This pretty, pretty cloud paper is courtesy of my new companera, Hermana Fitches. I'm always a little paranoid that my emails don't get through for some reason--but, as long as it did get through , you'll know all about her.
So--Elder Ballard spoke on Tuesday! It was so inspiring, I wish I could show you my notes(But I'm keeping them!). He talked a lot about the church in the press and about what a great opportunity we have to teach people at this time when the church is becoming so well known. He kept saying "Elders and Sisters we're in a hurry". Talking about the missionary work that needs to be done before things start to get really biblical. He talked a lot about statistics (which usually drives me crazy) which was neat and he had a huge emphasis on the Holy Spirit as the only true missionary. The rest of us are just gloves.
It was a wonderful talk. I've been so lucky to get to hear TWO of the twelve sepak here. Elder Ballard also made us all laugh when he declared, "Not all of your girlfriends will leave you..but some will." Which was especially hilarious to my district because one of our Elders, Elder Herrman's girlfriend was there. Let me explain.
She's an EMT, so she comes to the devotionals sometimes, but thus far, Elder Herrman has REFUSED to go talk to her at one of these, because as he said in his words "It would be incredibly painful for both of us." I said "That's stupid" in reply. She's crazy in love with him too, she writes him just about every day--like pages and pages and pages and she sends him girly packages of cookies and candy and teddy-bears and all sorts of useless love propoganda.
Okay--so, I didn't just say, "that's stupid," I went on to explain that he HAD to go up and talk to her because it was going to be such an AWESOME moment of pure agony! I'd kill for a monent that intense and sad and romantical! I said it was going to be amazing because they would both be constrained from expressing their true feelings--so it would be really, really awful--but that he HAD to do it. To experience the agony of the the love denied.
Well, I AM a romance novelist..ish..sort of. Anyway--I talked him into it. Later he told me, "That was horrible. I shook her hand. I wanted to die." But really, I think he's glad he did it. I didn't really ruin his life. Just kidding, he didn't say that.
There's another Elder in our district who I've mentioned before, Elder Master. He's been having a really rough time recently. The language is a struggle for him--he doesn't even want to try anymore. On top of that his family have basically disowned him for joining the church, and it's even worse now that he's serving a mission--his father just copies and pastes page after page of anti-mormon crap into DearElder.com and sends it to him. He got about 10 letters on Wednesday --all lies about the church. We've told him over and over again to just chuck them out, but he doesn't want to. He says he's going to keep them until his father joins the church and then let him burn them.
I was talking to Hermana Fitches about this later that day when I heard Hermano Hadly call my name--he said he'd overheard us (he also seemed to appear from nowhere, did I mention that I find him REALLY intimidating?) and he wanted to know what was going on and if we were doing our best to encourage him to "Do the right thing." I assured him that we were.
It was really touching though, to see how much he cared for this poor Elder. He and Hermano Richardson are both so intense. I imagine that finding them on my doorstep would be the equivalent of being "repeatedly smashed in the face by a 2 by 4 made of the Holy Spirit". Hermano Anthony's words, not mine. Sometimes, it can seem like they're really passionate about the work--but us little missionaries are not so important to them--so, it was really touching to see how concerned Hermano Hadly was when he heard about Elder Master's homelife.
Well, that's not as true of Hermano Richardson. He admitted that working at the MTC is the most important thing in his life right now. Sitll--they're both really intimidating--just in different ways.
Was it Popa who didn't like "God's Army"/ "The Best two years"? Hermano Richardson hated them too. He said they represented the lazy/mediocre missionaries. He wants us to be sons (or daughters) of Alma, Ammon, Dan Jones--it's really inspirational.
Well, I'm just about finished with my list for this week's topics. It wasn't real long this week, just because I felt I had more to say about the few things that I did want to mention. Did I already ask about Fictionpress/, my reviews and you possibly sending them to me in an e-mail?
OH! Remind me about the story of John P. Lillywhite please.
My dreams this week have been "non-spanish" which is to be expected since I don't speak as much spanish with my new companion. I had one really bizarre one when I watched a pair of twins grow and develop in the womb--except that for the babies it was like a fantasy world and they saw themselves with adult bodies already and I swear I heard "Ice Dance" (Edward Scissorhands) playing in the background. There was also a dream about trees that looked like gigantic hundred-foot versions of the 'brain-blood-vessels' we saw at Body Worlds and they were filled with man-sized apes with flaming purple fur. ...Should I keep my dreams to myself from now on? I also had a dream that I came home. Just for a visit. But I was sad. I felt like I'd dishonored you all, because in my heart, I knew I needed to complete what I'd set out to do before I could experience a truely joyful reunion.
Thank you so much for the scriptures, they help me much in my personal study. And tell poor Jensen that everything is going to be fine--Dad's suggestion of trying animation is excellent, I think. You should do what will make you happy--if you try your best and act with a level head and an open heart, the Lord will help you achieve your goals. I know that from experience. I can't wait to see Laney's latest newsletter! I was so sad when one didn't arrive this week. I hope everything is as wonderful and normal as it sounds. I'm always so happy when I get letters so I can know about all of the adventures going on.
I love you and I miss you! Hermana Lirioblanco
P.S. I've begun making characters for my companeras too--to add to Penny Lane's book. Here's the latest..drawn while watching "Mountain of the Lord".
PPS My review of "Mountain of the Lord"; cute and solid in some ways, but how is THAT a scottish accent? Is it really that hard to find a Scott?!
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