Someday, I'm going to have to figure out how to type in Spanish. I don't know how to use the language settings on the computer ....
Animo means desire, enthusiasm, or drive and it defines our new missionary. Elder Rands, from the suburbs of Chicago, is huge. He wrestled at Northwestern University in what is a very reputable wrestling program. Physically he is huge, but even better is his huge excitement to be a missionary. With other newer missionaries not having very much drive to learn Spanish well, we have been really grateful and happy to see that Elder Rands wants to talk in Spanish as much as he can. He knows he can't really do the Lord's work until he can speak to the people. Though his speech is now slow, his desire to communicate is visible and endearing and he gets many compliments on his Spanish. By example, he is teaching Elder Snyder's old companion, Elder Reynolds, to step up the passion and speak. It is easy to be happy for Elder Rands's success as he learns many new words each day and gets excited about everything, and telling us how great of missionaries we are. We laugh and tell him he is great too. Truly, his animo is contagious and we have all become more dedicated to the work and we definitely have seen the miracles in even just one week.
We will be having another baptismal service on Friday. Maria Zavala and her kids had their interviews last night and all is ready. We found out that the other area, Elder Reynolds and Elder Burt, will also have a baptism on that day! Elder Burt is good for this area, with a positive way of thinking. Elder Snyder's corneal ulcer weighed down on him and he would say negative things about the area that we knew weren't true, and Elder Burt is proving it. In this first week since he arrived, they have put four people on date.
We were walking in an apartment complex on Friday night. I randomly saw a convert from my days in Queen Creek and we called her mom right there to seek legal help (we need to get a lady divorced and this girl's mom was a judge in Mexico). It was a nice reunion, but even cooler was the fact that as we talked to them, two couples came outside to sit and relax in the early evening that was almost cooling off. As we finished with the girl from Queen Creek, we walked over to talk with the two couples. One couple is from the Pentecostal Church, and they have been taking the other couple to church with them. As we talked, we touched on many doctrinal points, teaching all four of them of the will of God in their lives. Happily, the other couple invited us to come to their home and teach them, and they have remarkable potential to progress rapidly. They were Catholics, converted to another Christian church which turned out to be disappointing, and have just recently started to look to define their faith again. The Lord has prepared them and brought them a long way.
Monday night was supposed to be full of appointments. We needed to have a double exchange to help us teach all the lessons we had scheduled, but after calling everyone in the whole branch, we were supremely denied by every single person. I hope they were all having their Family Home Evening .... Once we got closer to our appointments, they all started to call and cancel. One by one until we almost had nothing to do and we were overall disappointed. Early on, when we had had an appointment scheduled previously, we were contacting an investigator family in an apartment complex that is closed to proselyting. We had received the information for our investigators by referral—the most that is allowed in that particular complex. When our investigators weren't home, we began to leave and were only stopped by an American lady shouting out, "Elders!" She came to us, said she was a member and that the Spirit had her come over to us and she wanted to take us to meet some of her neighbors. We met one neighbor, then another, then went to another, she walked us around and we got several new potential investigators. Even more, she knew our actual investigators and as we finished with her visits, we saw that our investigators had come home so we took her to contact them too. To our surprise, this American member started speaking Spanish when our investigator opened the door, we went in and taught a whole lesson, felt the Spirit strongly and made our investigator's day. There was no doubt that we had made our plans for the day, but that God had made His own plans, and they were better than ours. That lady is a member missionary! And we were so blessed to have her help, even if for just an hour and a half.
I think the gospel gets more true every day. As I discover new truths, my testimony shoots roots deeper and deeper into the soil of the doctrines of the gospel. I find so much happiness in serving these people. It feels so good to sink into bed at night with the spirit as my companion, tired from a full day's work, and ready to sleep truly sound.
I love you, and am happy for the great things you all do. Keep being great! Until next week,
-Elder Sam Bostwick
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
the unexpected
My mission has been kind of full of rather unexpected things. That seems to be Heavenly Father's plan for me: to train me to sit back and trust Him. Speculation is futile, as has been proved to me over and over and over.
Transfers came again. Elder Snyder, after a long time in Mesa, has been sent to the branch in Tempe, where he will enjoy a car and a closer proximity to the doctor's office. In reality, it is a change that I believe should have been made as an "emergency transfer" but I don't make the calls around here. Elder Argyle and I had been together quite a long time and we were not anticipating anything else but for one of us to be transferred. However, as I said before, speculation is futile. I will be seeing Elder Argyle to the end of his mission, making us the longest companionship in known Tempe history. Even more wild and unexpected, President Craig has asked the two of us to train a new missionary together. We set up the bunk bed last night in Brother Brown's house to accommodate another bed and we are all set and very eager and excited to get to work—too bad today is P-Day and we have to relax. Elder Rands is on fire to be here and he will definitely be a powerful addition to our companionship and help us to be proud of our work here in the mission field.
It is nice to hear updates from home. I love the family, and think about you all fondly. Sometimes I even imagine what it would be like to be there, but I know that time goes on as it should and I will be able to pick up right away with all of you. I wish Steven the best, and most of all, that our Father will guide his steps. I've learned a lot about the reality that all of us have a different path, and should go forth confidently. I know this gospel is true. I have very powerful feelings about the plan of salvation, especially in light of Grandma Rose's funeral. I know all that comes to us is for the better, and all the bad that we get or that we bring to ourselves can be turned around for our upbringing and learning. I know that no pain is wasted and no frustration is in vain. Joy is the purpose of our life, but it comes at certain cost.
We went on a trip to the temple visitors' center last night with the youth for a mutual activity. We work with so many youth investigators that this was a powerful missionary activity. My testimony of the mission of Joseph Smith grows every day. By their fruits ye shall know them, and I could spend the rest of my life marveling at the fruits of this great prophet.
Okay, my time really is out. I love you. Take care.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
Transfers came again. Elder Snyder, after a long time in Mesa, has been sent to the branch in Tempe, where he will enjoy a car and a closer proximity to the doctor's office. In reality, it is a change that I believe should have been made as an "emergency transfer" but I don't make the calls around here. Elder Argyle and I had been together quite a long time and we were not anticipating anything else but for one of us to be transferred. However, as I said before, speculation is futile. I will be seeing Elder Argyle to the end of his mission, making us the longest companionship in known Tempe history. Even more wild and unexpected, President Craig has asked the two of us to train a new missionary together. We set up the bunk bed last night in Brother Brown's house to accommodate another bed and we are all set and very eager and excited to get to work—too bad today is P-Day and we have to relax. Elder Rands is on fire to be here and he will definitely be a powerful addition to our companionship and help us to be proud of our work here in the mission field.
It is nice to hear updates from home. I love the family, and think about you all fondly. Sometimes I even imagine what it would be like to be there, but I know that time goes on as it should and I will be able to pick up right away with all of you. I wish Steven the best, and most of all, that our Father will guide his steps. I've learned a lot about the reality that all of us have a different path, and should go forth confidently. I know this gospel is true. I have very powerful feelings about the plan of salvation, especially in light of Grandma Rose's funeral. I know all that comes to us is for the better, and all the bad that we get or that we bring to ourselves can be turned around for our upbringing and learning. I know that no pain is wasted and no frustration is in vain. Joy is the purpose of our life, but it comes at certain cost.
We went on a trip to the temple visitors' center last night with the youth for a mutual activity. We work with so many youth investigators that this was a powerful missionary activity. My testimony of the mission of Joseph Smith grows every day. By their fruits ye shall know them, and I could spend the rest of my life marveling at the fruits of this great prophet.
Okay, my time really is out. I love you. Take care.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
records defeated
Dear Readers,
Elder Argyle and I are a good team. We reviewed the area book and the past records for each of the stats that we turn in and realized that we held several records from the time we have been companions. After looking at the remaining unbroken records, we decided to defeat the records and set new standards for our area. This last week, we defeated the last record we had planned to break (there is only one remaining record, but in order to break it, such as the week it was set, we would have to not teach any lessons and spend all of our time in the street talking to people—we'd rather have lessons). Achieving a goal is a sweet feeling. I have learned a lot from Elder Argyle, and am especially grateful for this last transfer we have had together, since it has done wonders to train me to be a better missionary, and a better man.
This transfer has also included caring for Elder Snyder. His eye slowly recovers, and he goes to the doctor frequently where he, each time, gets a different explanation of why it isn't healing more quickly and a new medication. Supposedly, if it were being treated correctly, it would disappear in a matter of days. After so many blessings and medicine, I am unanswered in why he must go through this, but we are doing all we can to help him get out of the house (he can't ride his bike, so him getting out of the house means going on an exchange with us in the car) and spending a lot of time scrambled up with different companions. God knows why this is happening, and that is the end of questioning.
Yesterday, just before sitting down to dinner with our Relief Society President, President Craig called with the news of Grandma Bostwick. I will miss her. This makes both of Dad's parents whose funerals I was not able to attend due to my missionary service. Again, God knows the reason. I feel that I don't have an emotional need to go to the funeral. Death in the gospel has such a clear perspective that I don't feel much sadness. However, all change has effects, and I feel the effect of a change in our family. I love Grandma Rose and I will be very glad to see her again someday, happier and stronger.
We had a great youth baptismal service on Saturday with a lot of involvement with the youth of our branch. In giving talks or extending welcomes, it was a good opportunity to teach a few of the kids some practical gospel skills. I see it as more evidence that the Church is true, that young people can prepare a talk and present it to a group with clarity, confidence, and testimony. The three kids that were baptized (Jessica, Christian and Alan) are very happy, and we finally began to teach their parents, though they will likely progress much more slowly than their children. We always are happy to see continual progress in our investigators as well as the investigators that other missionaries are working with.
We had a cool experience with a recent convert. He was baptized two weeks ago and the Saturday after his baptism, we went to his house for a lesson, to teach him about the priesthood (he had already been ordained a priest and we wanted him to really understand his duties and privileges as a priesthood holder). When we got to his house, he said he was going to invite a neighbor to hear the gospel, which he did, she came, and he himself began to teach her the about the Restoration, bearing testimony, using the scriptures, and teaching the true doctrines of the Church. This miraculous change from our "so-so" investigator to our new powerful fellowshipper came so quickly as a result of acting on faith. Raul took a leap of faith to be baptized, and his life now is continual evidence of the faith he has to act. The spirit is with him and he is a new man. We took him and his neighbor to the temple visitor's center and he again, bore his testimony with more conviction than we thought was in him. God is great, and this is His work. For as much as we do, we do very little. This change in Raul that is so surprising to us, is exactly the change that He had planned all along, by no accident or chance to the One who really taught Raul to have faith.
I love you all, as I always say, and always mean. I care about what is going on in your lives. Thanks for everything you do to teach me. I have little hope by myself, but I have all reason to hope in the great examples and teachers who surround my life and in the mercy of our Lord, who truly is mighty to save.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
Elder Argyle and I are a good team. We reviewed the area book and the past records for each of the stats that we turn in and realized that we held several records from the time we have been companions. After looking at the remaining unbroken records, we decided to defeat the records and set new standards for our area. This last week, we defeated the last record we had planned to break (there is only one remaining record, but in order to break it, such as the week it was set, we would have to not teach any lessons and spend all of our time in the street talking to people—we'd rather have lessons). Achieving a goal is a sweet feeling. I have learned a lot from Elder Argyle, and am especially grateful for this last transfer we have had together, since it has done wonders to train me to be a better missionary, and a better man.
This transfer has also included caring for Elder Snyder. His eye slowly recovers, and he goes to the doctor frequently where he, each time, gets a different explanation of why it isn't healing more quickly and a new medication. Supposedly, if it were being treated correctly, it would disappear in a matter of days. After so many blessings and medicine, I am unanswered in why he must go through this, but we are doing all we can to help him get out of the house (he can't ride his bike, so him getting out of the house means going on an exchange with us in the car) and spending a lot of time scrambled up with different companions. God knows why this is happening, and that is the end of questioning.
Yesterday, just before sitting down to dinner with our Relief Society President, President Craig called with the news of Grandma Bostwick. I will miss her. This makes both of Dad's parents whose funerals I was not able to attend due to my missionary service. Again, God knows the reason. I feel that I don't have an emotional need to go to the funeral. Death in the gospel has such a clear perspective that I don't feel much sadness. However, all change has effects, and I feel the effect of a change in our family. I love Grandma Rose and I will be very glad to see her again someday, happier and stronger.
We had a great youth baptismal service on Saturday with a lot of involvement with the youth of our branch. In giving talks or extending welcomes, it was a good opportunity to teach a few of the kids some practical gospel skills. I see it as more evidence that the Church is true, that young people can prepare a talk and present it to a group with clarity, confidence, and testimony. The three kids that were baptized (Jessica, Christian and Alan) are very happy, and we finally began to teach their parents, though they will likely progress much more slowly than their children. We always are happy to see continual progress in our investigators as well as the investigators that other missionaries are working with.
We had a cool experience with a recent convert. He was baptized two weeks ago and the Saturday after his baptism, we went to his house for a lesson, to teach him about the priesthood (he had already been ordained a priest and we wanted him to really understand his duties and privileges as a priesthood holder). When we got to his house, he said he was going to invite a neighbor to hear the gospel, which he did, she came, and he himself began to teach her the about the Restoration, bearing testimony, using the scriptures, and teaching the true doctrines of the Church. This miraculous change from our "so-so" investigator to our new powerful fellowshipper came so quickly as a result of acting on faith. Raul took a leap of faith to be baptized, and his life now is continual evidence of the faith he has to act. The spirit is with him and he is a new man. We took him and his neighbor to the temple visitor's center and he again, bore his testimony with more conviction than we thought was in him. God is great, and this is His work. For as much as we do, we do very little. This change in Raul that is so surprising to us, is exactly the change that He had planned all along, by no accident or chance to the One who really taught Raul to have faith.
I love you all, as I always say, and always mean. I care about what is going on in your lives. Thanks for everything you do to teach me. I have little hope by myself, but I have all reason to hope in the great examples and teachers who surround my life and in the mercy of our Lord, who truly is mighty to save.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
birthday
Querida Familia,
After two birthdays in the mission already, this third one is rolling around about the same as all the other days. It's funny to think that I've passed the magic line from unofficial adult, to official adult. I can now legally do things that I'm not going to do anyway. Most importantly, I'm told that my brain is supposed to be coming back today, though I think it is hesitant to return to work after eight years of vacation. We are going rock climbing to celebrate (not real rock climbing, but to a rock climbing gym) as a combined Mesa and Tempe Zone activity. We even invited the Assistants, though they didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. It'll be their loss if they don't come. This evening we have a good night lined up, full of good lessons with people who don't know it is my birthday—perfect.
Our meeting with Richard G. Scott was great. It began with technical difficulties—four or five men from the host stake ran around crazy trying to set up a projector that we didn't ever use anyway. Elder Scott also wanted a body microphone so he could walk around, and it took a while to start working. The whole time I kept thinking, "We're losing apostle-time." In the end, Elder Scott wasn't too worried about keeping all the time for himself anyway. Nor did he worry about ending on time, so it turned out all right. One thing I have noticed about presiding authorities is that they know they can do whatever they want. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Elder Scott gave time to our mission president, and Sister Craig also had some time to speak to us. Accompanying Elder Scott was a new member of the first quorum of seventy, Elder Ringwood (or something like that). He also gave us great counsel and encouragement. We spent some time on a roleplay to better our teaching, and then Elder Scott had the last words. He talked about staying active after our missions. He talked about setting our temple sealing as the number one priority in life after the mission. He reaffirmed so many things I think about. But truly, I wish all the missionaries were prepared enough to have received a higher message.
When Elder Perry came, our leaders talked to us about coming to the meeting prepared to be taught, prepared to feel the Spirit and be inspired. We did prepare ourselves and we were filled that day. We looked as we should have, we acted as we should have, we prayed as we should have during the meeting. We were humbled and honored to be blessed. People forget so quickly. Many missionaries did what they should have to come to the meeting prepared and open to receive Elder Scott's teaching, but so many missionaries needed to be told not to go inactive after their missions. This is a tragedy to me. Of course, it is right that he direct his focus on the weakest of us. There was no wrong on the part of Elder Scott, but I lament that as a mission, we have not strengthened the weak among us enough to know that each one of us will do at least the bare minimum to obey the commandments upon returning home. It is, therefore, the duty of the stronger to strengthen the weak, that they too become strong. If only we had learned this before Saturday, we might have heard more than powerful affirmations of what we have already heard, but rather had the mysteries of God revealed to us.
Elder Snyder's eye, which has not healed from before Mother's Day, was finally diagnosed with a corneal ulcer, a very painful and expensive illness. A white ball of bacteria has been eating his eye. The treatment is about as painful as the original sickness, involving acidic eye drops (the most expensive eye drops in existence according to the doctor) that would be poisonous to a normal eye and dilate his eye intensely. Because of the pain he has had before and during the treatment, he and Elder Reynolds have been unable to work. We've spent some time on exchanges to help Elder Reynolds get out of the house and not go crazy. Elder Snyder and I were together for all of Sunday, going to an hour of church, and nothing else all day. It is good to have such a good friend here in the mission, even if his eye is eating itself.
Satan uses every attack he can to prevent people from getting baptized. One of the kids that was going to be baptized on Saturday had an allergic reaction to a new laundry soap on Friday and the emergency room doctor forbade him from getting wet for the next four or five days. When he realized he could not get baptized as scheduled, he began to cry and his Catholic mom just had to say, "Don't worry, you'll get baptized, I promise." He and his brother and sister will be baptized this Saturday instead, assuming Christian doesn't meet up with a nasty bucket of rash-inducing laundry soap. We still had some fabulous baptisms and God continues to bless us in the branch.
I should go. I love you all. I hope you are well. Enjoy the nice Utah weather. And we'll enjoy the heat wave. I always longingly gaze at the clouds that so faithfully stay away from the Phoenix valley. Someday.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
After two birthdays in the mission already, this third one is rolling around about the same as all the other days. It's funny to think that I've passed the magic line from unofficial adult, to official adult. I can now legally do things that I'm not going to do anyway. Most importantly, I'm told that my brain is supposed to be coming back today, though I think it is hesitant to return to work after eight years of vacation. We are going rock climbing to celebrate (not real rock climbing, but to a rock climbing gym) as a combined Mesa and Tempe Zone activity. We even invited the Assistants, though they didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. It'll be their loss if they don't come. This evening we have a good night lined up, full of good lessons with people who don't know it is my birthday—perfect.
Our meeting with Richard G. Scott was great. It began with technical difficulties—four or five men from the host stake ran around crazy trying to set up a projector that we didn't ever use anyway. Elder Scott also wanted a body microphone so he could walk around, and it took a while to start working. The whole time I kept thinking, "We're losing apostle-time." In the end, Elder Scott wasn't too worried about keeping all the time for himself anyway. Nor did he worry about ending on time, so it turned out all right. One thing I have noticed about presiding authorities is that they know they can do whatever they want. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Elder Scott gave time to our mission president, and Sister Craig also had some time to speak to us. Accompanying Elder Scott was a new member of the first quorum of seventy, Elder Ringwood (or something like that). He also gave us great counsel and encouragement. We spent some time on a roleplay to better our teaching, and then Elder Scott had the last words. He talked about staying active after our missions. He talked about setting our temple sealing as the number one priority in life after the mission. He reaffirmed so many things I think about. But truly, I wish all the missionaries were prepared enough to have received a higher message.
When Elder Perry came, our leaders talked to us about coming to the meeting prepared to be taught, prepared to feel the Spirit and be inspired. We did prepare ourselves and we were filled that day. We looked as we should have, we acted as we should have, we prayed as we should have during the meeting. We were humbled and honored to be blessed. People forget so quickly. Many missionaries did what they should have to come to the meeting prepared and open to receive Elder Scott's teaching, but so many missionaries needed to be told not to go inactive after their missions. This is a tragedy to me. Of course, it is right that he direct his focus on the weakest of us. There was no wrong on the part of Elder Scott, but I lament that as a mission, we have not strengthened the weak among us enough to know that each one of us will do at least the bare minimum to obey the commandments upon returning home. It is, therefore, the duty of the stronger to strengthen the weak, that they too become strong. If only we had learned this before Saturday, we might have heard more than powerful affirmations of what we have already heard, but rather had the mysteries of God revealed to us.
Elder Snyder's eye, which has not healed from before Mother's Day, was finally diagnosed with a corneal ulcer, a very painful and expensive illness. A white ball of bacteria has been eating his eye. The treatment is about as painful as the original sickness, involving acidic eye drops (the most expensive eye drops in existence according to the doctor) that would be poisonous to a normal eye and dilate his eye intensely. Because of the pain he has had before and during the treatment, he and Elder Reynolds have been unable to work. We've spent some time on exchanges to help Elder Reynolds get out of the house and not go crazy. Elder Snyder and I were together for all of Sunday, going to an hour of church, and nothing else all day. It is good to have such a good friend here in the mission, even if his eye is eating itself.
Satan uses every attack he can to prevent people from getting baptized. One of the kids that was going to be baptized on Saturday had an allergic reaction to a new laundry soap on Friday and the emergency room doctor forbade him from getting wet for the next four or five days. When he realized he could not get baptized as scheduled, he began to cry and his Catholic mom just had to say, "Don't worry, you'll get baptized, I promise." He and his brother and sister will be baptized this Saturday instead, assuming Christian doesn't meet up with a nasty bucket of rash-inducing laundry soap. We still had some fabulous baptisms and God continues to bless us in the branch.
I should go. I love you all. I hope you are well. Enjoy the nice Utah weather. And we'll enjoy the heat wave. I always longingly gaze at the clouds that so faithfully stay away from the Phoenix valley. Someday.
-Elder Sam Bostwick
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