Dear Mom,
Well unfortunately because of our
telepathic bond you have made me sick, because Saturday I started to feel it a
little bit in my throat, and then Sunday it got a lot worse. So I am sick as
well. And so is Elder Sonne. But we are surviving and moving forwards,
naturally, and enjoying life as it comes, one runny nose at a time. Man cross
country camp is the best! No really, like it is the greatest. I think that
cross country is what helped me prepare the most for a mission. You learn how
to set goals, work hard, but what I found the most valuable is that I learned
how to overcome adversity, and that life is exactly like missionary work and
like cross country. In cross country you have a coach, who gives you workouts
that could possibly kill you sometimes, or at least that is what it feels like,
but he doesn`t do that because he wants you to suffer, or because he hates you,
but because he wants you to succeed. Throughout life (and missions) God
gives us challenges, not because he enjoys seeing us struggle, and
not because he is displeased with us, but because he wants us to succeed. God
knows what all good runners come to learn, that it isn`t the easy runs that
make you strong, it’s the ones that push you to the very edge and beyond, that
make you strong. And so if we ever desire to be worthy to live with
God again, and to be able to become like him, then we must stick with our
training plan, and use the hard moments to our eternal benefit. The
apostle Paul summed it up nicely when he said,
9 "And he said unto me, My
grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when
I am weak, then am I strong." So that is my
little plug for cross country. If you want to be a good missionary then go to
church and live the gospel, and go to cross country. There is no better
preparation for life.
Well
now about our week. We were busy to the extreme. I don`t know if I have ever
had so much stress on my mission. We had to plan and prepare for zone
conference, as well as plan and prepare a fireside. But let
me explain. So on Thursday we had our zone conference, and
for your information I played the piano, well more precisely hymns before
the meeting started since I couldn`t accompany during the meeting
because I was conducting, but zone conference went really well, I always love
to spend time with Pres. Miles, he is really an awesome man, and it is cool to
learn from him. (side note, because Sister Miles is the daughter of Elder
Nelson, he is coming to visit our mission. Sept. 11 and 12 we get to meet with
him) then afterwards we had an austausch with the Assistants, I got to work
with Elder Carter, which was way fun, and they stayed the night at our
apartment, so it was cool to spend time with Elder Sanderson again, and
then Friday we had a fireside that we had planned for Newly baptized members
and investigators, and it went really well. That was the stress. Now for the
good parts.
Well
I_______ is really struggling. Elder Sanderson and Elder Sonne met
with her on our austausch. She was sick and in the
hospital and relapsed into depression, but things are starting to
look better, we have an appointment with her tomorrow, and hopefully things
will go better, but she definitely needs continued prayers. She is awesome
and has a lot of faith but is facing a lot of opposition right now. M_____ is
also making a lot of progress, he came to church this week and we met with
him almost daily. But he also has a difficult situation, looking for work
so that he can help out his family in Africa . So keep him
in your prayers as well.
We
also have L_______, an awesome man from Tibet Tibet Switzerland Tibet Tibet Alps and call them flat.
B_____,
the lady from Equador, is making a lot of progress as well. She came to
church again this week. She has a hard time understanding the apostasy
because she is really strong Catholic, but she wants to learn more and is eager
to read, so things should continue to go well there.
Well
school starts today actually here in Switzerland
Liebe
Elder Terry
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