Wow. This has been a tough week. It's been very long and tiring, and it seems like even very little things are happening just to weigh us down and test our stamina and patience (e.g. the baby on the other side of the rice-paper-thin wall that wakes up and cries during the wee hours of every night... the water turning itself off... the neighbors blasting horrendous music on the other side of the other wall during our study hours... etc.). But oh well.
Goodness. Where to start? Our investigators are all having many challenges. We no longer have any progressing investigators, nor do we have any with a baptismal date. I think we had around 7 or 8 cancelled/postponed appointments. It's been impossible to get a hold of our ward mission leader, and none of the ward missionaries came to church. We did have one investigator come to church, which we were really happy about, but the others didn't show up. We got a total of 2 lessons to nonmembers this week. (At least we taught 5 to recent converts/less-active members.) And I didn't get any mail. *Cough, cough.* So, that, on top of the pain and the fatigue... yeah. It's been a tough week.
Speaking of pain, I actually have news on my back. After almost 4 months of my trying to do personal exercises to decrease the pain, our mission doctor wants me to see an orthopedic surgeon. Hopefully he'll be able to figure something out. Chances are good that he will then send me to physical therapy. If the physical therapy works but will require more than 4 appointments for me to fully heal, I will likely be sent home to finish therapy. The good and bad news is that I'm so skeptical from past experiences with physical therapy that it will actually work. I've pretty much just declared that's there's nothing I can do, and I've surrendered all to the hands of the Lord. I've done everything I can... I've quit anything that could hurt it more, including sports on preparation day, morning exercises, biking, etc. It's been really hard because I need to rest a lot and it affects the amount of work we can do each day... and it pains me to see Elder Benson bored and "out of work", which is making it hard for him to focus on being a missionary instead of being home. I just hope something happens. The Lord's will be done.
Sorry this one is so short and not very exciting. I hope to hear from you soon! In closing, let me leave with you the scripture that has helped me get through the week:
Doctrine & Covenants 128:
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
I know the Church is true and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I testify, as a representative of Jesus Christ, that He is ever-reaching, ever-loving, and ever-pleading for us to humble ourselves and apply His atoning blood, that we may feel the peace and comfort that He always offers. Remember, Alma 7:11-13.
With love,
Elder Schank
