Hey Family!
Another week has already gone and past. I can't believe it! So fast. So basically here is my week!
We taught Nathan, again, but he really wanted to be taught the Law of Chastity for some reason. Whateve's it all has to get done so whatever works. So he told us we had to teach it with sock puppets but I said no way to that one. We pretty much laughed through the whole thing. Here is how elect he is. Before the lesson he told us a story about how he told his girlfriend a couple of days before that they couldn't do it anymore, because he was going to get baptized and change his life around. Awesome right! She punched him in the face, but he didn't give up! So he accepted that and he is probably going to have his date moved up to sooner rather than the 23rd of next month. So pumped!
Oh we also had a giant meeting about Gladys Knight. Basically to talk about why the church sucks at singing and why we don't have any soul in our services. Oh and how to talk to black people. It has been a little bit different finding like that.. Anyway that concert is this weekend and we get to go so I will have to give you an update about it next Monday! Gonna be sweet!
So we moved alot of people this week. We helped someone on Wednesday night that was moving to OKC. He gave us an Austin Powers card board cut out. Sweet right? So we put a badge on it and I gotta figure out how to send a picture and then yall can have it. He's like our third comp. Does about as much as Elder Le Sueur does sometimes haha. His words, not mine.
Another move that we did was helping the Brashears. Love those guys to death, they are so awesome. We went over and helped em move and so naturally I wore my cowboy boots. I was carrying this dang couch and it was pretty heavy. Elder Le Sueur was kinda annoying me in the moment and flicked my butt so I reacted and kicked him right in the shin. I totally forgot that I had my boots on so it killed him. I didn't even kick hard but it was pretty dang funny. He got over it. And he stopped annoying me.
Oh so last week we got in the car to go home with the sisters. The sister is a terrible driver. I tell yall that every week. But seriously. She is so bad. Worse than Ryan at Rainbow Road. (Boom Roasted) Jk. So I was talking to Staker and she told me that the other sister was the Senior comp. GOLD. So technically she is supposed to be driving. Now I just had to figure out a way to tell her that without causing a big problem. So when we got in the car, I super awkwardly said "Hey Sister Regen.. How long have you been out?" "Nine Months!" Sweet right? Because the other sister has only been out six! "Shouldn't you be driving?" Then all Hell broke loose. Whoops. I got my butt chewed out, because I don't even know why. Well ok I do, but still... So she ripped me a new one and then it was just like silence, man she made so many mean remarks. We don't get along. At all. So we rode our bike to the Library this week. Better part of that story. So I am ranting to the ZL's about this whole thing and they are with another comp and he says about Sister Regen "I think she is red-dotted" meaning... She is such a terrible driver that they didn't even want to giver her a chance because she had gotten to many wrecks and she can't drive anyway. So I looked like a moron again. Wait. It gets better, then my comp says "Oh yeah! I remember that! She was in my last district!!" Thanks Elder Le Sueur. Thanks alot.
We had some other pretty good lessons. We went over to the Huff's to teach her cousin and they started talking about this crazy investigator that makes all this missionaries cut the bamboo at her house. I know that investigator, I am teaching her. So I tell her that, she gets a little freaked out and tells us the bishop told the Elder's never to go back there because she is mentally crazy and cracks and she could accuse us of stuff. Nice work writing that one down missionaries in the past... Yeah. I'm not going back there again. Last time we went, she told us about how she had her extension cord stolen from her. Freakin nuts.
We played some sweet football at the Stake Center last week. My comp was on the other team and it was like us matched up against each other. I owned. So hopefully that helped out his pride a bit. It was pretty hilarious.
Nathan is still moving which is a bummer, but all is good. He is gonna get baptized here and we are still going to the Glady's Knight concert together so that will be fun. He decided that he was going to make us listen to his favorite song and music video.. Whatever I guess. It's called "Royal" By Lorde. I might have fallen in love. Whoops. It's like the best song ever, but I only heard it once and now I have to wait to listen to it for another year. Alma was right. Wickedness never was Happiness. But totally check it out. Awesome song.
Elder Le Sueur is different than my other companions for sure. We get along great. I just have to give up alot of what I want to do. I really have learned that Companionship Unity is super important. I really wish that we had the same desires for a mission, that would make the work alot more effective and everything more fulfilling. He said though that last week was the hardest working week that he has had on his mission. So I suppose that is a good thing. He slept in til like 8 or something this morning. He sleeps alot so I make calls and try to motivate him to get out the door. Kinda a trick sometimes. Monster Energy drinks help...
Really that was about it. I love to do personal study. If you don't have a great experience everytime that you read the Book of Mormon there is something not right. I'm studying it for the third time on my mission and I'm now in Alma, I just finished 34 today. I love how Amulek talks about the Atonement, and the importance of it. He lays it all out there.
I am grateful to be were I am at. I was talking to sister Huff again, and she was expressing that she could see a mission really change missionaries, and could see it in me. She pretty much knows everything that has happened, she just like to hear it all and helps me out. Love her to death. I don't know what it is, but Widows, and grandma's are the best people on the planet. I told her that If I had to give up even more I would do it all again. Every single hard day, the hot weather and just everything. I would do it all again. I may complain a bit, but I would be so grateful to have time to do it again. But I'm glad that I was diligent and don't have regrets in the work I have done.
Overall a good week to be a Funk. Especially Elder Funk! I learned alot, I am gratful for patience and hope to be able to endure the next week. If there is anything praiseworthy I will seek after that thing. Terrible. I just butchered the 13th article of faith...
God bless.
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
A Week in the Life of a Funk
What a week in the life of a Funk. Actually nothing to big happened but I will try and over dramitize it so that you can get a laugh or something like that.
So basically the sister driver that we drive with everywhere depises me. (This is also the sister that was driving when he head was slammed in the car door a couple of weeks ago) So we drove down town last week and went to the Mexican Flee Market again. Man that is a cheap man's paradise. Just full of crap that you really don't need ever, but everything is super cool. She kinda just got mad at me, but ya know I really believe that Heavenly Father opened my eyes and I just can bear it now and realize it's probably something else and she is taking out on me. Yep I guess I'm sorry mom. I now understand what you felt with me.
That's basically what a mission is, just realizing how much you miss your mom and regretting every single bad thing that you ever did to her. That is what we talked about when I was over at member's house for dinner. He met his wife on his mission and basically is like my favorite person ever. Well besides the other 100 people that I say that about. We hung out with Nathan and taught him a couple of lessons that day too. He is just eating it all up! He wanted to call you mom and so I was sitting in the back seat when called and boy, he made me bawl! Like a sister after a baptism. Bad. That's basically what I did this week. Cry a whole lot.
Wednesday was good! We had breakfast with Bro Tiemann again, man is that guy awesome. Love him to death. He is on a cruise now so I won't see him for a bit. Just has the biggest heart out of everyone that I have ever met.
I left my old planner at home so I am trying to figure out what I did this week. Whoops. Oh Nathan is moving!!! Found that out last night. But he wants me to teach him so he is going to drive 45 minutes every week to come to church and then to have us teach him. I love that kid to death. He announced during Gospel Principles that I had to give him his next lesson about Chastity with Sock puppets. Honest to goodness he said that. I have no idea how to make that an appropriate visual aid. At all. Pray for me.
My new comp: Everything that Elder Dayton wasn't. Not in the best ways sometimes. He is pretty messy, but that's ok. One thing is he has gas like a petroleum plant. That. Is. My worst pet peave. We got into the car last night with one of my favorite members and he just let them rip. Not SBD but like leg lifters and just laughed. I apologized to the member and boy he got a good chewin out when we got into the apartment. He just has a too cool for everything attitude. But he is a good teacher. Just pray for him.
We had a guy the other day when we were walking home at 8:45 come zooming up in an electric wheel chair. Imagine Lt. Dan from forest gump, k got the picture? So he comes up and said "Hey yall J Ws?" so I said "Nah we are the Mormon Missionaries my friend!" He wanted to know the finer points of our doctrine but not then so he flys off his motorscooter wheelchair and does a flippin sweet 360 spin going up on two wheels and takes off again! He stops up ahead about a block so we ran up to him real quick and start talking to him again. He told us about how he was going to see his Girlfriend. She was working at Texas roadhouse. Now.. I have been there enough that I know that the waitresses there aren't in this guys league. So Elder Le Suere asked him "How old is she?" She was 25 and he was 63.. That was his dilemma, or that's what he told us. Love the guy to death. I think we are planning to go and teach him later this week. But the best part was, he put on his gloves and drove right off into the moonlight. Did another 360, and was gone. Romantic as they come. Cool guy though.
So I tried to impliment a new idea this week. I call it "Funeral Finding." We had a member pass away. But I'm gonna make ya wait for the idea and it's exectution while I tell ya this other story.
So we went to this nursing home with a member who is at least as old as the the Book of Mormon to see a member that was passing away soon. His name was Wally Bruce, So we showed up at the perfect time. 8:30 PM. Right when all the lights were off and everyone was asleep. However nothing deters the Elders and Bro Cooley so in we went! We found his room. But to our dismay and surprise, there was not one, but three men in the room! I had never seen Brother Bruce, Elder Hughes had never seen this guy and so we went off of faith, and Brother Cooleys vision. We went up the Brother Bruce and Brother Cooley started to softly say "Wally, Wally. We are here! We wanted to come see ya!" The guy didn't wake up so Brother Cooley starts to shake him. The man wakes up and looks us and is stunned, absolutely stunned. We sit there for a moment just staring at each other and Brother Cooley goes "Wait.. Your not wally." Yep. I would be shocked to if three guys in white shirts and ties were standing over me in my hospital bed. Whoops. Bet he thought he was dead. Hilarious though.
Sooo Brother Bruce passed away. A magnificent man. Tons of non member friends! So thus "Funeral Finding" was born. We showed up to the funeral and the member was the President of the San Antonio school of the deaf. SOO everyone there that was a non member was deaf basically. Fail. Epic fail. I gave alot of thumbs up to people and shook alot of hands. So hopefully we made a good impression. But going to a funeral full of deaf people is not the best way to find people to teach.
The spirit was so strong. I love the doctrine of the plan. That is the happiest thing that we have to hold on too. I know we can see family members again. I felt like a fool because I started bawling, again, I looked down the row and it was all the older women that were crying and then a little missionary. But It is so great to know this isn't the end. I love it. I know it's so true.
Sunday was the primary program and I sat next to the member that I watched conference with Andreas. Love the guy to death. The spirit was so strong. I love the sweet spirit that children have! I wish I were that cute again. They have such a sweet spirit about them.
I don't feel like this was a super uplifting email, but that was my week. I did a great study this week were I went and I wrote down all the names that Christ holds the standard works. It is Marvelous to do! He fills every single role of the salvation of my soul. I love him. He truly is Wonderful. I know with all my heart He lives. I have been on a poetry kick as of late and just love how the general authoritys use it in there talks here is one that I liked from President Monson.
“‘Father, where shall I work today?’
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then he pointed out a tiny spot
And said, ‘Tend that for me.’
I answered quickly, ‘Oh no, not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me.’
And the word he spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
‘Ah, little one, search that heart of thine;
Art thou working for them or for me?
‘Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.’”
—Meade MacGuire
Whatever our skills are, whatever place we may need to be I know that the Lord will and has put me and us there. He loves us to much to let us not have every opportunity to live up to our greatest potential. In another talk I read this week Elder Hales said, speaking of the Saviors prayer to his Father concerning His will. "It is one thing to teach 'Thy will be done'. It is another to live it." I love you, and pray for you.
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
So basically the sister driver that we drive with everywhere depises me. (This is also the sister that was driving when he head was slammed in the car door a couple of weeks ago) So we drove down town last week and went to the Mexican Flee Market again. Man that is a cheap man's paradise. Just full of crap that you really don't need ever, but everything is super cool. She kinda just got mad at me, but ya know I really believe that Heavenly Father opened my eyes and I just can bear it now and realize it's probably something else and she is taking out on me. Yep I guess I'm sorry mom. I now understand what you felt with me.
That's basically what a mission is, just realizing how much you miss your mom and regretting every single bad thing that you ever did to her. That is what we talked about when I was over at member's house for dinner. He met his wife on his mission and basically is like my favorite person ever. Well besides the other 100 people that I say that about. We hung out with Nathan and taught him a couple of lessons that day too. He is just eating it all up! He wanted to call you mom and so I was sitting in the back seat when called and boy, he made me bawl! Like a sister after a baptism. Bad. That's basically what I did this week. Cry a whole lot.
Wednesday was good! We had breakfast with Bro Tiemann again, man is that guy awesome. Love him to death. He is on a cruise now so I won't see him for a bit. Just has the biggest heart out of everyone that I have ever met.
I left my old planner at home so I am trying to figure out what I did this week. Whoops. Oh Nathan is moving!!! Found that out last night. But he wants me to teach him so he is going to drive 45 minutes every week to come to church and then to have us teach him. I love that kid to death. He announced during Gospel Principles that I had to give him his next lesson about Chastity with Sock puppets. Honest to goodness he said that. I have no idea how to make that an appropriate visual aid. At all. Pray for me.
My new comp: Everything that Elder Dayton wasn't. Not in the best ways sometimes. He is pretty messy, but that's ok. One thing is he has gas like a petroleum plant. That. Is. My worst pet peave. We got into the car last night with one of my favorite members and he just let them rip. Not SBD but like leg lifters and just laughed. I apologized to the member and boy he got a good chewin out when we got into the apartment. He just has a too cool for everything attitude. But he is a good teacher. Just pray for him.
We had a guy the other day when we were walking home at 8:45 come zooming up in an electric wheel chair. Imagine Lt. Dan from forest gump, k got the picture? So he comes up and said "Hey yall J Ws?" so I said "Nah we are the Mormon Missionaries my friend!" He wanted to know the finer points of our doctrine but not then so he flys off his motorscooter wheelchair and does a flippin sweet 360 spin going up on two wheels and takes off again! He stops up ahead about a block so we ran up to him real quick and start talking to him again. He told us about how he was going to see his Girlfriend. She was working at Texas roadhouse. Now.. I have been there enough that I know that the waitresses there aren't in this guys league. So Elder Le Suere asked him "How old is she?" She was 25 and he was 63.. That was his dilemma, or that's what he told us. Love the guy to death. I think we are planning to go and teach him later this week. But the best part was, he put on his gloves and drove right off into the moonlight. Did another 360, and was gone. Romantic as they come. Cool guy though.
So I tried to impliment a new idea this week. I call it "Funeral Finding." We had a member pass away. But I'm gonna make ya wait for the idea and it's exectution while I tell ya this other story.
So we went to this nursing home with a member who is at least as old as the the Book of Mormon to see a member that was passing away soon. His name was Wally Bruce, So we showed up at the perfect time. 8:30 PM. Right when all the lights were off and everyone was asleep. However nothing deters the Elders and Bro Cooley so in we went! We found his room. But to our dismay and surprise, there was not one, but three men in the room! I had never seen Brother Bruce, Elder Hughes had never seen this guy and so we went off of faith, and Brother Cooleys vision. We went up the Brother Bruce and Brother Cooley started to softly say "Wally, Wally. We are here! We wanted to come see ya!" The guy didn't wake up so Brother Cooley starts to shake him. The man wakes up and looks us and is stunned, absolutely stunned. We sit there for a moment just staring at each other and Brother Cooley goes "Wait.. Your not wally." Yep. I would be shocked to if three guys in white shirts and ties were standing over me in my hospital bed. Whoops. Bet he thought he was dead. Hilarious though.
Sooo Brother Bruce passed away. A magnificent man. Tons of non member friends! So thus "Funeral Finding" was born. We showed up to the funeral and the member was the President of the San Antonio school of the deaf. SOO everyone there that was a non member was deaf basically. Fail. Epic fail. I gave alot of thumbs up to people and shook alot of hands. So hopefully we made a good impression. But going to a funeral full of deaf people is not the best way to find people to teach.
The spirit was so strong. I love the doctrine of the plan. That is the happiest thing that we have to hold on too. I know we can see family members again. I felt like a fool because I started bawling, again, I looked down the row and it was all the older women that were crying and then a little missionary. But It is so great to know this isn't the end. I love it. I know it's so true.
Sunday was the primary program and I sat next to the member that I watched conference with Andreas. Love the guy to death. The spirit was so strong. I love the sweet spirit that children have! I wish I were that cute again. They have such a sweet spirit about them.
I don't feel like this was a super uplifting email, but that was my week. I did a great study this week were I went and I wrote down all the names that Christ holds the standard works. It is Marvelous to do! He fills every single role of the salvation of my soul. I love him. He truly is Wonderful. I know with all my heart He lives. I have been on a poetry kick as of late and just love how the general authoritys use it in there talks here is one that I liked from President Monson.
“‘Father, where shall I work today?’
And my love flowed warm and free.
Then he pointed out a tiny spot
And said, ‘Tend that for me.’
I answered quickly, ‘Oh no, not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me.’
And the word he spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
‘Ah, little one, search that heart of thine;
Art thou working for them or for me?
‘Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.’”
—Meade MacGuire
Whatever our skills are, whatever place we may need to be I know that the Lord will and has put me and us there. He loves us to much to let us not have every opportunity to live up to our greatest potential. In another talk I read this week Elder Hales said, speaking of the Saviors prayer to his Father concerning His will. "It is one thing to teach 'Thy will be done'. It is another to live it." I love you, and pray for you.
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
Staying in the UC
October 14
Paul didn't have much time to write, but here it is.
Hey! SO I literally have 15 minutes to email because of the dang government system. Like literally They have given me 12 minutes left... DA GUM.
This week was pretty good. I am staying here. I thought I was going to leave. Elder Dayton is leaving though so I will get a new comp. We get to pack and stuff with him today. Shoot.
So yeah Last night was funny. We had "Sunday Funday" at the Zls apartment that night. It was funny.
Service at the Tews was the bomb! Yeah so carpet was fun. I am going to learn how to do more so that I don't have to pay people. I think that transfers will be cool.
I am just like pushed for time I don't even know what to do! haha So we will see. If anything I will write a letter out this week to yall. Pres. Slaughter probably won't hear from me today...
Lets see. Nathan is doing good. He is going to get baptized next month. So yeah we are setting a date tonight. I love him!
Ummm.... WE also had a crazy investigator who bashed again. So sick of it. I am pretty good at bashing.. But I hate it so I don't do it.
This is basically my lamest email eva. Oh by the way played some Settlers of Catan in between sessions of conference with some members.
Life is good. Yep. Just chillin on a bike. It bike alot. Anyway guess I gotta go. So love ya lots.
Jk false alarm. This is like watching an episode of 24 trying to type and im sure read this email. 15 Minutes is not enough time to do that! hahaha
But for real now I do have no time.
So I love ya alot and send me letters because I am staying in the UC!
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
Paul didn't have much time to write, but here it is.
Hey! SO I literally have 15 minutes to email because of the dang government system. Like literally They have given me 12 minutes left... DA GUM.
This week was pretty good. I am staying here. I thought I was going to leave. Elder Dayton is leaving though so I will get a new comp. We get to pack and stuff with him today. Shoot.
So yeah Last night was funny. We had "Sunday Funday" at the Zls apartment that night. It was funny.
Service at the Tews was the bomb! Yeah so carpet was fun. I am going to learn how to do more so that I don't have to pay people. I think that transfers will be cool.
I am just like pushed for time I don't even know what to do! haha So we will see. If anything I will write a letter out this week to yall. Pres. Slaughter probably won't hear from me today...
Lets see. Nathan is doing good. He is going to get baptized next month. So yeah we are setting a date tonight. I love him!
Ummm.... WE also had a crazy investigator who bashed again. So sick of it. I am pretty good at bashing.. But I hate it so I don't do it.
This is basically my lamest email eva. Oh by the way played some Settlers of Catan in between sessions of conference with some members.
Life is good. Yep. Just chillin on a bike. It bike alot. Anyway guess I gotta go. So love ya lots.
Jk false alarm. This is like watching an episode of 24 trying to type and im sure read this email. 15 Minutes is not enough time to do that! hahaha
But for real now I do have no time.
So I love ya alot and send me letters because I am staying in the UC!
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Funk
Monday, October 7, 2013
Substitution can never take the place of PREPARATION
Hey Family!
What a great week it was in the TSAM! I loved, loved, loved conference. There is no doubt in my mind that at least a couple of the speakers were speaking straight up to me. I really hope that everyone got as much as I did out of it. I love and support the Prophet with all of my heart. I am so grateful for the chance that I got to sustain him and all of the Quorum of the Twelve while sitting on a couch in good ole' Schertz Texas. I will never forget this conference. I feel so much different.
The week started off terrible. I just had some rotten news and stuff so I did the only thing I knew what to do. Go to the refiner's fire. Or rather the BBQ pit at the ZL's apartment. It was great! Paper makes great fuel and just as Elder Dube of the 70 said "We must never look behind, only at what is to be done! It was an awesome day. A letting go of the past and having a brighter future. I am grateful for that. It was tough but hey, It wasn't all supposed to be easy. I also tried to BBQ some chicken.. I don't know how to cook... So I didn't cook the chicken quite long enough but everyone still ate it until one of them realized that it was kinda slimmy.. Whoops. Reminds me of another story that I heard this week and I think it applys perfectly to all Missionaries that are getting ready to enter the field! Ryan included... haha.
So there was a couple of sister missionaries that are in the mission that one Sunday morning realized that they had forgotten to fill up the car with Gasoline. Whoops. So as to not break the Sabbath they decided that they would resort to Faith. They went to the nearest hose from a house, turned it on and stuck it into the Gas tank! Cheapest fill up ever right? Not even Gas prices that are at $3.09 right now could beat that! Of course the Sisters knew that water could not make the car run. So they offered up a prayer to Heavenly Father, in faith, and asked that the water be turned into Gasoline. Off to church they went! Of course they got part way there and the car ran out of gas, and completely destroyed the engine on the car. I have no doubt that their faith wasn't lacking, it was probably much like Peter's when he walked on water, but no matter the faith that you have Substitution can never take the place of Preparation.
Tuesday was another day! We didn't teach a soul. Nope not one. I think that everything that could fall through did. It was tough. So to get to part of our area we have to cross this creek bed, which in itself is a terrible task. But whateve's, so it has rained alot and the creek was mostly full so we had to huddle along the bank. We reached a point that a lady who was walking past us deemed "Impassible." We got through before, but this time was a bit different. I had to leap like a gazelle and managed to make it most of the way before boom. Yep there I was in a big pile of mud. It was sorta gross and terrible. I was frustrated. So we walked back out and then Brother Sherrill called us and asked us to help with a move! Yes. That was inspired. I had to be careful not to get mud all over his truck but it was awesome. Oh and at the move I met Brother Nielsen's Sister!!! yeah. His Nephew is our ward! Marty Evans. I love them so much!! I couldn't believe it. Trunky moment. Yeah that was awesome.
Wednesday we had some sweet District Meeting, President Slaughter has encouraged us to listen not with our eyes but with "Our whole Soul" and I have really started to see a difference in myself. I love it.
Thursday I don't think like anything exciting happened. I was to pumped for General Conference. Oh wait. I lied... We were going to go to this lesson with Jordan, like my BFF here, and he wanted to bring his friend Nathan, the kid we taught at Taco Cabana, I think that possible could have been my first Non-member present ever, but the lesson fell through. So I forgot to mention when I first got to the house I just looked at Nathan and said "When are you going to get baptized? You have to do it before Jordan leaves!" The spirit hit him and now we are teaching him and setting him with a date tonight! Back to the story. So we went back to Jordan's house where his mom and dad had us stuffing some envelopes full of quicinera (15th Birthday for a mexican girl) invitations. I think I got high because I licked at least 100 envelopes. It was a good day.. I really love that family. Jordan took us home and whenever we get into the car we blast some good country music. Nothing quite like listening to country driving down the freeway with the windows down and looking up at the giant Texas sky. That is my guilty pleasure for the week.. Well one of them. Other than that I do good about being obedient.
Friday was just the day for prep before conference, we invited tons of people to come with us to conference and yeah. That was basically the extent of the day!
Saturday was one of the best days of my mission. I loved it. Ate it all up! I truly listened with my whole soul and was rewarded with some of the most exquisite feelings of peace that I have ever had! I loved it! I loved D. Todd Christofferson's talk on Womanhood. That is exactly what I feel and think about it! I couldn't believe how spiritual the entire conference was. I didn't miss a single breathe. I loved it. We got the Magana family to come with us to conference and the listened to Pres. Uchtdorf's why is anyone a member talk. I think that they really enjoyed it! I can't wait to have another lesson with them this week. I loved it all so much. Priesthood session was amazing. President Monson gave such a great talk. I just can't express how much love that I have for them!
Sunday was the crowning jewel of the week. We watched conference at Bro. Tiemann's house with his friend from the Air Force. He is a sweet member, his name is Andreais. We all just loved it. Elder Dayton only fell asleep once too on his couch. I can't believe what an amazing weekend that it was. These were truly some of the best days of my whole entire mission. I needed them so badly.
I love this work and I just want to finish with one miracle that happened to me a couple of weeks ago and the importance of once again following the spirit.
Last month was honestly the hardest month of my entire life. I just felt a constant grind. I don't know why. My mental state was just terrible. It was all so hard. I just wanted it all to go away and stop but it was relentless. There were just events after events that happened and nothing ever seemed to pull through.
Our fridge even went out! I may have mentioned that before. All the food in our fridge had to be thrown away and since we had no car, we really had no way to get anymore food! We didn't starve we had enough stuff to get us through the weekend and onto P-day. But it was the end of the month and we had literally no money between us on our cards. Our office Elder had promised to put on some money so that we could replace all that was in the fridge which was a welcome relief. When we arrived at the store we started to shop, assuming that we had money all the cards based on what the office Elder had said. We decided however that we needed to go and double check before we went to check out because it would be awful embarrassing to have no money to pay for our groceries.
When we went to check we realized that we had no money. The transaction had not yet gone through.. I was beyond frustrated. It really was just like the last straw. We had no investigators, it was hot, I was so tired, I was dealing with just a ton of stuff, it seemed like my world and life, quite frankly just sucked. So what did we do? We put our stuff back and wandered around the store aimlessly. I'm sure I did not have a good look on my face, none of that Happy smile that Dr. Perry fixes up for me, so I just stood there kinda day dreaming, Elder Dayton was off down the eisle looking at something when a lady all of the sudden came up to me.
"Are you a missionary?" She asked.
"Yes Ma'am, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." I said.
Just then she grabbed my hand in both of hers and said "Well. I feel like I need to give this to you." She pulled her hands away and to my surprise she left a 20 dollar bill in my hand. Of course I was a little shocked, I had no idea what to say, The only thing I could say was "How did you know?.." She shrugged and said "God bless you." and walked away. I knew that she wasn't a member of our faith, she had no knowledge of what I had been going through but she acted on a prompting from the Holy Ghost.
I ran over to Elder Dayton and held out the 20 dollar bill in my hands and explained what had just happened. We looked and looked for the Lady and her Husband but they were no where to be found.
That day was great! We got food for the next couple of days, and a few days later a member brought us over a ton of food that we are still eating. It wasn't until a couple of nights ago when I was up reading in the scriptures that I realized something much more inspiring had happened. That 20 dollars wasn't about giving me food to get by, it was God telling me that I was in His hands, that He has a purpose for me and that I'll be ok, I only have to believe.
That sweet lady has no idea the impression that she left on a 19 year old kid from Utah, and likely in this life won't ever. Man I feel like a fool, I'm just bawling in the middle of this library. But I won't ever forget that moment for as long as I live. I am filled with the Love of the Savior whenever I think about it.
That has been the greatest lesson that I have learned on my mission. To follow the spirit wherever you are, and whatever needs to be done. You may never know what you do, and may not even receive the blessings for it here, but once again I say, Please listen to the Spirit. Follow every single prompting. I hope that I can do that. If it seems like a good idea just do it. It may change the life of someone that needs the Saviors love.
This has been the best couple days of my entire mission. My eyes are alot clearer and I know that another storm probably is going to come but I love every second of it. Just enjoy the journey and find peace in the Savior.
And as Always,
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Paul Funk
What a great week it was in the TSAM! I loved, loved, loved conference. There is no doubt in my mind that at least a couple of the speakers were speaking straight up to me. I really hope that everyone got as much as I did out of it. I love and support the Prophet with all of my heart. I am so grateful for the chance that I got to sustain him and all of the Quorum of the Twelve while sitting on a couch in good ole' Schertz Texas. I will never forget this conference. I feel so much different.
The week started off terrible. I just had some rotten news and stuff so I did the only thing I knew what to do. Go to the refiner's fire. Or rather the BBQ pit at the ZL's apartment. It was great! Paper makes great fuel and just as Elder Dube of the 70 said "We must never look behind, only at what is to be done! It was an awesome day. A letting go of the past and having a brighter future. I am grateful for that. It was tough but hey, It wasn't all supposed to be easy. I also tried to BBQ some chicken.. I don't know how to cook... So I didn't cook the chicken quite long enough but everyone still ate it until one of them realized that it was kinda slimmy.. Whoops. Reminds me of another story that I heard this week and I think it applys perfectly to all Missionaries that are getting ready to enter the field! Ryan included... haha.
So there was a couple of sister missionaries that are in the mission that one Sunday morning realized that they had forgotten to fill up the car with Gasoline. Whoops. So as to not break the Sabbath they decided that they would resort to Faith. They went to the nearest hose from a house, turned it on and stuck it into the Gas tank! Cheapest fill up ever right? Not even Gas prices that are at $3.09 right now could beat that! Of course the Sisters knew that water could not make the car run. So they offered up a prayer to Heavenly Father, in faith, and asked that the water be turned into Gasoline. Off to church they went! Of course they got part way there and the car ran out of gas, and completely destroyed the engine on the car. I have no doubt that their faith wasn't lacking, it was probably much like Peter's when he walked on water, but no matter the faith that you have Substitution can never take the place of Preparation.
Tuesday was another day! We didn't teach a soul. Nope not one. I think that everything that could fall through did. It was tough. So to get to part of our area we have to cross this creek bed, which in itself is a terrible task. But whateve's, so it has rained alot and the creek was mostly full so we had to huddle along the bank. We reached a point that a lady who was walking past us deemed "Impassible." We got through before, but this time was a bit different. I had to leap like a gazelle and managed to make it most of the way before boom. Yep there I was in a big pile of mud. It was sorta gross and terrible. I was frustrated. So we walked back out and then Brother Sherrill called us and asked us to help with a move! Yes. That was inspired. I had to be careful not to get mud all over his truck but it was awesome. Oh and at the move I met Brother Nielsen's Sister!!! yeah. His Nephew is our ward! Marty Evans. I love them so much!! I couldn't believe it. Trunky moment. Yeah that was awesome.
Wednesday we had some sweet District Meeting, President Slaughter has encouraged us to listen not with our eyes but with "Our whole Soul" and I have really started to see a difference in myself. I love it.
Thursday I don't think like anything exciting happened. I was to pumped for General Conference. Oh wait. I lied... We were going to go to this lesson with Jordan, like my BFF here, and he wanted to bring his friend Nathan, the kid we taught at Taco Cabana, I think that possible could have been my first Non-member present ever, but the lesson fell through. So I forgot to mention when I first got to the house I just looked at Nathan and said "When are you going to get baptized? You have to do it before Jordan leaves!" The spirit hit him and now we are teaching him and setting him with a date tonight! Back to the story. So we went back to Jordan's house where his mom and dad had us stuffing some envelopes full of quicinera (15th Birthday for a mexican girl) invitations. I think I got high because I licked at least 100 envelopes. It was a good day.. I really love that family. Jordan took us home and whenever we get into the car we blast some good country music. Nothing quite like listening to country driving down the freeway with the windows down and looking up at the giant Texas sky. That is my guilty pleasure for the week.. Well one of them. Other than that I do good about being obedient.
Friday was just the day for prep before conference, we invited tons of people to come with us to conference and yeah. That was basically the extent of the day!
Saturday was one of the best days of my mission. I loved it. Ate it all up! I truly listened with my whole soul and was rewarded with some of the most exquisite feelings of peace that I have ever had! I loved it! I loved D. Todd Christofferson's talk on Womanhood. That is exactly what I feel and think about it! I couldn't believe how spiritual the entire conference was. I didn't miss a single breathe. I loved it. We got the Magana family to come with us to conference and the listened to Pres. Uchtdorf's why is anyone a member talk. I think that they really enjoyed it! I can't wait to have another lesson with them this week. I loved it all so much. Priesthood session was amazing. President Monson gave such a great talk. I just can't express how much love that I have for them!
Sunday was the crowning jewel of the week. We watched conference at Bro. Tiemann's house with his friend from the Air Force. He is a sweet member, his name is Andreais. We all just loved it. Elder Dayton only fell asleep once too on his couch. I can't believe what an amazing weekend that it was. These were truly some of the best days of my whole entire mission. I needed them so badly.
I love this work and I just want to finish with one miracle that happened to me a couple of weeks ago and the importance of once again following the spirit.
Last month was honestly the hardest month of my entire life. I just felt a constant grind. I don't know why. My mental state was just terrible. It was all so hard. I just wanted it all to go away and stop but it was relentless. There were just events after events that happened and nothing ever seemed to pull through.
Our fridge even went out! I may have mentioned that before. All the food in our fridge had to be thrown away and since we had no car, we really had no way to get anymore food! We didn't starve we had enough stuff to get us through the weekend and onto P-day. But it was the end of the month and we had literally no money between us on our cards. Our office Elder had promised to put on some money so that we could replace all that was in the fridge which was a welcome relief. When we arrived at the store we started to shop, assuming that we had money all the cards based on what the office Elder had said. We decided however that we needed to go and double check before we went to check out because it would be awful embarrassing to have no money to pay for our groceries.
When we went to check we realized that we had no money. The transaction had not yet gone through.. I was beyond frustrated. It really was just like the last straw. We had no investigators, it was hot, I was so tired, I was dealing with just a ton of stuff, it seemed like my world and life, quite frankly just sucked. So what did we do? We put our stuff back and wandered around the store aimlessly. I'm sure I did not have a good look on my face, none of that Happy smile that Dr. Perry fixes up for me, so I just stood there kinda day dreaming, Elder Dayton was off down the eisle looking at something when a lady all of the sudden came up to me.
"Are you a missionary?" She asked.
"Yes Ma'am, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." I said.
Just then she grabbed my hand in both of hers and said "Well. I feel like I need to give this to you." She pulled her hands away and to my surprise she left a 20 dollar bill in my hand. Of course I was a little shocked, I had no idea what to say, The only thing I could say was "How did you know?.." She shrugged and said "God bless you." and walked away. I knew that she wasn't a member of our faith, she had no knowledge of what I had been going through but she acted on a prompting from the Holy Ghost.
I ran over to Elder Dayton and held out the 20 dollar bill in my hands and explained what had just happened. We looked and looked for the Lady and her Husband but they were no where to be found.
That day was great! We got food for the next couple of days, and a few days later a member brought us over a ton of food that we are still eating. It wasn't until a couple of nights ago when I was up reading in the scriptures that I realized something much more inspiring had happened. That 20 dollars wasn't about giving me food to get by, it was God telling me that I was in His hands, that He has a purpose for me and that I'll be ok, I only have to believe.
That sweet lady has no idea the impression that she left on a 19 year old kid from Utah, and likely in this life won't ever. Man I feel like a fool, I'm just bawling in the middle of this library. But I won't ever forget that moment for as long as I live. I am filled with the Love of the Savior whenever I think about it.
That has been the greatest lesson that I have learned on my mission. To follow the spirit wherever you are, and whatever needs to be done. You may never know what you do, and may not even receive the blessings for it here, but once again I say, Please listen to the Spirit. Follow every single prompting. I hope that I can do that. If it seems like a good idea just do it. It may change the life of someone that needs the Saviors love.
This has been the best couple days of my entire mission. My eyes are alot clearer and I know that another storm probably is going to come but I love every second of it. Just enjoy the journey and find peace in the Savior.
And as Always,
Remember who you are and what He stands for!
Elder Paul Funk
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