Blessed to be a missionary

Hi everyone!

I feel so incredibly grateful to be a missionary! This is the work of the Lord, and we are so lucky to be able to participate in it, even when it involves spending large amounts of time in the apartment.

Here's a few highlights from this week:

On preparation day, we went and played basketball with some of the priests in the ward, as a contacting activity since a couple of their friends were nonmembers. Nothing's come of it yet, but we can keep hoping and working :) 

I watched this wonderful training on how to better work with members! The big takeaway was that member missionary work doesn't always have to be missionary work; sometimes it can just be being friends, letting your friends meet the missionaries, and then letting the missionaries do the hard part: inviting your friends to learn more. We're super stoked to start putting more of these principles into practice as we're working with the members.

I spoke in Church this week, along with the two other elders that are new to the ward with me (including my comp; not sure if I mentioned we're whitewashing). I spoke about the reasons I decided to serve a mission, and it was a very powerful experience for me. I'm so grateful that I'm serving a mission. It's such a blessing.

Honestly, this was a hard week. We don't have anyone that's really progressing and kinda didn't have anyone come to Church yesterday. It's given me a chance, however, to testify of the truthfulness of the promise at the end of Chapter 1 of Preach My Gospel: that even when we're disappointed that people aren't choosing to receive these blessings, we don't have to be disappointed in ourselves, if we're giving our everything. I'm very grateful for how much I've been able to grow and progress, as a person and as a missionary, this week.

I know this Church is true! I'm so grateful to pertain to it :) 

Until next week, 

Elder Child

I'm back

Hello everyone!

After spending as much time at home as I did in Peru, I am officially a set-apart, full-time servant of the Lord once again, and I could not be more grateful. I love the work. It's very different in some ways, but very the same in all the most important ones. We do lots of Facebook finding here as well as working with members; still not allowed to knock doors or street contact.

My new companion is Elder Price, a super chill rugby player from Boise. We're whitewashing in a Spanish ward (and a Spanish stake) in Katy, Texas. We love our ward! The people here are so cool, and the members are so incredibly supportive of missionary work. It's inspiring :) 

This week I've been pondering about goal setting, as I'm starting a new year of missionary work and the second half of my mission. I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts on good missionary goal-setting, in terms of the longer-term goals. I'd also love anyone and everyone's thoughts on how best to find new people to teach in the current covid world!

As a freshly set apart new elder, I'd like to start off this new email by bearing my testimony. I know this work is the work of God. This Church is Jesus Christ's. God is our Father, and through our Savior, we can be healed, whatever our maladies may be. This is the work of salvation; we're gathering Israel. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I can read email at any time during the week, but I won't respond till Monday, so write away. Love you all!

Elder Child