Week 73

Here's a quicky

Nov 11 at 10:05 AM

Okay family, 

We're emailing from the clerk’s office this week, aka, 1 computer, aka, we don't want to spend eternity here, so it's going to be a quick email.  I got letter 71, the one with the story and family history stuff in it.  I haven't read it all yet, but thanks so much, Mom.  I also got 1 from Grandma. 

Yes, I'm still doing audio journals. Good stuff. Those will be fun to listen to years down the road.  Yes, Dad, I did get the pic.  

 Lucky you on Elder Ballard coming and you getting to eat dinner with him. No fair.  But that's okay.  I hope y'all get some delicious counsel from him, which I know you will. 

So, things are going well down here.   Still staying ridiculously busy.  Lots of good things happening though.  As a Zone, we're seeing a lot of growth.  We should have several baptisms as a zone this month, which is great.  We also learned that Elder Mortensen will be transferred next week, and that I will be the Senior Zone Leader here, most likely training a new zone leader.  Crazy stuff.  Elder Mortensen has been a good companion, so I'm going to miss him.  Hard to believe I've only known him for 6 weeks...feels like we've known each other longer when you're with each other 24 hours a day and when you working in unity to accomplish the work of the Lord.  

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of interviewing 3 individuals for baptism.  Afterwards, I felt drained.  I interviewed a 9 year old, 11 year old, and father.  The only thing was this family is Burmese.  There is a large Burmese refugee population in a place called Lumberton.  The children know some English, the parents really don't know.  And the missionaries don't know their language.  Neither do I. Thus the 11 year old was alright, but the 9 year was really shy, and the Father had to be complete translation.  My translator was a 12 year old boy.  You might be able to imagine how difficult it is to try and determine whether someone is ready to take upon them the covenants of baptism in such a situation.  I was pretty torn on what to do, pass them or not because they are pretty childlike in the understanding of the Gospel.  It was hard, but ultimately, I knew that the spirit knows the truth of all things, so I sought my Father's counsel and guidance as to what I should do.  As a loving Father does, He comforted me and I know that He and our Savior will accept them into His kingdom on earth.  But like I said, afterwards, I felt drained.  I would ask a question sometimes and the translator and the interviewee would have a conversation in their language and then the translator would say, "He said yes".  I was like, um, ok, I thought there was a lot more to that conversation.  Hence, I definitely had to rely on the spirit.  It was a learning experience for sure, but I know that the Lord helped me and blessed me.  

Alright, I'm going to end it here, so I hope you're satisfied.  Tomorrow we have a mission tour where a general authority will instruct us.  

I love you all so much and am so grateful for you.  Keep being strong, and never be satisfied or comfortable ;)  This life is the time to grow :)

Love,

Elder Patty