[5/19/2014] Week 63: South Whidbey Island

Howdy!

This week has gone in a flash. I guess I say that a lot. But that's the nature of the beast.

I am getting accustomed to working in a YSA ward. It's way different contacting on a college campus, and, to be honest, I feel even more-so like a salesman/robot/bother when I approach people--I guess because it is assumed that everyone who whizzes by is on a mission (not in the LDS sense of the word, of course). So I need to figure out how to be more like myself, more natural, and less stiff.

Elder Haupu likes taking pictures on I-5 at 60mph.
...And we both like cookies.

Elder Haupu and I get along fairly well. Periodically, there is an outburst of disagreement between us, which is more often rooted in pride than right-ness or wrong-ness. We've talked about it in companionship inventory and have set specific goals to solve the problem. We remarked that "if this experience doesn't prepare [us] for marriage, [we] don't know what will." So that's nice to know. I've noticed that there are a lot of aspects of missionary service that really take the "two birds, one stone" approach. There's always a deeper purpose to what we learn here. Kudos, Heavenly Father.

I think for the most part, this zone is stocked with pretty good missionaries. And Ferndale was great too. Either President Bonham has a knack for putting good missionaries in my zones, or Heavenly Father has a knack for putting good missionaries in our mission! Many of our areas struggle with finding. Heck, Elder Haupu and I are struggling with finding. We have made plans with Elder Pymm, one of our district leaders, to carpool out to South Whidbey Island on Friday and blitz the sisters' area there to help them find new investigators. We're excited as this is an opportunity to go after "the one"!

We met with an investigator, Cameron, twice this week -- on Wednesday for a church tour and on Saturday for a lesson on the Plan of Salvation -- and he came to church on Sunday (for which he had to get off work)! Everything went pretty much perfectly; we introduced him to the bishop, sat in the second row on the sacrament side of the middle section of pews, and, as a bonus, it was a YSA ward, so it was actually really quiet! He had a great time for sure. Cameron, who is 6'5" and athletic, has the most gentle, meek heart and described feeling intimidated by Ryan (EQP and fellowshipper), Elder Haupu, and I (the first- and second-named being shorter than me!) upon his arrival at the church building, which for him was a foreign atmosphere. After having attended church with some familiar faces, of course, he is much more comfortable and will hopefully have a baptismal date soon.

Things are really starting to pick up here as we work with members and rake in information from missionaries concerning contacts living in the areas in which they currently serve as well as in areas within the Everett and Snohomish stakes in which they formerly served. Just gotta get out and meet 'em!

I've thought a lot about success over the past several days and what it means to be a successful missionary. And how we can help ourselves and other missionaries recognize the success they're being blessed with every day of their missionary service. I think a lot of the problem stems from comparing ourselves and our areas with the "outward results" of others. I'm going to keep studying on this...

Love y'all!

Elder Martin