Tuesday, April 2, 2013

And thus it begins... Week 1


MOM!!!!
 
Well, this week has been CRAZY, and spiritual and happy and sad and frustrating and disappointing and just... wow. I feel old, and by MTC standards, my district and I are vets by now. It's kind of sad; just as we're getting used to the hustle and bustle of the MTC, they're going to kick us out. Oh yeah, you don't know about that yet. Well, I have some information that I'm going to try to send to you in the form of a letter package, but for now, suffice it to say this: Salt Lake to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Melbourne (pronounced Melban), Melbourne to Adelaide, departing April 8th, arriving April 10th (don't think about it too much, it doesn't even make sense on the travel itinerary). Yes, this is going to be my only P-Day in the MTC, so I'm soaking it up (literally, my washer leaked onto me as I sat with my back against it, and now my suit is wet... good times XD).
 
My eye infection is NOT pink eye, just something that they don't know what or why I have it. They gave me medication (there's a story in that, btw), I received a healing blessing, and have felt great ever since. Really, it hasn't been that much of a bother to me at all, I wasn't even angry or mad when I discovered it, and the doctors said I caught it early (hidden blessings, yes?). I tossed my contacts and I miss them; glasses are great and convenient, but I like contacts more.
 
Anyway, here's the story for the week (one of the many [do I feel old or do I feel old?]). I woke up with a super angry eye one morning (forgot which one, I wrote it in my journal and just kept going), and after a quick breakfast, I drug my companion -Elder Warner- to the doctor's office. After the doctor put who knows how many liquids into my eye and stained it, he said he couldn't see anything on the cornea, but knew something was up. An hour later, I was in a large van -with Elder Warner- heading to an off campus doctor's office. We had escaped the MTC! XD But anyway, we get to our location and are dropped off, proceed into the building, ask around for Dr. Meyer... and find out it's the wrong building... (moment of terror). The man that we asked did a google map search for us and we were relieved when we found out the right location was just across the street, maybe 100 yards distance. So, unsure if we should hail the shuttle or just walk over, I -being the Senior Companion- made a choice and opted to walk over. We found the right place, Dr. Meyer took a look at it, prescribed me medication, and we were on our way back to the MTC within the hour (on the shuttle, mind you). I had my prescription two hours later. Pretty good service I'd say.
 
There are nine of us in my district (24C), and a total of seventeen in my zone (the old timers are leaving tomorrow early for Canada and... California I think). My district leader is Elder Taylor, who is -by far- a very good leader. There's also (in lists of companionships) Elders Okelberry and Allen, Taylor and Kwok (from Hawaii), and me and Elder Warner. We have three Sisters as well, and they make up a triplet companionship, comprised of Sisters Jones, Barnett, and Riches, and they are all very sweet sisters (save for Sister Barnett... she's a piece of work in her own, spiritual way). We're all excited for tomorrow; when we first came here, all the old timers were greeting us and laughing at us because we had NO idea what we were getting into. We all promised not to be them when we were in their shoes... you can guess how long that's going to last XD
 
Elder Warner and I have two investigators, Robert Slusher (played by one of our teachers, Brother Parkinson), and Arnold Young (a TRC [Teaching Resource Center]) nonmember, member, less active, or paid actor- we don't know. Our entire zone missed the TRC Orientation, so we had little idea of what to do when we were told to go teach our TRCs. So, after a lot of fervent prayer, Elder Warner and I went to teach Arnold, and wow.... the Spirit worked through us in amazing ways. We didn't even touch our lesson plan, but we talked to him about prayer, the BoM, and his relationship with Christ and Heavenly Father. He said he had talked to ministers of every church from here to all over the world, worked all over the world, but never once had anyone actually asked him to ask God, our Heavenly Father, if what they were teaching was true. That intrigued him. He asked for our conversion stories and was shocked; he had been looking at us as though we were just punk 19 year olds, but he was VERY nice (thank you, Heavenly Father), and after we shared how we had come to know the BoM is true, he had a whole new respect for us. It was just amazing, and I've only told you a tenth of it all.
 
Robert on the other hand has been the source of me and my companion's frustration, but we've been doing it wrong. We crammed the first two lessons of the Restoration and things about the BoM down his throat, and he was as apathetic as could be. So, after several more lessons went by, Elder Warner and I did MUCH more praying, fasting, studying, everything we could think of, and it all boiled down to this; you've got to LOVE your investigators, and not just love them, but LISTEN to them. The entire time we had been teaching him, I had been thinking of what to say next, but when you just listen and THEN respond... the Spirit works through you. Our third lesson with him was SO much better. Elder Warner (who is a bit more pessimistic than I am) thought it could have gone better, but given our previous success, I was overjoyed. Before that we had the amazing success with Arnold... yesterday was just spiritually overloading.
 
Alright, logistics: I need hangers, I am writing everyone I can think of when I have time (and I never have time), and that's all I can think of. Scripture markers too, at least seven different colors please. Not to sound rushed but I have three more minutes on this computer.
 
To finish off, I love you all, I miss you guys, I wish I had more time to tell you everything that has happened thus far (I'll send a journal back when I'm finished with it, and you can read it or something), and I am doing GREAT. Do NOT fret over me, this place is awesome and I am going to miss it when I leave, but really, I am doing SO well here... don't fret at all, I am VERY happy here!!!!
 
-Elder Schomburg
Elder Jeffrey Scott Schomburg
March 27, 2012

1 comment:

  1. For those who are curious, XD is translated as a BIG, squinty-eyed, smiley face. I'm glad to see so many of them included!

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