I'll try and build up some information when I get to Oxford. I'll shoot for a Christmas tree :)
I loved hearing about your girls weekend. I love you soooo much, Mom. Miss you and the family, you're in my prayers.
Love,
Stew