This week was interesting! We had Mormon helping hands on Saturday which was really cool. I have never done that before. We were supposed to do it last year, but Elder Kasen and I were already committed to help a family move so we didn't make it to the big organized project. It was pretty cool. We got to wear the cool yellow vests you see on the news and on the world report between conference sessions :) We helped this little old lady paint her house. She could barely stand. She had to have her care taker come help her walk out to say thanks to us. It was really neat. Her garage, and door frames and window frames were all messed up, so we sanded them all down and painted them for her. Her house looks a ton better now. She was very appreciative of our help. Service really gives you a good feeling inside :) I was on the sanding crew. I really wish I would have took a picture but I didn't have my camera :( so me and a couple elders were covered in white paint dust from head to tow. Her house was pretty old too so chances are it was lead paint. That's just how California rolls. for basically all day Saturday and Sunday I was sneezing and coughing out white pasty stuff. Pretty sure I have lead paint dust all up in my lungs. So if I get lung cancer in a few years, its because I served a mission :)
Last night we went up to Whittier for a baptism. That was super cool. It was a family that Elder Roberts taught. It was weird to be back up there, so close to my last area. I wanted to go visit some people again, but I couldn't so we didn't. :) It was very cool to watch this family come unto Christ and be completed by the Gospel. Start their new journey together towards sealed eternally. I love watching baptisms.
I learned a really important lesson this week. More of realized I learned it a bit ago. In 3 Nephi 12:44 Jesus tells us to "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you/" So me and Elder Roberts were out and about. It was like 8:30 and our set just fell through. I HATE knocking doors that late. We resolve to go by one former investigator we had written down. So, we go and knock it. This dude, probably about 27 or so answers and cusses us out. He says that we better not knock his door again and he does not appreciate us stopping by and just goes on this big ole rant. It really made me sad. Starting a mission, you really learn how to cope with discouragement and rejection, then I finally got to the point where I wouldn't get down on myself at all or anything like that when rejection happens. It happens a LOT, but this guy made me sad. I was thinking about that long and hard for a while. One morning I was studying in Preach My Gospel. In Chapter one it goes over our purpose as missionaries and how to define success. In there it says "Some may not accept your message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation." I LOVE that line. It hit me hard. That's why this guy bothered me so much! Because I love him! He just didn't even give us a chance. A year ago, I would have gotten discouraged, a months ago I would have just shrugged it off, a week ago I got truly sad that we were rejected because I do love this man I don't even know and he didn't even give us a chance to help him be happy. To me, that was a major bench mark in my mission. It helped me to see that I am finally becoming the missionary I need to be.
Transfers are this week! Crazy how fast time flies! So, if you ahve anything you want to send to me, do it so it gets here before Saturday! :)
Have a good week!
Love,
Elder Lloyd
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