Hello! Family and Friends,
Well this week was eventful in many different ways. I feel kind of at
a loss at what to do. Theres a point when so many things go wrong i
tend to question if i need to keep moving forward with faith or if
there is something I am lacking that i need to change. Well I'll just
let you know what happened this week, and it may not be in perfect
order but hey whatever. I feel like I am turning into Mom out here. I'll explain. So to
capture our attention in seminary Mom would show us videos from all
over the place, Mormon messages, seminary resources, general
conference clips, just everything. She would then beautifully bear her
testimony about the video and the spirit that it brings and i was just
to tired in the morning to realize the importance of them. Some of
them were pretty cheesy, some of them boring, some of them thought
provoking and such but now im the one watching and sharing these
cheesy videos and crying my face off while I try to bear my testimony
which has been hidden for so long. I don't think they are all cheesy
anymore. This new "He is the Gift" video i've memorized and don't even
have to watch it anymore to know what happens, but its given me the
opportunity to think about what each word and phrase means and how I
really wouldnt be here if it werent for Jesus Christ. I don't even
think I can express myself as to how i am growing to know who He
really is and how insignificant I am but how incomprehensible His love
is for me, to care enough to die for me. I am trying to emulate Him
and work on attaining more Christ-like attributes. It is really tough
though. And I am just coming to a realization right now as I write
this. Hear me out. So our Mission President asked us for our upcoming
interviews to pick on attribute to work on and to discuss. I chose
Hope. Mostly because I am so easily disheartened when so
many crappy things pile up here on a mission. I sacrifice my time and
life to have people slam their doors in my face, figuratively and
literally. Well I have a feeling as I have searched and prayed to have
hope that the events of this week which I will tell you will probably
make sense, in that Heavenly Father is giving me more opportunities to
hope. We have had a hard time finding investigators and we finally had
four. All four of them were dropped this week. We have barely anyone
to teach. One we haven't taught him in months. One of them got
evicted and didn't tell us where they were going. One of them who had a date to be
baptized this week dropped us and told us she wasn't ready, even
though she said that she believed what we taught her. All our other
lessons with returning members and others keep getting rescheduled and
moved and cancelled and AHHHHH! We had a Christmas party this week
which didn't go as well as I thought. First mistake was for the center
piece of each table they piled glitter on the tables... yeah and this
is a mormon family event... with crazy kids. I spent more time picking
glitter out of my food and off my body than I did eating. I met a few
of the people who I didn't recognize but they all left as soon as the
food was done and the program started. We went that night to visit our
scheduled appointments who were not home. none of them. The people we
invited to come to the party didn't come. I stayed afterward and
cleaned up all the glitter and tons of food on the floor. it was
gross. But I've seen little things at each point where I didn't want
to carry on anymore that sustained me and my hope throughout this
week. After the Christmas party and cancelled appointments, we met a
single sister and her daughter who want to meet twice a week and learn
about the book of mormon. Cha-Ching! Thats our job! then earlier this
week I got a postcard from an old friend in high school, which made me
smile. I watched a man I taught from the first day I got here be
baptized this weekend and participated in his confirmation. He bore
his testimony afterwards but can't pronounce my name so yeah that was
funny and just great to hear. Yeah and now I am reading emails from those
whom I love so dearly and it warms my heart to hear how you are all
doing back home. I miss you very much but look how time has flown by.
Soon it will be Christmas then BAM mothers day, then BAM Christmas
again, then BAM mothers day, then BAM im home! haha I can't wait but I
do love it here. I've really come to love this quote by President
James E. Faust... "Hope is the anchor of our souls... Hope is trust in
Gods' promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will
be fulfilled in the future." I've put that on my little white board in
our apartment and memorized it and it has been a strength to me. I've
pray for you all every night and can feel your prayers for me being
answered here. I love you and can't wait to see you soon!
Love Elder Patterson
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