12:07 PM
Due to popular demand, people want to know what I'm going to be doing for Halloween. And the answer is.......
Absolutely nothing.
Yep. That's right. The mission is sucking the fun out of everything. No movies. No games. No nothing. My brilliant Zone Leaders think it'll be fun to carve pumpkins. I just want to light a fire and tell stories. Or watch a movie. But sadly, no.
So, other than that, things aren't so good for me over here. Seems like everyone is out to get me. I've been hounded on all sides from people who want me to change. No matter what I do, there will be those who don't like me. And if I change for them, I won't like me. I seem to find myself in lose/lose situations all the time. Morale is getting low.
Sorry I don't have much to tell on the good news side of things. Satan is really mad at me right now.
Hope everyone is doing good. Transfers are next Wednesday.
Later
Elder Garcia
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
13 Oct 10 - 20 Oct 10
3:24 PM
Okay, so get this: two days ago I had to go on splits. Elder Carter and I went to teach two appointments while Elder Mitchell went with one of our ward mission leaders to teach some Swahilli lady the gospel. In the first lesson, there was this punk 13/14 year old who just recently got baptized and his eight year old cousin. During the lesson I was moved to chastize the punk kid for not caring. I told him that the reason why we pray, read the scriptures, and go to church is so that God can help us with our lives. I told him that God does care about us and wants us to be happy (which the kid was not). I said, that if we don't care about God, God cannot help us (it was here I probably should have said 'will not'). Near the end I asked both the kids what missionaries do. They responded: that we share God's words with everyone. I asked: how long are we missionaries for. They responded: two years. Then I asked them what we gave up for this. They responded: video games, school, cars, sports, jobs, girls... namely girls. I then asked them, would they give that all up for two years? They didn't respond. I asked: who in their right mind would give all that up for two years? I then asked Elder Carter why he gave all that up. He said because God told him to and he wanted to do what God wanted. I then looked at the kids and asked them if they wanted to know why I gave that up. They said yes. I said I gave all that up, I gave everything up, because this was true. What I was teaching was true. I would not give up cars, school, friends, family, girls, video games, movies, music, girls, dungeons and dragons, the beach, and girls up for two years to tell people lies. It's not worth it. Unless it were true. Elder Carter looked at me as realization sank in as to why he was out and the other people in the room grew silent. We said a closing prayer and as we were leaving, the grandpa told me that I hit the nail on the head.
I had a similar lesson for our last lesson of the night. I would teach with short simple truths that hit home. It was a Less Active couple who just had a baby. The mother asked me about how could a family be seperated if they didn't make it into the Celestial Kingdom. Instead of telling her everything I knew on the subject I simply asked: Does God love you? She of course said yes. I asked: Does God want you to be happy? With more hesitation she said yes. I then asked her: What would make you happy most of all? She responded: To be with my family forever. I then told her: That's all I need to know. The Spirit was super strong and you could see the comfort in her eyes.
But of course there must needs be opposition in all things. We were late. We got home at around 9:40 pm and Elder Mitchell was furious at Elder Carter for making us late. Of course I talked way more than Elder Carter then but Elder Mitchell only had daggers for one person. When we got home, he blew up. He was yelling, Elder Carter was yelling, and I tried to make myself as small a target as possible.
What came next is a bit of a suprise to me. Where there was a break in the yelling, I asked Elder Carter to go down stairs. He gladly accepted. I then talked to Elder Mitchell on what was going on. I told him that both he and Elder Carter were right and yet we were all wrong together. The mission has broken us. It has broken us again and again and again and we're the only ones who could have glued ourselves together until we became what we are. Elder Carter wasn't broken. He still believes in the ideals that I used to have in a mission. So the question was were we the ones who were going to break him or was the mission going to. Of course I prefer it if nothing broke him but if it came down to the two, which could I stand. After talking with Elder Mitchell some more, he had this sad look in his eyes and he understood. He understood Elder Carter's point of view. He understood what he just did. So I told him that I was going to go down and talk with Elder Carter and then afterwards we would come to a mutual agreement. He said he was fine with that.
I then went down to Elder Carter and I told him about the same thing and the same thing happend to him. His eyes were sad because he understood. So we went up and I was suprised to see that Elder Mitchell had gotten him a glass of water. We then sat down and I began to tell them what I liked about them and what I needed help on. Then Elder Mitchell did the same thing followed by Elder Carter. After we were all done I told them that there were several things we needed to understand. First was that we were a companionship and that took precidence over everything. The second thing is that we all have our own beliefs and that we shouldn't shun anyone for their beliefs or try and force our own onto them. We just needed to accept that we're different and like each other for our differences. The last thing I told them is that we have a golden opportunity ahead of us. We're the only companionship in the mission who is a threesome and covering four stakes. It's almost as if our leaders gave us too much work to see us fail. Well... I didn't come this far to fail now. If we worked together, we could have a ton of work and eventually say to our leaders "ha ha! You tried to break us but we overcame this."
I did this because I'm tired of the worlds ideals. I still have this stupid notion that the strong protect the weak and defend the defenseless. I hate how it seems like the comic book way should only stay in the comics. Most of my life I've been beaten down by those who should have been my friends. So I'm going to be the change I want to see in the world. I'm going to change the world. And if any trial comes in my way that's too hard for me to handle, I'll just remember the phrase that I came up with for this: How do you know when you're doing what's right? When life sucks.
Later everyone.
Me
Okay, so get this: two days ago I had to go on splits. Elder Carter and I went to teach two appointments while Elder Mitchell went with one of our ward mission leaders to teach some Swahilli lady the gospel. In the first lesson, there was this punk 13/14 year old who just recently got baptized and his eight year old cousin. During the lesson I was moved to chastize the punk kid for not caring. I told him that the reason why we pray, read the scriptures, and go to church is so that God can help us with our lives. I told him that God does care about us and wants us to be happy (which the kid was not). I said, that if we don't care about God, God cannot help us (it was here I probably should have said 'will not'). Near the end I asked both the kids what missionaries do. They responded: that we share God's words with everyone. I asked: how long are we missionaries for. They responded: two years. Then I asked them what we gave up for this. They responded: video games, school, cars, sports, jobs, girls... namely girls. I then asked them, would they give that all up for two years? They didn't respond. I asked: who in their right mind would give all that up for two years? I then asked Elder Carter why he gave all that up. He said because God told him to and he wanted to do what God wanted. I then looked at the kids and asked them if they wanted to know why I gave that up. They said yes. I said I gave all that up, I gave everything up, because this was true. What I was teaching was true. I would not give up cars, school, friends, family, girls, video games, movies, music, girls, dungeons and dragons, the beach, and girls up for two years to tell people lies. It's not worth it. Unless it were true. Elder Carter looked at me as realization sank in as to why he was out and the other people in the room grew silent. We said a closing prayer and as we were leaving, the grandpa told me that I hit the nail on the head.
I had a similar lesson for our last lesson of the night. I would teach with short simple truths that hit home. It was a Less Active couple who just had a baby. The mother asked me about how could a family be seperated if they didn't make it into the Celestial Kingdom. Instead of telling her everything I knew on the subject I simply asked: Does God love you? She of course said yes. I asked: Does God want you to be happy? With more hesitation she said yes. I then asked her: What would make you happy most of all? She responded: To be with my family forever. I then told her: That's all I need to know. The Spirit was super strong and you could see the comfort in her eyes.
But of course there must needs be opposition in all things. We were late. We got home at around 9:40 pm and Elder Mitchell was furious at Elder Carter for making us late. Of course I talked way more than Elder Carter then but Elder Mitchell only had daggers for one person. When we got home, he blew up. He was yelling, Elder Carter was yelling, and I tried to make myself as small a target as possible.
What came next is a bit of a suprise to me. Where there was a break in the yelling, I asked Elder Carter to go down stairs. He gladly accepted. I then talked to Elder Mitchell on what was going on. I told him that both he and Elder Carter were right and yet we were all wrong together. The mission has broken us. It has broken us again and again and again and we're the only ones who could have glued ourselves together until we became what we are. Elder Carter wasn't broken. He still believes in the ideals that I used to have in a mission. So the question was were we the ones who were going to break him or was the mission going to. Of course I prefer it if nothing broke him but if it came down to the two, which could I stand. After talking with Elder Mitchell some more, he had this sad look in his eyes and he understood. He understood Elder Carter's point of view. He understood what he just did. So I told him that I was going to go down and talk with Elder Carter and then afterwards we would come to a mutual agreement. He said he was fine with that.
I then went down to Elder Carter and I told him about the same thing and the same thing happend to him. His eyes were sad because he understood. So we went up and I was suprised to see that Elder Mitchell had gotten him a glass of water. We then sat down and I began to tell them what I liked about them and what I needed help on. Then Elder Mitchell did the same thing followed by Elder Carter. After we were all done I told them that there were several things we needed to understand. First was that we were a companionship and that took precidence over everything. The second thing is that we all have our own beliefs and that we shouldn't shun anyone for their beliefs or try and force our own onto them. We just needed to accept that we're different and like each other for our differences. The last thing I told them is that we have a golden opportunity ahead of us. We're the only companionship in the mission who is a threesome and covering four stakes. It's almost as if our leaders gave us too much work to see us fail. Well... I didn't come this far to fail now. If we worked together, we could have a ton of work and eventually say to our leaders "ha ha! You tried to break us but we overcame this."
I did this because I'm tired of the worlds ideals. I still have this stupid notion that the strong protect the weak and defend the defenseless. I hate how it seems like the comic book way should only stay in the comics. Most of my life I've been beaten down by those who should have been my friends. So I'm going to be the change I want to see in the world. I'm going to change the world. And if any trial comes in my way that's too hard for me to handle, I'll just remember the phrase that I came up with for this: How do you know when you're doing what's right? When life sucks.
Later everyone.
Me
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
06 Oct 10 - 13 Oct 10
2:08 PM
So I guess everyone wants to know more about Elder Carter. He's like six foot something and has the bully complex not too unlike others that I've met. What he thinks is harmless fun, I take as a preemptive strike. Course the football jock stereotype will always out power the nerd. He's from Arizona and has been out for four months. I think that's all I have to say about him.
Yesterday we had Zone Conference and I'm still trying to recover from it. It made me question a lot of things that I'm doing. I'm confused and I don't know what to do now other than follow my gut which is still telling me to do what I've already been doing. My Mission President started off by playing as "Elder Mediocre" and a lot of what he was doing hit home. Sad to say though that I have never been nor will I ever be mediocre. So what do I do? He then went into Matthew on hypocrisy and Nephi on murmuring. This confused me greatly because I don't believe and I've ever been hypocritical on anything on the mission. I've always done what I said I was going to do. It seemed to me like the hyporcrites were coming from the leadership. You know how power goes to your head? So, sad to say I'm not in the best of moods right now.
As far as the work goes, with two new stakes to cover, we're being hard pressed for time. Elder Mitchell doesn't care about the new areas because he'll be leaving the area in three weeks. I care but I'm being squeezed from every side with everything I have to deal with, which is a lot. I'm starting to strain and crack again and that's not good. It seems that the long awaited break that I've recieved with Elder Mitchell is over with no chance of recovery time.
But for good news, the mission is going to read the BoM starting on 16 Oct til 13 Dec. This'll be great. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope everyone is doing well. I can't wait to come back because it seems like whatever I'll be coming back to, there'll be chaos.
Take care
Elder Garcia
So I guess everyone wants to know more about Elder Carter. He's like six foot something and has the bully complex not too unlike others that I've met. What he thinks is harmless fun, I take as a preemptive strike. Course the football jock stereotype will always out power the nerd. He's from Arizona and has been out for four months. I think that's all I have to say about him.
Yesterday we had Zone Conference and I'm still trying to recover from it. It made me question a lot of things that I'm doing. I'm confused and I don't know what to do now other than follow my gut which is still telling me to do what I've already been doing. My Mission President started off by playing as "Elder Mediocre" and a lot of what he was doing hit home. Sad to say though that I have never been nor will I ever be mediocre. So what do I do? He then went into Matthew on hypocrisy and Nephi on murmuring. This confused me greatly because I don't believe and I've ever been hypocritical on anything on the mission. I've always done what I said I was going to do. It seemed to me like the hyporcrites were coming from the leadership. You know how power goes to your head? So, sad to say I'm not in the best of moods right now.
As far as the work goes, with two new stakes to cover, we're being hard pressed for time. Elder Mitchell doesn't care about the new areas because he'll be leaving the area in three weeks. I care but I'm being squeezed from every side with everything I have to deal with, which is a lot. I'm starting to strain and crack again and that's not good. It seems that the long awaited break that I've recieved with Elder Mitchell is over with no chance of recovery time.
But for good news, the mission is going to read the BoM starting on 16 Oct til 13 Dec. This'll be great. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope everyone is doing well. I can't wait to come back because it seems like whatever I'll be coming back to, there'll be chaos.
Take care
Elder Garcia
29 Sep 10 - 6 Oct 10
1:26 PM
So here's something new that's happened to me. My District Lord Elder Burkhardt went home early beause his galbladder stopped working on him. He had only four more weeks left so he didn't want to get surgery done and then be out of commision for three weeks. So now Elder Mitchell and I have a new companion named Elder Carter. We also picked up his two stakes so now we're covering four stakes and 30 something wards.
Well, that's all for now.
Later everyone
So here's something new that's happened to me. My District Lord Elder Burkhardt went home early beause his galbladder stopped working on him. He had only four more weeks left so he didn't want to get surgery done and then be out of commision for three weeks. So now Elder Mitchell and I have a new companion named Elder Carter. We also picked up his two stakes so now we're covering four stakes and 30 something wards.
Well, that's all for now.
Later everyone
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