Tuesday- So we had to run around and do lots of contacting with the #LightTheWorld stuff going on, so that took up most of our day. Let me give you a little excerpt from my letter to pres. describing the rest of that night. "After visiting a referral we started to head home and noticed that despite our 4 mile walk home, we only had about an hour to make it. We decided to speedwalk and see where that got us. About half way there we saw we were down to 15 mins before 9:30 and so we called the zone leaders and told them our situation on the voicemail and ran. President, we ran in full winter and missionary gear and my boots were made for walking, NOT running haha. However, 2 miles later we stumbled into our apt. soaking with sweat and saw that the Lord let us make it home with 2 mins to spare! What an absolute miracle. While I was running (which I absolutely hate to do) I thought once or twice, "maybe we can just be late this once and Elder Ixtlahuac won't notice if I don't bring it up" or "this won't affect my exact obedience or upset the pattern for my trainees mission"... How I wanted so bad to stop and throw up in the bushes and walk home, but we pushed through. I know this sounds dramatic, but this is how it was to me. A pivotal point in the course of our missions and as I listened to my companion ask to rest and pretended not to hear. The Holy Spirit whispered to me that God was proud of me. Not something I am often told by Him. It was a miracle, I know it. We have seen the blessing come to us as well with a prospective 3 baptisms coming in the next month or two. The Lord is good".
Wednesday- So today was super crazy. We almost had to take care of some evil awful stuff that had gone wrong, but thankfully didn't have to. The missionary I took with me was sure glad of that, haha. Then as we are walking to our next appt. I get a call from president and he says "Elder Stolper, do you have a minute to visit? I have a special assignment for you..." I got so nervous and was like "yeah president, I guess. Whats up?" He said I have someone here who is going to be joining your companionship." IT WAS ELDER LAWRENCE!!!! The first missionary I had trained here and oh man I think I just screamed into the phone! So he came and he is with me now.
Thursday- So today was less fun. An Elder in my district had to go home. It was understandable and no fault of his own. He was sick and we all kinda knew it would happen. We had sat down and talked about how it is to go home early and what the process is for coming back. It broke my heart nonetheless. So I lost my greenie, Elder Ixtlahuac, to his companion. He is still in my district, but I am with Elder Lawrence now. I also got a whole gallon of rainbow sherbert ice cream and set a goal to finish it by Monday. (I pounded out the last of is last night)
Friday- Today we had the best lesson with James and Natasha. They are a part member family and it went so so so well and we had tacos, so it was just that much better. We got to sit down and talk and go over some things that we believe and share what is near and dear to our hearts. It was awesome because he is a Lutheran and our religions are pretty similar even though most Lutherans don't really like us. So we talked about Martin Luther and the reformation of the Catholic church to make His church and about the Restoration of ours to be the same that Jesus taught when he came to earth and about the priesthood and healings and exorcisms and all that good stuff and gave them a book of mormom and a challenge found in the back at Moroni 10:3-5. It was awesome!
Saturday and Sunday weren't that cool. Just a Lot of walking!!
I love you all and would like you to know that I am so grateful to be a missionary. It's so hard and I hear a voice tell me when it gets hard to throw in the towel, but it's so special to me to be able to share what has changed my life forever. I say that coming from a genuine testimony rooted and grounded in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He is the Leader and founder of this church and I am grateful for Him and the Father who gave him to us. I love you all.
Elder Noah Stolper
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