Mom,
I'm just going to send you a simple one this week, I think I've exhausted my essay writing skills. Let's at least save those for the journal ;)
In answer to your questions, I actually don't remember if I received a letter from Grandma and Grandpa...I don't recall receiving a letter with actual cash in it. I'll check when I get back to the flat.
My arm is getting better, President already checked it out. He is a doctor (heart surgeon), after all, and a darn good one at that. He's always threatening to take our hearts out with a spoon; anyways, he's got me on exercises that will keep the muscle tone up and help the bruising go down. Plus, I iced it up real good when it first happened, so the bruising isn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Sorted!
The VC video archive is accessible, I asked the other day. So, if I get the chance this week, we'll run over there and grab a few of the recordings :)
Thoughts on BYU: well, since the last conversations that I've had about it, I came to two conclusions. One, I'm quite sure that I will not be going back to what I originally was on track for. Two, I needed to stop thinking about it while I was out here, so that I could focus. I wasn't going to receive revelation on it anyways, so might as well put it out of mind until the time and place came that I would receive an answer. Basically, I haven't thought about it.
I just wish we had more time to ponder and make a more informed decision, I don't exactly know what to do, nor is it on the top of my priority list. I need some counsel beyond my own capability right now.
Concerning a suit: fine, I'll go and look for a proper one...ha. We'll have to set aside a P-day sometime soon to see where I can get something tailored. Huh, maybe I'll go full English and grab a rimmed hat, pointed shoes, and tight trousers while I'm at it! ...kidding.
I read your article. It was very good :) You're a wonderful mommy-blogger.
Thanksgiving sounds fun, I'm actually off to a Thanksgiving event in a few minutes here with the directors of the Visitors' Centre. Should be fun! :)
Our week, you could say, was dedicated to the mission. We have been swamped with Christmas projects, travel plans, and special events in the VC [Visitors Center]. We're currently working in conjunction with a local printing agency, and I'm learning all about advertisement, corporate relations, and pitching ideas. Things I never thought would even be related to missionary work, but I've found it's the balance of both abilities in missionary work and current social and practical skills that make amazing tools in the Lord's hands. A good example of that principle in action is in finding situations: no matter how much you understand and believe God's promise that people are being prepared for you to teach (the spiritual), you still need to learn how to speak with them, get their attention, and present the Gospel to them in a manner that will bring the Spirit (the practical). Amazing missionaries are made when the practical and the spiritual become one, in a sense.
Ha, it was so funny, a classic example of our life happened the other day when we get a call from president. Along with translation of pass-along cards, banners for He Is The Gift [this is the LDS Church's Christmas initiative for 2014], and the Christmas Yearbook, he wanted us to begin work on a small bookmark that he would be giving the mission for Christmas. We get this email a few days later with a PDF document that's labeled "Christmas Bookmark" and Elder Blair and I smile with appreciation, assuming that this is the final product that we can prepare for printing. We open it and almost die laughing when it turns out to be a scan of President Millar's stick figure drawing of what he wants the bookmark to look like, stamped with a "make it look good" doctor chicken scratch at the bottom :) It made our week :) I think I might print a copy that has the stick figures on it just for me.
There was a wonderful caroling event outside the London Temple to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. I love this time of year. The mission is making a huge push to give this Christmas away. It's one of the few that we can do that with in our lives, so we have to take advantage of it while we have the chance.
Missionary work this transfer is going to be filled with miracles! Elder Blair and I have some big plans in the Zone for Christmas :) I'll talk about it more next week, after we've sorted out Zone Training this week.
I love you, tell Dad that I was really grateful to hear from him, and that I'll try and get back to him soon, I just don't have time today.
Love,
Stew
I'm just going to send you a simple one this week, I think I've exhausted my essay writing skills. Let's at least save those for the journal ;)
In answer to your questions, I actually don't remember if I received a letter from Grandma and Grandpa...I don't recall receiving a letter with actual cash in it. I'll check when I get back to the flat.
My arm is getting better, President already checked it out. He is a doctor (heart surgeon), after all, and a darn good one at that. He's always threatening to take our hearts out with a spoon; anyways, he's got me on exercises that will keep the muscle tone up and help the bruising go down. Plus, I iced it up real good when it first happened, so the bruising isn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Sorted!
The VC video archive is accessible, I asked the other day. So, if I get the chance this week, we'll run over there and grab a few of the recordings :)
Thoughts on BYU: well, since the last conversations that I've had about it, I came to two conclusions. One, I'm quite sure that I will not be going back to what I originally was on track for. Two, I needed to stop thinking about it while I was out here, so that I could focus. I wasn't going to receive revelation on it anyways, so might as well put it out of mind until the time and place came that I would receive an answer. Basically, I haven't thought about it.
I just wish we had more time to ponder and make a more informed decision, I don't exactly know what to do, nor is it on the top of my priority list. I need some counsel beyond my own capability right now.
Concerning a suit: fine, I'll go and look for a proper one...ha. We'll have to set aside a P-day sometime soon to see where I can get something tailored. Huh, maybe I'll go full English and grab a rimmed hat, pointed shoes, and tight trousers while I'm at it! ...kidding.
I read your article. It was very good :) You're a wonderful mommy-blogger.
Thanksgiving sounds fun, I'm actually off to a Thanksgiving event in a few minutes here with the directors of the Visitors' Centre. Should be fun! :)
Our week, you could say, was dedicated to the mission. We have been swamped with Christmas projects, travel plans, and special events in the VC [Visitors Center]. We're currently working in conjunction with a local printing agency, and I'm learning all about advertisement, corporate relations, and pitching ideas. Things I never thought would even be related to missionary work, but I've found it's the balance of both abilities in missionary work and current social and practical skills that make amazing tools in the Lord's hands. A good example of that principle in action is in finding situations: no matter how much you understand and believe God's promise that people are being prepared for you to teach (the spiritual), you still need to learn how to speak with them, get their attention, and present the Gospel to them in a manner that will bring the Spirit (the practical). Amazing missionaries are made when the practical and the spiritual become one, in a sense.
Ha, it was so funny, a classic example of our life happened the other day when we get a call from president. Along with translation of pass-along cards, banners for He Is The Gift [this is the LDS Church's Christmas initiative for 2014], and the Christmas Yearbook, he wanted us to begin work on a small bookmark that he would be giving the mission for Christmas. We get this email a few days later with a PDF document that's labeled "Christmas Bookmark" and Elder Blair and I smile with appreciation, assuming that this is the final product that we can prepare for printing. We open it and almost die laughing when it turns out to be a scan of President Millar's stick figure drawing of what he wants the bookmark to look like, stamped with a "make it look good" doctor chicken scratch at the bottom :) It made our week :) I think I might print a copy that has the stick figures on it just for me.
There was a wonderful caroling event outside the London Temple to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season. I love this time of year. The mission is making a huge push to give this Christmas away. It's one of the few that we can do that with in our lives, so we have to take advantage of it while we have the chance.
Missionary work this transfer is going to be filled with miracles! Elder Blair and I have some big plans in the Zone for Christmas :) I'll talk about it more next week, after we've sorted out Zone Training this week.
I love you, tell Dad that I was really grateful to hear from him, and that I'll try and get back to him soon, I just don't have time today.
Love,
Stew