It's been a fun week, a little tough on our District but pretty good overall. The temperature dropped from the 70's in the evenings to the 40's so the little blankets we had didn't really suffice for a couple days. I didn't sleep too well and whether the weather change was a factor or not 8 of the 11 in the District got pretty ill, myself included. I think everyone is clearing up now, but there was a few days of hacking and flem that was just really.. really gross. Last night we came home to find 2 extra blankets on everyone's bed and they were much appreciated.
We've increased the number of investigators we teach each day from 1 to 2 and now from 2 to 3, so Elder Paddock and I really have to spend nearly all of our personal study prepping for these 20 minute blocks. I really like the pace, it's making me stretch to be as good as I expect myself to be.
I got my first missionary hair cut today ... and now I have no hair. I think the ladies that cut all of the gringo's hair are just used to them not being able to communicate what they want, so they proceed to do whatever they want to us. I told her I've got some gnarly cow-licks on the back of my head, and she responded saying she recognized that, and then shaved it all short anyways! It's alright though, I'm not any uglier than i was! haha.
We have some caged soccer/basketball courts here, and I am in love with playing caged soccer right now. There are a couple good players here that really make it way fun.
Now for the good stuff ...
One of the speakers this week talked a little about Mark 12, when Christ was asked whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar, and he responded by having them bring him a coin with the face of Caesar on it and said, "whose is this image and superscription?" to which the others responded, "Caesar's." Christ then said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." The word that has significance here is image. The coin held the image of Caesar and therefore was to be given to Caesar, which then leads us to think, what has the image of God? And of course we, mankind, do. From Genesis we know that man was formed in God's likeness and image. Therefore, i believe what Christ also intended to teach was that we are to give to God of ourselves, whether that is of our time, talents, faith, love and all that we have to offer.
Later in the week we talked about Luke 17:32, "Remember Lots Wife." From the story when Lot was commanded to leave Soddom and Gamorrah without looking back because it was going to be destroyed. Lot's wife did turn to look as they fled and was turned into a pillar of salt. It comes down to the fact that she did not have faith in God's plan for her, and she did not believe that anything He could have her do would be as great as what she was leaving behind. I think the combination of these two stories has much relevance for missionaries and everyone else. As missionaries we are expected to leave behind all the things of the world and to commit ourselves to live in a way that allows us be completely in tune with the Holy Spirit because we know that God has a plan for us, and if we fulfill it, we will have more joy than anything we could devise from our own wit and cunning. So when missionaries find themselves singing songs that are no longer in accordance with their purpose the others will lovingly look to them and say, "don't be Lot's wife." For normal people, it still pertains. Live in a way you can be receptive to God's plan for you, and have faith that his plan is always for your benefit. The way you can do this is to offer all that you are to Him, and strive to do his will.
Two things i liked from Elder L. Tom Perry's devotional to all the MTC's this Tuesday (not in his exact words):
Never cease to marvel at the use of the Priesthood Authority of God.
When you work alongside the Lord, you cannot keep up with Him.
This next point, which I don't want to be taken as sac-religious, is that this giant golden man (attached) that is on top of some ambiguous building outside the CCM would be a definite eye-catcher adjacent the golden angel Moroni, hahaha.
The other picture is of the second set of roommates i lived with, Elder Romero and Elder Valazqes.
Thank you to everyone who has emailed me, I love to hear from you and to hear how you're doing.
with my love,
Elder Tyler Meidell
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