All good things come to an end they say. I totally agree win that! Haha I have good news and bad news. I'll start with the bad news so things get better as you read this. :)
So first I'll start with my hospital experience. Yeah, hospital you heard it right! I just want to say that this was my first time going to the doctor or hospital without a motherly figure there. It was SO hard to even walk in there. Haha that's just the mommas boy in me though! But I don't care what anybody thinks. Cause god loves me and won't judge me (yet) haha anyways. A week and a half ago. I ate two burritos, REALLY big ones. Right after the last bite of the second one, right away I new something was wrong. really wrong. I couldn't breathe. So I went to the hospital right before I got called, my
exchange companion called sister Fenn. She told me to go home and take a two hour nap. -_- So I was obedient and went home, didn't take my nap though. So she owes me. I'm due for a two hour nap anyways haha back to the story, sorry. So for a whole week and a half, everything time I swallowed, I felt it. And not just felt it but FELT it. Anything cold would freeze my passage way, anything hard felt like I was eating rocks! It didn't hurt, at all actually. I just felt very uncomfortable every time I ate and drink. And everyone knows that I eat ALOT! Haha so they took me and x rayed me. It was my first time wearing a gown so I felt legit! Anyways, my x ray turned out fine. But I was diagnosed with two things! I have hard core anxiety and really bad gastric reflex. My doc said I had a panic attack in the hospital when they were checking my vitals haha I'm a freak, I always new it! And acid from my stomach likes to hang out in my passage way always giving me heart burn. But I'm A OKAY. I got meds for both. Hehe :)
Now for the good news! This week has been the best week on my mish so far. The weather is awesome, I picked up 3 new investigators, I went to the mall, and drove through sleepy hallow and lots of good stuff. The weather has treated me like royalty this week. It's been 40 to 50 everyday. I know those numbers still suck but that's a cake walk compared to being in the teens everyday. We gave the car to the north elders that we were in a car share with for good. They looked at us like we were crazy. Haha we had the weather report and they didn't haha it shouldn't snow anymore but I'm knocking on wood cause Mother Nature has a funny sense of humor as well. -_- Sense the weather is "so nice" we've decided to bring the bikes out. We haven't had to pay for bikes because the ward is so awesome. They loaned us some! The only down side to bikes is that you have to wear helmets. It's in the white hand book so there's no way you to go around it. Haha answer this, when have you ever seen a black guy on a bike with a helmet on??? Yeah, NEVER! I feel like a chump haha bikes are better in lots of ways though. I feel like you have many more opportunities to spread the gospel when your on bikes. You can contact people 10x better. I'll tell some stories about my bike experiences so far.
The first time we got on our bikes, we rode to the church to make sure they wouldn't fall apart. Haha and to Facebook proselyte. On the way we ran into about 4 people. The first guy we saw was in front of a liquor store. Umm I didn't want to judge him off the bat cause that's just how I am! He was a black guy, short, baggy clothes, and I pretty much knew what I was getting into when I walked up to him. I just put the biggest smile in my face and said "what's up!? We re missionaries from our church. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and we have a short message that's gonna save your life. You look like you got some time. Something tells me you want to hear it!" He looked at me and I was like oh shoot. -_- a couple seconds later he put the biggest smile on his face said "imma be honest, I sell dope, and I'm onna tract (selling dope as we speak) right now. But imma take one of yo pamphlets, cause I need some Jesus in my life". Hahahaha all of us just laughed. We went our way, and ran into a sign flipper! Those are my favorite "targets". They can't run from ya. ;) we talked to him and got his number! And address! He really wants to start meeting with us. The last guy we ran into was uhh a little crazy. We saw him from about 50 feet away. He ran into his garage. Me and my companion were really confused. Then he darted back out! With a 2x4! And started banging it on the concrete. We said, have you ever seen missionaries like us!? He said "nope, and I don't want to see missionaries like you ever again". Gees someone had their panties in a wad. Obviously he wasn't ready to hear the gospel, hopefully his heart with be soften and will run out of sticks before another set of missionaries walk in path.
Anyway, Elgin has been amazing! I rode through sleepy hollow (where the headless horsemen resided). I don't really know the story of the headless horsemen or sleepy hollow so if anyone does you should tell me. It's no that scary during the day. So it was the best time to go.;) Sadly, my work there is done though. I have been transferred to Arlington Hieghts. That's why a letter didn't get sent out last
Monday. I was packing and moving and I suck at doing both so I apologize. Arlington heights is an amazing as well. It's gigantic! So big that I'm not in a car share. We get a nice 2013 Chevy Cruze. ;) we
switched into the sisters apartment. Which is wayyyyy nicer than any of the apartments I've seen. Not being creepy or anything but, it smells like the sisters too! I love it! I sleep better cause the apartment doesn't smell like sweaty feet. There's a nice pond outside of our back door which is gorgeous, the girls get hooked up. haha The reason we switched was because we killed it in Elgin! Sisters training needed to be in a better area with more people to teach and more members to use. So we basically set them up for success. I'm ok with that. ;) there was a baptism that we had this Saturday. Her name was nova. She was a 9 year old girl with not so active parents and sisters so she is really blessed that her mom let her do it. Her grandfather baptized her.
I've been in this area for a week now, and the works pretty slow. We re getting to know everyone and it's weird. I'm basically starting all over again. I just had revelation. Transfers teach you how to break up! Haha just kidding it is really hard leaving people who you've grown to love behind though. But if you move forward and continue to work and love the people it's easier to focus on the future. It's hard to focus on the future when all you think about is the past.
My new district is super small. For the mission that is. There's 8 of us. My last district had 12 people in it. My new district has all sisters in it so I get a little taste of relief society. ;) jk I'm the oldest missionary so I feel kinda old. But that's ok. My zone is pretty amazing though. I have different zone leaders. I
can already tell that I'm going to get along great with these ones. Ones from Mexico, and the other is from west valley Utah. The one from Utah is Polynesian and we have the same exact personally so we crack each other up. Me and my companion are the only English missionaries. So when we go on exchanges we re lost most of the time. My Spanish is not that bad though believe it or not. Being around it all the time definitely helps.
The ward is pretty great. The church is about 20 mins away. Not much youth at all so the we're gonna get picked on a lot for things. I expected that coming out here though. There's lots of converts in the
ward. And you can definitely tell. There's people in the ward who are from Utah. You can definitely point them out as well. Haha they seem to be more bubbly.
This p-day we re going to explore the area. There tons here! Everyone seems to have nice cars and sad faces. My guess is that theyre in debt because of their cars haha lots of stores and Mcdonalds on ever corner. I've only been twice my whole mission so no worries. ;) there's lots of suburbs so there's lots if tracking to be done.
My new address is
1705 forest cove dr. Apt 102
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Feel free to write me anytime, I love letters. :))))
I'm going to end with something I learned today in my personal study! Give you guys a lil taste of my spirituality! Haha
Today I read ALMA chapter 34. It's is Amulek preaching to the poor and humbled zoramites who got kicked out of the synagogues (churches). Amulek taught them what the atonement was (verse 7-16).
Then he taught what we must do to have eternal life. Which is the main goal for us here on earth! Verse 32 says it all! "for behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet god".
The things I learned today, I already knew, in my head that is. But what I learned today, I learned in my heart. Amulek preached "The Gospel". The Gospel isn't just going to church every Sunday. That's
Mormon culture. To many people are living Mormon culture, and I don't mean to offend anyone if I do but that's gotta stop. Like today. I can honestly say that stopped for me when I came on a mission. I'd
probably still be living "Mormon Culture" if I was back home. And I wouldn't have know the difference until 20 years down the rode. That's a waste of time. More and more people need to be living Mormon Religion. Thats where the happiness is at!!! That's walking the walk. Amulek teaches us how to do it! Psh, now that I think about it, I've been taught these principles since I was 14, by various people who care about me and love me. I knew these things. But I only stuck the knowledge in my head. When it's there it benefits you nothing. But when it's in your heart :) it changes you. Let it change you. (That's why missionaries come home "weird") the gospel is all about change. As
it changes you, teach others how it can change them as well (missionary work). Let the gospel work it's way from your brain to your heart. When it reaches your heart it turns into wisdom! Which is the weapon to beat the crap out of satan! Alma 37: 35 ("Learn wisdom in by youth. Learn wisdom in thy youth to keep the commandments of god").
I know the gospel to be true and I'm SO thankful to be apart of something so great! I'm thankful to have the fullness of HHS gospel in my life. I'm thankful for our Heavenly Father and the many ways he
teaches us. The gospel is a process, a continual process and we re all in different stages of it. But as we all live it and apply it, we can all get to the same place!
Ps. Where I'll be throwing a party that all my friends and family are invited to. I have two people who are on my VIP list. Everyone can make it on there as well! Live the gospel, pray continually, go to church, follow the commandments, all of them! And sit back and enjoy the blessings! :)) piece out!
-Elder Williams
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