Jenn and Scott,
It was great to speak with you both on Skype during mothers day. It sounds like you both are doing great.
Jenn, it makes me so happy that you are so excited to "live up" second half of your mission. The best memories I have are from applying the experiences I had during my first half during my second half. It was as though things really came together. We just got preach my gospel, i finally had some consistency (what we were required to teach changed every month), I was paired up with some companions that cared about the work. So preach it sister. Let go of any worries around the language, around your understanding of the gospel, be worthy of the spirit and preach with conviction. You have a short time left were you set an incredible precedence on the rest of your life. If you go "balls to the wall", or serve with all your heart might mind and strength, Seriously with ALL your STRENGTH, MIGHT and HEART you will change the lives of others, and you will begin to understand what you are capable of as a child of God. Before you lies an amazing opportunity. I tried as hard as I could and the Lord blessed me with experiences that have allowed me to do amazing things while paired with your sister. Be Great. Be Jenn.
Scott,
Crazy-ish comp. I know exactly how that goes. Every other companion I had seemed to have some sort of issue. So thinking about the here and now for you. Forget your expectations for what you "should" be doing and focus on loving your companion in a completely platonic way. Study the life of the savior and how he love people. How he taught. And don't focus on the chastisements that he delivers. Focus on the real love part. All to often we think we need to let people know what they should be doing like the Savior did on the rare occasion. don't do that. Focus on figuring out how you can have the spirit strong with your companion no matter the circumstances. No matter the issue, your companion needs to feel that you love him. There words/actions might not be what you want them to be, but keep on being patient, understanding, and flexible. Be the type of companion who creates a desire in others to want to be better. I bring this up because I have not always been the best in applying this principle. I have been working for a long time to figure out how to do this with your mum. I have had expectation of what a Mother and Father should be. Because your mum didn't meet "my" expectations as a new son-in-law, I became frustrated. I have been working hard and have started to see some success in my efforts in changing my perspective. I have focused on changing my perspective and expectation rather than trying to ask Cathy to change (the later being wrong). I wish I would have realized this earlier, but that is a huge reason why we go on missions. So we can 1. bless the lives of others through the gospel, and 2, apply the gospel in our lives in a semi-controlled setting so that we can apply learned principles in an uncontrolled setting (life for me now). So all in all, focus on loving your companion for who he is. don't lower your standards, but love him.
Big Gulps hu.... Welp See ya later
Chad
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Another week in Awesome Land
Missionaries,
There is a new show the girls absolutely love. It is called "Wonder Pets!" It is a duckling, a turtle, and a gerble that live in a pre-school, but get phone calls when animals are in trouble. They jump in a little boat with wheels and a sail and fly away to where ever the animals are. This morning Lily woke up and asked for it right away (typical). After we turned it on, we heard her through the baby monitor going potty, singing the theme song... I love that girl.
Eden is starting to warm up to me more and more. Some days, when we were in Charlotte, she would have nothing to do with me. It was pretty hard. Now she seems to like me pretty well. it still takes some convincing to get her to come to me to get off the trampoline and to cuddle with me. I think that because lily likes me a lot and expresses well, she is an example to Eden, and I think that is where this newly found like for dad comes from.
Maggie is a great roller and is in the beginning stages of crawling (on her hands and knees and rocks). It is pretty amazing how fast she is growing up. She has quite the personality. Always happy and so patient.
Rach just got a gym membership to World Gym. Mainly because they have free child care. We have a gym at work that she can go to, but child care is $2/kid/hour. that ends up being pretty expensive with 3 kids ever day. She is pretty excited. Pregnancy is really hard on her, but this should help her accomplish her goals, and raise her self-confidence.
Work is great. I really like working for Wal-Mart. It is an amazing company. I am really grateful that we were able to get a job here. Since Lily has been out of school I have started commuting to work more and more. (I would be lazy and come in when Rach would bring in lily and rach would pick me up after school was over.) This week I rode 65 miles or so. My goal is to get a week where I ride 100+ miles. One day.
We have decided to take a trip to Idaho in July to visit my family. It is pretty exciting for me. My parents came out individually when Maggie was born, but I haven't seen my siblings in 2 years now. It will be 2 years and a week since we left washington for Charlotte when we get to Idaho, so I am pretty stoked. The drive is going to be MURDER, but very worth it. We will be able to see the additions to BYUI campus. go to the temple ( our closest temple is 4 hrs away making childcare with maggie and issue) TJ still lives there and Meredith is managing my parents men's student housing complex. I hope it goes well!
Big Gulps hu? Welp. See ya later.
There is a new show the girls absolutely love. It is called "Wonder Pets!" It is a duckling, a turtle, and a gerble that live in a pre-school, but get phone calls when animals are in trouble. They jump in a little boat with wheels and a sail and fly away to where ever the animals are. This morning Lily woke up and asked for it right away (typical). After we turned it on, we heard her through the baby monitor going potty, singing the theme song... I love that girl.
Eden is starting to warm up to me more and more. Some days, when we were in Charlotte, she would have nothing to do with me. It was pretty hard. Now she seems to like me pretty well. it still takes some convincing to get her to come to me to get off the trampoline and to cuddle with me. I think that because lily likes me a lot and expresses well, she is an example to Eden, and I think that is where this newly found like for dad comes from.
Maggie is a great roller and is in the beginning stages of crawling (on her hands and knees and rocks). It is pretty amazing how fast she is growing up. She has quite the personality. Always happy and so patient.
Rach just got a gym membership to World Gym. Mainly because they have free child care. We have a gym at work that she can go to, but child care is $2/kid/hour. that ends up being pretty expensive with 3 kids ever day. She is pretty excited. Pregnancy is really hard on her, but this should help her accomplish her goals, and raise her self-confidence.
Work is great. I really like working for Wal-Mart. It is an amazing company. I am really grateful that we were able to get a job here. Since Lily has been out of school I have started commuting to work more and more. (I would be lazy and come in when Rach would bring in lily and rach would pick me up after school was over.) This week I rode 65 miles or so. My goal is to get a week where I ride 100+ miles. One day.
We have decided to take a trip to Idaho in July to visit my family. It is pretty exciting for me. My parents came out individually when Maggie was born, but I haven't seen my siblings in 2 years now. It will be 2 years and a week since we left washington for Charlotte when we get to Idaho, so I am pretty stoked. The drive is going to be MURDER, but very worth it. We will be able to see the additions to BYUI campus. go to the temple ( our closest temple is 4 hrs away making childcare with maggie and issue) TJ still lives there and Meredith is managing my parents men's student housing complex. I hope it goes well!
Big Gulps hu? Welp. See ya later.
Gift of Tongues
Scott and Niff,
You two are awesome. I am writing now cause rachel is a computer hog on Sunday's so she can send you updates with her blog posts. The majority of this little letter will be focused toward Niff, but I do have some things at the tail end for scott if I can stay awake that long.
Jenn, The gift of tongues. It is a highly sought after gift. It is extremely nice to have, especially when living in a country that does not speak your native tongue. Today we are fasting for you. Our whole family is. We want you to feel able to speak and be heard. To feel some what normal. To feel as though your investigators are hearing the message you mean to convey. Part of me hopes and wishes that you will begin to speak Thai as a native tonight. I know that through faith it is possible. And if it is the will of God, our Heavenly Father, it will happen. The other part of me wishes and hopes that you never get it. That the language never fully comes until after your mission. That for the rest of your mission you struggle with the Thai language. I feel bad even typing this out, but I think my reasoning is better, and so I continue. Jenn, you KNOW the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know that you have a Father in Heaven that loves you. You know how to get home. You know so many wonderful truths and have chosen to share them with the world. The Lord has asked you to share them with the Thai people. Learning the Thai language is part of living in Thailand and a necessity. But there is something far more important that learning the Thai language, and it is a language you already know. The language of the spirit. You know how to converse with the Lord through the spirit. Your job now isn't to learn the Thai language and eloquently tell a story about some american boy. Your job it to teach people how to speak the language of the spirit. It is to teach people how to get home. It is hard for me to even finish. Jenn, We know how to get home. The Spirit of the Lord gave us Truth. Teach people how to use tools to speak with the Lord through the Holy Ghost. You are doing a fantastic job. Keep up the great work... and as Jack Blake would say... Lets Rock, Lets Rock, Lets Rock, Lets Rock to day (left hand as stage, right had as kicking dude)
Scotticusprime,
The scriptures are amazing tools. I have been riding my bike to work (1 hr commute each way) I have downloaded the scriptures to my phone so I can listen on the commute. It has changed my commute, and me. I have learned a great deal in the time I spend listening. It is amazing the different messages told, just by the rate at which you read the book. if you read it slow, you get details, like if then statements, or what and it came to pass really means. When you read fast, you see the loving relationships between prophet and people and father and son. You see the never ending battle between the Nephites and Lamanites, even though there is a deep love for the other, at times. The scriptures are truly an amazing tool that were made through inspiration. it is simply amazing the subjects that were included by Mormon and Maroni.
Today had been a day of ups and downs. Of recognizing my own imperfections and having the painful experience of witnessing my friends imperfections. It is through the scriptures that I find comfort, direction and inspiration. I hate having to admit my great imperfections, but I am so grateful for the redeeming power of the atonement as taught in the Holy Scriptures. I know that if I work hard to understand the Plan of Salvation. That if I know God's will for me, I can live as an example for the Lord to use. Again, I know only some of my imperfections and am sad because of my blinded eyes, but I sincerely try hard and I know that my effots will bless myself, my family, and others that witness my actions. Love the sriptures. Live them. Follow the messages they teach. live imperfectly with a desire to get better as you go. We all make mistakes. We just have to learn from our mistakes. The more we act and the more we study the scriptures, the more we will recognize our imperfections and improve.
Rock on and study on!
I love you both. Keep up the good work.
Chad
You two are awesome. I am writing now cause rachel is a computer hog on Sunday's so she can send you updates with her blog posts. The majority of this little letter will be focused toward Niff, but I do have some things at the tail end for scott if I can stay awake that long.
Jenn, The gift of tongues. It is a highly sought after gift. It is extremely nice to have, especially when living in a country that does not speak your native tongue. Today we are fasting for you. Our whole family is. We want you to feel able to speak and be heard. To feel some what normal. To feel as though your investigators are hearing the message you mean to convey. Part of me hopes and wishes that you will begin to speak Thai as a native tonight. I know that through faith it is possible. And if it is the will of God, our Heavenly Father, it will happen. The other part of me wishes and hopes that you never get it. That the language never fully comes until after your mission. That for the rest of your mission you struggle with the Thai language. I feel bad even typing this out, but I think my reasoning is better, and so I continue. Jenn, you KNOW the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know that you have a Father in Heaven that loves you. You know how to get home. You know so many wonderful truths and have chosen to share them with the world. The Lord has asked you to share them with the Thai people. Learning the Thai language is part of living in Thailand and a necessity. But there is something far more important that learning the Thai language, and it is a language you already know. The language of the spirit. You know how to converse with the Lord through the spirit. Your job now isn't to learn the Thai language and eloquently tell a story about some american boy. Your job it to teach people how to speak the language of the spirit. It is to teach people how to get home. It is hard for me to even finish. Jenn, We know how to get home. The Spirit of the Lord gave us Truth. Teach people how to use tools to speak with the Lord through the Holy Ghost. You are doing a fantastic job. Keep up the great work... and as Jack Blake would say... Lets Rock, Lets Rock, Lets Rock, Lets Rock to day (left hand as stage, right had as kicking dude)
Scotticusprime,
The scriptures are amazing tools. I have been riding my bike to work (1 hr commute each way) I have downloaded the scriptures to my phone so I can listen on the commute. It has changed my commute, and me. I have learned a great deal in the time I spend listening. It is amazing the different messages told, just by the rate at which you read the book. if you read it slow, you get details, like if then statements, or what and it came to pass really means. When you read fast, you see the loving relationships between prophet and people and father and son. You see the never ending battle between the Nephites and Lamanites, even though there is a deep love for the other, at times. The scriptures are truly an amazing tool that were made through inspiration. it is simply amazing the subjects that were included by Mormon and Maroni.
Today had been a day of ups and downs. Of recognizing my own imperfections and having the painful experience of witnessing my friends imperfections. It is through the scriptures that I find comfort, direction and inspiration. I hate having to admit my great imperfections, but I am so grateful for the redeeming power of the atonement as taught in the Holy Scriptures. I know that if I work hard to understand the Plan of Salvation. That if I know God's will for me, I can live as an example for the Lord to use. Again, I know only some of my imperfections and am sad because of my blinded eyes, but I sincerely try hard and I know that my effots will bless myself, my family, and others that witness my actions. Love the sriptures. Live them. Follow the messages they teach. live imperfectly with a desire to get better as you go. We all make mistakes. We just have to learn from our mistakes. The more we act and the more we study the scriptures, the more we will recognize our imperfections and improve.
Rock on and study on!
I love you both. Keep up the good work.
Chad
Good Day
Heyllow,
Another wonderful week in the Natural State! I am really really liking my job. I help Wal-Mart executives know the $ amount of Buildings and Land and the like that we own. It is a lot of fun. People are starting to come to me with questions, and I have answers. It is a very cool experience. One thing that I am learning from liking what I do is how important it is to decide on something. Being indecisive doesn't get us very far. I look back, and am very grateful for the experience I had. I am also able to look back and, if I had understood and applied this principle earlier, I would be in a completely different place (again to reiterate, I love what i do, I just don't think I would be here if I had been more decisive earlier in life). I would have gained a specific job related skill much earlier. I would still have been able to avoid being "pigeon-holed" into a specific job (something I was unreasonably terrified about). And the most important thing, I would still be happy, extremely happy. I would have gotten to my current stage at a different time, maybe earlier or later, but I would still be very happy. I recognize that it is all a part of the learning process, but it sometimes baffles me that I was able to decide to marry your sister without batting an eyelash, but I wouldn't decided on a career until grad school. The key word there is wouldn't. I chose to be indecisive. I chose to go back and forth between a variety of career paths, with the excuse that I was exploring what my choices where. The simple truth that I am now learning is that we have to choose. And it is important to choose now. The whole choose the right when the choice is placed before you, not a year later. Now I know that when a choice is placed before me, I need to research what I can, get exposure to the facts, learn as much as I can, and make a decision. I liken this to a Bishop extending a calling to a new person in the ward. This process could take up to 6 months, but the bishop is actively engaged in making that choice. Most decisions we need to make should not take over 6 months. Most of them should and can be made very quickly (I am not putting a time period on this because it always varies, but should be relatively short. Typically when we put off making decisions it stems from fear. We fear the outcome, which ultimately means either 1. we have not developed a relationship with our Father in Heaven through the the Holy Ghost, or 2 we are not exerting faith. If we don't know if it is the correct decision we need to present it to the Lord, or find a new option. If we think it is the correct decision, but are not acting on that information, we are not exerting faith. I think these really are our only choices. The better we are at this process, better we become at making quick, correct decisions based on the knowledge God has given us through revelation.
Interesting what you learn when you record your thoughts and write to your in-laws.
Interesting fact, it will be over 100 degrees out tomorrow ( monday here in America!) It will be a warm bike ride. hope my tires don't pop.
Love you both. Help people make decision! Help them develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father. Help them know that they can communicate with him through the spirit, and that Holy Ghost (the Spirit) is our most important resource while on the earth.
"And that cow got musta got into an onion patch". "Correct."
"And that little guy, he's not supposed to be there." "Correct."
Love
Chad
Another wonderful week in the Natural State! I am really really liking my job. I help Wal-Mart executives know the $ amount of Buildings and Land and the like that we own. It is a lot of fun. People are starting to come to me with questions, and I have answers. It is a very cool experience. One thing that I am learning from liking what I do is how important it is to decide on something. Being indecisive doesn't get us very far. I look back, and am very grateful for the experience I had. I am also able to look back and, if I had understood and applied this principle earlier, I would be in a completely different place (again to reiterate, I love what i do, I just don't think I would be here if I had been more decisive earlier in life). I would have gained a specific job related skill much earlier. I would still have been able to avoid being "pigeon-holed" into a specific job (something I was unreasonably terrified about). And the most important thing, I would still be happy, extremely happy. I would have gotten to my current stage at a different time, maybe earlier or later, but I would still be very happy. I recognize that it is all a part of the learning process, but it sometimes baffles me that I was able to decide to marry your sister without batting an eyelash, but I wouldn't decided on a career until grad school. The key word there is wouldn't. I chose to be indecisive. I chose to go back and forth between a variety of career paths, with the excuse that I was exploring what my choices where. The simple truth that I am now learning is that we have to choose. And it is important to choose now. The whole choose the right when the choice is placed before you, not a year later. Now I know that when a choice is placed before me, I need to research what I can, get exposure to the facts, learn as much as I can, and make a decision. I liken this to a Bishop extending a calling to a new person in the ward. This process could take up to 6 months, but the bishop is actively engaged in making that choice. Most decisions we need to make should not take over 6 months. Most of them should and can be made very quickly (I am not putting a time period on this because it always varies, but should be relatively short. Typically when we put off making decisions it stems from fear. We fear the outcome, which ultimately means either 1. we have not developed a relationship with our Father in Heaven through the the Holy Ghost, or 2 we are not exerting faith. If we don't know if it is the correct decision we need to present it to the Lord, or find a new option. If we think it is the correct decision, but are not acting on that information, we are not exerting faith. I think these really are our only choices. The better we are at this process, better we become at making quick, correct decisions based on the knowledge God has given us through revelation.
Interesting what you learn when you record your thoughts and write to your in-laws.
Interesting fact, it will be over 100 degrees out tomorrow ( monday here in America!) It will be a warm bike ride. hope my tires don't pop.
Love you both. Help people make decision! Help them develop a relationship with their Heavenly Father. Help them know that they can communicate with him through the spirit, and that Holy Ghost (the Spirit) is our most important resource while on the earth.
"And that cow got musta got into an onion patch". "Correct."
"And that little guy, he's not supposed to be there." "Correct."
Love
Chad
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)