A 7 egg omelette we had and it was also Elder Claridge's birthday.
Dear Family,
This week was different than last week. I don't know if I'm just coming down from last week and how legit it was, or if this week really did kind of suck, but this week kind of sucked.
Tuesday Elder Claridge had to go a a new trainers meeting in Des Moines so I went down to Ankeny and worked with Elder Kay for the day. He's super stylish, and Elder Mckell's MTC companion. We already knew each other kind of, so it was a good time. He already has a baptism, and he's a way good missionary. We talked to two recent converts, and it didn't really feel like a formal lesson in any sense of the term, but the spirit was strong, I liked it! After Elder Claridge and I got back to Ames we went to dinner at a members home, grilled chicken. mmm
Wednesday we helped some more members move, our typical service for the ward. It was his first time driving a moving truck, and it was soooo funny to watch how stressed out he was. We had to move a piano, and honestly, I enjoyed it a little bit. We got to their new house and set a new world record for the fastest unpacking/moving in on the PLANET. 21 minutes to get everything out of the truck and into the house. INCLUDING THE PIANO. It was crazy, (some member was just SOO DETERMINED to beat the old record) but when it was over I laughed pretty hard. I don't know why, but I just find myself laughing at everything
We then had another exchange. Elder Mckenzie came down from Story City and Elder Claridge got to go up to Iowa Falls! We taught one of his investigators in a town that's probably about as big as our home ward. She wants to get baptized sooo bad, but can't get approval from her mother. We set a baptismal date for the day after her birthday, in 9 months. She's VERY excited.
We then traveled back to Ames, met with a recent convert. After we left his apartment we went over to a less active family who lives upstairs. The mother works from 7pm to 7am at the hospital, and then makes up her sleep. We just happened to show up at their door just 5 minutes after she woke up. The whole family was there! They brought us in, we got to know each other, and taught a sick lesson on charity. They said they wanted us over for dinner, and loved having us.
We then went to a potential investigators home. To make things short about this very long, tiring, and... challenging meeting I'll keep it to a few sentences. He asked some great questions, which the restored gospel could answer perfectly and completely. But as we were answering, he would interrupt and start talking about something else. WITH EVERY SINGLE QUESTION, HE INTERRUPTED EVERY SINGLE TIME WE WOULD TALK. I was getting really bothered. We somehow started talking about the Book of Mormon (we usually just talk about the bible) and we explained what was in it, very, very simply. He made comments like, "So you are saying that the second coming has already happened?" (because of 3 Nephi when Christ comes to the Nephites). It was very difficult to TEACH him anything because he wouldn't give us more than 5 words to answer before he started talking again. We were leaving, (as he kept talking to us) and he started talking about how God could only not do one thing. "Everytime he tries to make a society works, it fails. It's the only thing he has tried over and over again to do, and can't do." I was mad, and I went off about agency, which he apparently didn't understand or didn't care, or didn't hear, because he tried talking over me. I need more patience and love.
Thursday was Elder Claridge's birthday, and we had a way busy day. District meeting, studies, and mormon.org time. A member took us out to Texas Roadhouse for his birthday. I don't know if there is a bigger chicken fried steak, but if there is, I could probably eat that whole thing too. SOO GOOD.
Friday we helped a members professor move. Like I said, that's all the service we do. She was way awesome, but had a bunch of funky furniture. She was a interior designer I think? She kept talking to us about the funky lights and tables and stuff... I don't appreciate "art" like that I guess.
After she moved, we went and taught the Congo lady again. She is in her 3 year of nursing school, but we still don't know the exact age. This was easily the worst lesson I had ever taught. I confused myself at some points. She knew everything we said is true, and we know she felt the spirit, but she doesn't understand or want to be baptized again because she was baptized as a baby. We're still working with her, but she likes what we teach her a lot. She starts school again this week, so we're trying to teach her a few times before her schedule gets super busy. Pray for her and us. haha
Saturday we helped a member for a few hours move his legit library of religious books. There were literally shelves and shelves of books we had to take off, dust, and move to another shelf. He had a collection of books for Old Testament, New Testament, Peal of Great Price, Apostles, Prophets, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Church History, Geology (mapping where Nephi, Moses, Nephites traveled and lived). Literally every single thing. He had books that were original print copies. The original "Mormon Doctrine" by McConkie (apparently worth A LOT), all the Joseph Smith Papers books, everything. I got excited about all the things I can study when I'm home!
This morning we had the opportunity to move some more members. Furniture, and more boxes than I've ever seen. A HUGE moving truck. haha. Atleast they didn't have any weird stuff.
As I said, this week was just kind of ordinary.
Thank you for all of the letters, love and support.
I LOVE THIS WORK, and I CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE A SUPER SICK AWESOME WEEK.
I love you, thank you
-Elder Hollan
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