Whew! I am happy to say that this week was not as depressing as the last. I've gotten some of your letters and packages (thank you!) and the work has been much more successful. I don't really have too many exciting stories to share, so... I'll try to think up something to write down here. :) I guess I'll start from right now and work backwards chronologically.
Right now... I'm in a computer lab near Fayetteville State University. Not too exciting. The person behind me is blasting Miley Cyrus and Ke$ha through his earbuds and it's really annoying.
We just came from the church building to help out with the Bishop's Storehouse. For those of you who don't know what that is, the Church provides groceries and other necessities to some of those who need financial help. The groceries are purchased with some of the tithing money and they are shipped to different areas throughout the world. We came this morning to unload the truck, set the items out on tables, and then help people gather the items that they ordered. It's pretty fun! You get to know different people and, as with all service, you feel really happy doing it.
Yesterday was our preparation day (we're emailing today because yesterday was a national holiday). We wrote some letters, went to the doctor's, went grocery shopping, buzzed our hair, and played a little bit of catch. The doctor took x-rays of my back and knees and found that everything in my back is structurally sound, and my knees are near perfect as well. He ended up prescribing me with a couple of medications. One was an anti-inflammatory and the other was a muscle relaxant. He told me to take them as prescribed and check back with him in two months and see if anything's different. Nice. So basically more waiting and just hoping that something happens. I'm just hoping that whatever is going on with my back gets fixed, by some miracle, soon, so we can work harder and so I can exercise more... or else I may come back twice the man I was when I left... if you know what I'm sayin.
Oh yeah, yesterday I tried my hand at a recipe Sis. Cotterell gave all the missionaries. She called them "chicken packets", and they are SO good. Mom made them sometimes at home. Anyway, I made them and they turned out really well. In fact... I ate them all. All 8 of them. Probably a bad idea, because they're not very healthy. But it was worth it. SO good. (Basically you just mix chicken with cream cheese and a ranch dressing packet then roll that mixture into croissant dough. Mmmm.) I am very proud of myself for developing such amazing cooking skills. Now I can actually cook an egg and I never (a.k.a. less than half of the time) burn my grilled cheese sandwiches anymore. So it's been a big deal. Dang... my stomach just reminded me that I haven't had lunch yet....
As far as the work goes, it's going pretty well. We have been fairly busy. Last Monday we taught a less-active man in the ward who was very interesting. He was telling us about how everything in the Bible and Book of Mormon was true... from a historical and scientific standpoint. Doctrinally, he has no idea, but he loves the more secular aspect of the scriptures. He was telling us about 36-foot tall giants called "Nephilim" that were discovered in ancient Palestine and made a huge deal out of it. Oh yeah, and they had horns. (Maybe that's where the 'Mormons have horns' theory comes from?) He had other theories that were pretty... different. We invited him to read from the Book of Mormon again and pray to know if its doctrines were true... and then we left after a prayer. Fun times.
Our investigators are doing well for the most part. I don't remember what I've already said about them so I might repeat myself.
- Sharron (shuh-RON) is an amazing woman. She's flying through the Book of Mormon... already to 3 Nephi 13 as of last night. She's been taught everything we have to teach her, so we go over there once in a while to support her and try to provide her with spiritual experiences that can help her overcome her smoking addiction because that's the only thing keeping her from getting baptized, which is something she REALLY wants.
- Tom is amazing as well. His wife is a member returning from inactivity, and they are progressing together quite a bit. Luckily, his job in the army isn't keeping him too busy, and he wants to be baptized before he deploys to Afghanistan this June. His father-in-law is going to fly in to baptize him. He quit chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol and coffee, and we just need to finish teaching him the lessons. Then he's ready! :)
- Pepe and her family are from American Samoa. Pepe is 19, but her comprehension and communication skills are at about the level of a 9-year old (at best) due to some learning disability. In the past, she's only been able to answer yes/no questions with a nod, head shake, or shrug. We were unsure of her need to be baptized, because we know that those who are mentally incapable of understanding the need for baptism or what it means to repent are pardoned from this otherwise necessary requirement. We went back, however, and found out that she is actually very capable of communicating and understanding... to those she's comfortable with. We just need to get her comfortable with us, and I think things will progress just fine.
The less-active members and recent converts we are working with are also doing pretty well. We've been trying to get a time set up to meet with one of them, but he deploys on Thursday. He's really just too busy... he's rescheduled our last 4 appointments. Lena, however, is doing great... she's really working on saying her personal prayers! Last time we visited her, she told us that the only reason she prayed at the end of the lesson was because we were with her. I made the joke that we needed to have cardboard cut-outs made to put in her house so that it would be like we were there and she would pray. She said that if we did that, she'd pray. So... we made some! She better like them.
Remember Proverbs 25:25:
"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." I second that one. Even bad news. Even no news. Any letter would be great.
I know that God watches over all that we do and think. He cares for us and He loves us. He provided a way for us to change and be clean because He knew we would make mistakes in this life. I testify that He rejoices when we utilize the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I also know that when we fail to repent and seek forgiveness through the blood of His Son, He is offended and He is sorrowful. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and can direct and instruct us to gain such forgiveness. It provides the spiritual strength needed to do whatever it is we must do to repent and obtain a forgiveness of our sins.
With love,
Elder Schank
