Hey mom,
This is the link for the article that was in Friday's paper! I sent dad a birthday card and it has a newspaper clipping in it. I also sent you a 15 minute tour of the art showcase. I walked through everything. I hope you enjoy it.
This week was probably the hardest week on my mission. Things came to a head with my companion on Tuesday. We had a big fight. You know me - I don't get angry - but I lost it. It was no good. I felt terrible about it all week. I called and talked to the mission president and got things sorted out. I'm feeling better but it has been a rough week.
We didn't do a whole lot in terms of normal missionary work this week. But we did a lot.
Monday: I didn't have a P-Day. haha we left the apartment at 9 AM and were working with some members of the branch setting up the art show until 5:30 PM. Then we visited John and Penny and then Brother and Sister Parker had us over. I just love them. Brother Parker almost died last month from blood clots in his lungs due to a surgery complication. It was really serious. But he was saved because of a priesthood blessing. The doctors said he should've been dead. They had to fly him to Pittsburgh. Crazy. They're wonderful people and we just had a nice evening helping them and eating with them and talking with them after such a rough time. Their testimonies are so strong. They're both converts - they joined in their 20's and have been active for almost 40 years. They are such examples to me. I love them.
Tuesday we worked in the morning until we had service at 10:30. Elder Kofford and I got into an argument and the whole day sucked. But service was nice and moving stuff around and throwing things into dumpsters helped me blow off some steam. haha! We came back to the church and had our interview with the newspaper. It went really well and they were really impressed.
Wednesday was district meeting. It was great. Then we went out to Brownsville with Jonathan. he was with us all day. All of our appointments fell through but that didn't matter. We handed out fliers for 4 hours for the art show. We also had an interesting experience - we knocked on someone's door, they opened it, and we invited them to the art show. They thanked us, and as we walked away this lady came running out of the house after us. She said, "Wait, wait! Do you have any pamphlets? And like a mormon book? And a bible? My sister has MS and she's not doing too well... she used to meet with sisters a while back and our dad joined your church before he died. She'd like you to come back." We hooked her up with all that stuff. We're gonna go see Jeaneane and her sister this week.
Later that day I chased a wild turkey. While I didn't get the mom, I did manage to catch one of the babies. I sent you a video of it. It's pretty funny. Wednesday was a good day.
Thursday we had a great lesson with Ray. He's such a stud. He finished Enos and watched Prophet of the Restoration - I let him borrow my copy. He thought it was incredible. Definitely strengthened his testimony. He and his girlfriend want to get married in the temple. They're going through a lot right now - he changing a lot of things for the better - but I trust that one day that will happen.
The rest of the day we bought the remaining stuff we needed for the art show. We had to canvas the entire entrance way of the chapel in white fabric. You'll see. It looked really cool. Then we went and visited Sister Creek in the hospital. She's been really sick - going through kidney problems. We had to put gloves and masks and aprons on when we went to see her. It was sad. But she's in good spirits and was really happy we came.
Friday we set stuff up.
Saturday was pretty down to the wire. Radogo showed up with a whole exhibit about Fiji that we weren't expecting and so we had to move stuff around to make it fit! haha! But it was really cool. We were cutting, framing, fitting, hanging, taping, moving up until 4:30. The doors opened at 5:00. The event ran from 5-8 PM and it was wonderful. We had several people come. Not a huge crowd, but it was a success. I really enjoyed myself. The Relief Society provided incredible food, Linda and Clarence came and really loved it, Jonathan brought his girlfriend to the show on a date, Penny came, Robin brought her son, Joe (Naomi's brother), who isn't a member and he loved it. It was just great. I'm glad we did it. The members were very impressed and that's all they talked about on Sunday. They were also really happy that they made the paper! haha!
We were tearing stuff down and putting things away until 10:30 that night. It was kind of sad. So much work just to tear it down. =D It happens. I enjoyed it.
Sunday we returned items to people and had our second to last lesson with Robin, Brian, Kara, and the Johnsons. They were really sad. I'm probably getting transferred. =( The mission president said it's very likely that I'm going. I've kinda let people know in advance and everybody's been spontaneously crying. I guess that's a good thing. haha. I'm sure going to miss it here.
I got a very nice letter from Mrs Williams this week (Judah's Mom.) It came at a very trying time and was an answer to prayer. Please thank her for me. It was very thoughtful of her. She's such an awesome person!
Well, I'm pretty proud of myself for doing this art show. It's probably the largest scale thing I've ever done on my own (from planning stages to final production) and was a big success. It was kind of an out of the ordinary idea but it gave me an opportunity to use my talents and to help others use theirs. 5 months ago, when we first got here, Elder Jamieson gave me a blessing and in it the Lord told me to look within myself and recognize the talents I'd been given. He said I'd been called to be a leader and a shining light to the people of Uniontown. "You must love them sincerely and that love must be readily apparent, for it will radiate from your heart and through your eyes." It's been hard, but in doing this activity I've done everything he's asked of me. And I know, with everything going on and hitting me at once, it's only been through the grace of God and the help of the people I love that I've been able to accomplish it. As hard as this week has been, it has been worth it and has taught me a lot. I thank God for the mountains he puts in my way.
Todd Skinner said this: "We cannot lower the mountain, therefore we must elevate ourselves." The Lord has forced me to elevate myself, and it has made all the difference.
Elder Kofford and I were invited by another church to attend a men's breakfast on Saturday. They were all really nice and the food was good. Then they invited us to a worship service. There was a guy named Blake who is a nationally acclaimed opera singer who was there. He did some opera and then he did some soul music. It was really cool. I enjoyed it. But then after that everyone started "speaking in tongues" and touching each other and falling down and screaming and running around. I didn't like that too much. Elder Kofford was freaked out, especially when one of the guys tried to get Elder Kofford to fall down! Elder Kofford just looked at the guy and shook his head. Then the guy turned and went screaming in the other direction. hahaha! Too funny.
Afterwards, as we were walking through the parking lot, I asked Elder Kofford, "So, is the Book of Mormon true?" He said, "Oh yeah. Without a doubt."
The church is true,
Zach
P.S.
I did make a purchase on amazon. It was for "Elias: An Epic of the Ages" by Elder Orson F. Whitney. I followed a link from Deseret Book haha. No worries. I love you!
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