So here is basically the whole low down of my life. We had alot of neat things happen this week, it was really hot and I love being a missionary of the Savior.
Monday was pretty much an average we played some B-ball and stuff. Basically just another day in the mission. We went and talked to this less active member named Mary, she is really elderly and loved to get the chance to talk to us, she told us about her husband died and we were able to comfort her. It was a cool lesson.
Tuesday was were the week started to get more interesting. I got to meet President Slaughter. I was actually like on of the first besides the APs! So I was grateful to meet him because some of the missionaries still haven't. He is so neat. I'm pretty sure he knows every answer to the gospel that there ever was to know. It is neat to be able to talk to him and discuss doctrine. Sooo we had this interview and he asked me how my testimony was, I told him some of the stronger points and some of the other points that I was working on trying to get better. We talked about the four cornerstones of a testimony which are 1. Book of Mormon 2. Joesph Smith. 3. The Priesthood. 4. The Kingdom and Keys. I think those were the four, I will change it if need be later. I think that the one that I am struggling with the very most is the Kingdom and Keys. I just find so much good in other religions, I know that they don't have the keys and the necessary priesthood power and some of the other things which they do are so important. I know that they need to have the extra truths that we have, but in respect to them they are in all reality so close to the road. They are riding in the bike lane along the iron rod. They just don't even realize how close they are. So we discussed this and everything it was neat to hear his testimony. Then he asked me what I do and I told him he played the Viola and Violin, he told me his family loved those and his son (14 yrs old) plays the cello, then he paused for a minute, asked me when I last played, I told him a couple of weeks ago in Fredericksberg, "I played Oh my Father, because I had a teacher named Mr. Pack who was so special to me and it was the last song that we ever played together after he passed away of a heart attack so I feel so close to that song." He paused again and said.. "Well can you play it tomorrow?" I was like well.. I suppose that would be alright. So we stood up and I went in to give him a hug and suddeny I realized that both of our faces were on the same side and we like almost smacked heads. I guess he wanted to take Paul's invitation to the Corinthians very literal and "greet you brother with a holy kiss" So I was like "What in the world?" He laughed and told me he forgot to tell me that we are changing hugging in the mission to a "Mexican Embrasso" Basically a hug where you put your head to the right.. It was weird.
So Wednesday came and it was zone conference. We got there nice and early so that my District Leader who plays the piano and I could practice, we did and President was really pleased. It is so fun to be able to perform musically for people. I have now done the musical number for 2 out of the 3 zone conferences on my mission. I also joined the choir this week. (Story later) So that was neat. Then he talked about what he expects of us. There are 7 things.
1. Know who you are, your Inherent Purpose, and act accordingly.
2. Discern the spirit and submit to its promptings.
3. Unshaken andunwavering testimony of the Restoration.
4. Have a sound understanding of Doctirne and Teach by Power and Authority.
5. Understand the doctrine of gathering and the principles of effective finding.
6. Learn and apply principles of leadership.
7. Continuous effort to progress.
Today and Always!
And above all he said Fullfill Your Foreordination. That is my slogan now. I love it.
Thursday was the 4th! I spent all afternoon I swear fixing a chainsaw then chopping down a tree. It was awesome. That will probably be amongst my first major purchases when I get home. I don't really know if that is mission approved but.. yeah. I figure I can handle it so.. I dont know. Anyway, I figured out how to do a whole bunch of stuff to fix up a chainsaw. Then we went and had dinner with the Call family. The lady that sent you the picture was like there daughter or something? But we were eating and they had a dog and Elder Hughes said that he had like the same one back home, so they were like oh we will send your mom a picture! So I just sat there talking to their son about life and stuff then they were like oh yeah I bet Elder Funk's mom would like one too, because they realized they left me out, so I just said "Hey don't worry about it, I'm sure they probably won't remember me anyway." Apparently nobody gets my jokes here. Whatever I'm not gonna change, so they felt bad and I said I was kidding then they laughed, it was fun. Then we had a couple of lessons actually because I guess the government decided that fireworks to celebrate our independence weren't worth my tax dollars or something. So Randolph Air Force base didn't do them. Bummer. But the lessons went well and we got a return appointment with one and the other came to church!
Friday was another great day! I spent most of the morning on a tile saw laying a member's tile down for him. Man I love doing service so much. It was great, Elder Hughes didn't really know what he was doing so he kinda just stood there but we laid most of his floor down for him, He is such a great man, he has a speech impediment but it seems like I am way more drawn to the people that are not seemingly perfect. I love that guy though. So after doing that we went and worked that night. We taught a lesson to this family named the G's, Plan of Salvation. Elder Hughes didn't say anything the entire lesson so basically I taught all of it. Frustrating. But it went swell up until the time of the Spirit world. Then man did the bashing start. I pulled out some scriptures from Peter's writings. No go. Man and do Baptist's hate the idea of "Purgatory" which we don't believe.. But anyway. I realized the conversation wasn't going anywhere when I had to start to explain the Heavenly law and spiritual sin vs. The Earthly law and physical sin. It kinda crashed and burned. But I did my best. for the hour and half we were there. Time goes by to quickly when you are doing the Lord's work. We walked out and I was just laughing because it never gets heated. I am really good at keeping my head and so is the lady, so we just were able to push each other's doctrine. What she doesn't realize yet, is that our's is right. I'll keep ya posted we have another lesson of Wedensday.
Saturday was the neatest experience of the week by far. Our relief society president gave us a family to go visit so we plugged it into the GPS and off we went. Now.. I learned that you should check the distance of where it was because we biked like 8 miles out there and got there and realized that we were like way out of our area. So we stopped just down the road from the house and were sitting at this stop sign ready to go home because it was not in our area and then a van pulled up. A sorrowful looking lady rolled down the window and said "Hey Elders.." with a very sad voice. I asked if she was Sister S and she said that she was and I told her that we wanted to come and meet her. So we walked down the block to her house and went to talk to her and her husband. She told me that she had just had a miscarriage earlier and that she had just gotten sent home from her job because they had found someone else. I told her of the Savior's love and of the power of prayer while bearing solemn testimony that Christ knows her and what she feels. The spirit was so powerful. Then I offered a blessing. In the blessing I could see the child. A son. Waiting in heaven with our Father. Our Brother and many angels. I told her that because of his valient righteousness he had been picked as one of the elect of God, having to just recieve a body long enough to fulfill the plan. With tears rolling down my face I closed. Telling her of the vast amounts of the Love the savior has for her and made the long bike ride home.
I know the Savior's hand is in this work. I don't know everything that I need too and some things that I ought to. I do however know that we will be placed in time and circumstance where the savior can make us become beautiful instruments in his simple symphony. I love this work I love my Savior. Don't ever forget what He does. I know he knows me and you. Keep the faith. Only Believe.
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Paul Robert Funk
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