Chapter 7: Crashing bikes

📅 Weeks in the mission: 10 📸 Photos: Photo Album

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Hey friends and family! Welcome to chapter 7 of my journey as the Lord's servant. I don't want to take much time today so I can do other P-day things, but I'll fill you all in.

So, the way I came into the field is quite unusual. I arrived on the 18th of April, near the end of the transfer. Normally they send missionaries into the field at the beginning. Not sure why I was an exception, but I was so happy to finally get out of the MTC and reach the field. So much has happened in the past week and a half. Approaching all sorts of people, member meals, getting used to the daily responsibilities as a missionary, and much more. I'll give the highlights.

As I mentioned last time, my companion is Elder Winter. He has been out for a year and a half. He's a great trainer, and he's quite funny as well. I live with Elder Bonham and Elder Woodbury, the zone leaders. They're great company!

Last Thursday, we had zone-wide exchanges. Elder Furgisson went with me to my area, and they asked me to lead it out (gulp). It actually went super well, and we worked our heads off. We were on bikes and we talked to so many people. But I had a pretty embarrassing bike accident. While we were biking down one busy street, we came to an intersection and had to stop. It was so stupid the way it happened haha. My phone was in my right hand, so I braked with my left hand, which was the front brake. My bike tipped forward and I ended up face-planting into the asphalt in the middle of this busy intersection with all the cars watching. I got up with a bloody nose and got off the intersection. Elder Furgisson was laughing the whole time. He helped me get some paper towels and the bleeding stopped pretty soon. I've had a funny-looking scab on the upper part of my nose for the past several days now.

I've had the opportunity to have tons of member meals. We have one basically every night. There was this one member that had us over and offered us this red mystery juice. It had some name I didn't know in Spanish. But she told me it cured cancer, so that was a sweet deal. It tasted like water with flour in it.

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☀️ Spiritual Thought ☀️

Acts 5:40–42"...when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

I'm reading through the book of Acts in the New Testament. It's been interesting to see what the apostles did after Christ died. That passage really stood out.

I found it very inspiring. In the face of death, they stood firm and courageously testified of the truth that they knew. Their love for God was greater than their fear of men.

As modern-day members and missionaries, it's unlikely that we'll face the same opposition to the extent that the apostles did. We still face some, yes. But I want to remember the example the apostles set in their courage when I go out and testify of Christ.

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That’s it for this week. I don’t have time to include all the details, but there is so much happening. It’s great to be the Lord’s servant.

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The cure for cancer (apparently)

Out of plates. Got creative.

Me and my roomates! From left to right: Me, Elder Bonham, Elder Winter, and Elder Woodbury