great weather

It may be that after so long in Arizona, I've finally just adjusted. It might be that Brother Brown has left the air conditioner on a higher temperature recently. Or maybe the temperatures have been unusually merciful for the month of August, but I have felt like the last week has had great weather. I mean, I still stink at the end of every day and it is still the greatest relief of my life to kick off my black leather shoes (which are definitely tired of Arizona, and tired of being worn for that matter), but in many ways there has been a lot of ways that my attitude is improved by the weather.

The forecast looks good too, white in the city of Mesa. I'm happy that I can be here every last day, seeing as up until the last Saturday I will be attending memorable baptisms. We've been teaching a whole family that is excited for everything. They're excited for Scouts, for Relief Society, for the priesthood in their lives, and for the temple as their goal. They're excited for four future missionaries and a whole congregation of family and so much more. We are excited for them, and it is amazing how much the Lord lets us love the people we work with.

On Sunday, I felt like a dad. The elders' quorum president and young womens' president, the Gilgens, had a baby a few weeks ago and they did the blessing on Sunday. The surprise was when Sister Gilgen turned around to beckon me to join in the blessing, and I turned behind me to see who she was looking at, and after some confusion, she made it clear she really did want me to join in the circle for the blessing of her son. I feel a strong admiration for so many dedicated and consecrated members I have met in the mission and their friendship, as much as anything, will be an eternal blessing to me. They show me how the gospel must be lived, and I make notes for the future. Then, afterward in the same meeting, the large, long-haired, three-year-old, half-Native American son of an investigator lady, was going back and forth from one side of the room, where his mom was seated, to me, and being very noisy about it. When it was clear that our little Samson would not be still, and after getting a look from the branch president, I took him out of the meeting. In the hall, we looked at the pictures of Jesus and we talked about how to be good in the chapel. Kids have to adjust to coming to church even more than their parents, but it was strange that it became my job to orient this kid of church behavior. I felt very parental. And it worked! He improved significantly, and every time he forgot to sit quiet with his mom, he would see me standing in the back of the chapel, and I would point to his seat, and he remembered.

Elder Owens and I got to go on an exchange last Thursday and we had a great day together. It was fun to get so much done, but have a good time doing it. It was even fun to be on a bike for the day. I feel more like a missionary on bike and enjoy the extra travel time to think about what we are doing and pray for the people we see and are teaching and sing primary songs. That, too, is a gift from God. It's cool to make connections with American investigators too. Even in one lesson, or one baptismal interview, I feel like I get to know these great people so well. I love them almost as much as I love my own investigators. The Lord brings such wonderful people into his church. We need to work extra hard to keep them fed and loved, because even the strongest of people can become frail and weak after their baptism. The Lord, when we come to him, shows us our weaknesses so they can be strengths. But being humbled hurts when we don't have friends to help us through it. Let's fellowship new members! Elder Owens is a great missionary. His family should be so proud of him. He's always been good, but he has become great.

I don't think I mentioned this, but we're back in the Employment Center. The Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency wanted us to extend the pilot program. So we still work there every Tuesday morning, reporting our progress to Salt Lake. It's very interesting, we meet all kinds of people there. Mostly members who need to repent and draw themselves closer to the Father. It's a hard thing to see, and sometimes I sorrow for justice, but God has his law. When we don't obey his commandments, we don't qualify for his blessings, and it shows. Our English class was fun yesterday as we learned to command people and be powerful. We practiced positive and negative commands. It would be so confusing to try and learn a language without a formal study of it. But our students do good. We even have some non-members that came to English class first, but now come to church on Sundays too, and we've been invited to their house for dinner, though their husbands won't let them get baptized, or that's the story. In any case, it's a success to a certain point.

I love being a missionary. I know life will get better and better, but I cherish every day here. A group of missionaries from my transfer (that started the mission with me) including Elder Rutt, went home today, almost a full 30 days early. That's weird to me. How did time go by so fast?

I'll write you again next week. Be good, have fun. Make good choices ... and all that stuff.

-Elder Sam Bostwick