Elder Andrew Gwilliam: This Week

Hey y'all. It was a great week here. It went by quick. Here's the famed recap: Tuesday, we had district meeting. It was good, we had to split up the areas in our city because there used to be 2 companionships, now there are 3. So that was fun, I just came with a plan it didn't make anybody want to slap me, so it worked out. Lots of contacting. Wednesday was good. We didn't have an ironing board in our apartment because the sisters who where there before threw it away... so we went to the big supermarket in our area and got one. We walked all the way home with it. My companions didn't want to look silly carrying around an ironing board, so I took it. We ended up having fun trying to get people to talk to us and had a good photo shoot. That night at about 10:40 we got on a night train to the city. Man was it stuffy. And a companion who ate something that didn't make his insides feel to good made that 5x7 room really stuffy. We got to the city around 7, went straight to zone conference. The last zone conference with the Clarks. They spent the first few hours talking about how we can improve as a mission, getting our suggestions and that, then after lunch they gave us marriage counsel. It was cool, they said they like to talk to missionaries about this right before they go home, the last dinner with the Clarks the day before you go home, but wanted all of us to get the knowledge. So, that was fun. Just talked about being good people and what to look for in a spouse. They did a good job of keeping it under control. After that we went to a restauraunt on the main street in the city called 28 American Burgers. I was in heaven. I had a bacon burger and fries, and it wasn't too bad. Closest to American food that I've gotten. A plus, they were playing a Billy Haley and the Comets concert on the TV. Good, American photography and atmosphere there. That night, same night train back to Petro. Friday was a tough day. I was dead tired, and three dead tired people together makes it hard to focus. I just got quiet, my american comp got wacky, and russian got grumpy. It was a strange weekly planning session, I will tell you that much. Saturday morning we went to the church and got russian help from a russian sister who's in our district here, she's super cool. Super bold. She's been a member for 2 years, and she's on fire. It's really cool. She taught us a lesson about Russian. Lots of contacting. Sunday was good. We had our church, and then had a ward council meeting. That was good. We are getting things moving in the branch as far as member involvement. We have a good sized branch for the mission, so we are trying to set up activities and firesides and things like that. It was a good week even though the investigators aren't there and the less actives aren't home. We're doing our best. We basically got white washed. We moved into a new area where the russian hadn't been before, and the sisters who left took the investigators that they were meeting with into their new area because they didn't know the addresses. And honestly, the two elders who were here before, one was on his last transfer and the other has a hard time working and getting on it. Both Russians, they just walked the streets and left nothing for the new missionaries. Frustrating. Hey, this leads into my spiritual thought part pretty well. Don't just do the bottom line. It may be enough to get an A, or to win that game. But in the long run, it won't be enough. It'll be harder for those who come after you in whatever you are doing, or it will be harder for you when you have to come back. When you show up to math class in a year and have to take a test about your last class to see what you remember. If you just did enough, you won't remember. When you get to the playoffs, and you face a team that's a lot better than what you're used to, if you just breezed through and didn't try your best all season, you are in trouble. Go above and beyond. Do it for others. Christ, when He suffered for our sins, went above and beyond for us. He took upon Himself our sins so that we could return to Heavenly Father clean. He didn't need to suffer for our physical pains, emotional earthquakes, or spiritual sadness, but He did. For us. So that whenever we are having a tough time, in any way, we can turn to Him for help. Because He knows how to help and comfort us in every situation. He loved us, so He went above and beyond for us. Be the best you can be! I love you all, you're the best.

Andrew Gwilliam