My Personal Coop of Crippled Roosters

Good Morning!

Sunday is indeed a very good day spiritually. I learned a lot from the different workshops and meetings we had, as well as had the opportunity to sing in the choir. The real performance was Tuesday, but the choir director himself tells some amazing stories. Seriously, they're awesome. I'd put them here, but I could never do them justice. However, the overall lesson learned is that the gospel is remarkably simple in nature. God isn't here to over-complicate our lives. He's here to help us through it step by step.

As many of you know, we are in allergy season across the nation. I did bring allergy pills with me, but they're located inside a drawer I actually have to open . . . so after missing maybe two days I was stuffy and congested and have been for most of this week. I finally relented and purchased Mucinex from the MTC store, so that has been in effect since about Wednesday. Looks like I won't have another attack of bronchitis! And a side bonus is my voice has been incredibly deep and manly since P-day last week . . . with the side effect of needing to blow my nose every twenty minutes.

So, I changed my phone password earlier this week, from something that's not a standard password I use across devices. I'm also stubborn and won't (or maybe can't, I haven't even checked) use any face or fingerprint recognition. So I mess up my password twice or so every time I try to open my phone. It's a learning curve, currently a very shallow one at that. My suggestion? Don't be stubborn. Hasn't clicked in my head yet. It doesn't help that I kind of like my new password.

In the beginning of the week during class one of the goals was to visit one of the murals in our building and study the verse and picture associated. I ended up with the mural on Martha, when she asked Jesus why Mary couldn't help her in the kitchen. It took a bit, but I did settle on a point of faith. We should have faith that our worldly efforts will be strengthened, but also realize when sometimes a spiritual moment is more important. (See Luke 10:38-42)

On Wednesday we were blessed to help the new arrival missionaries, something I needed help with last Wednesday. So with my week-long experience, I showed 6.5 (two of us helped the last one, so I can only claim half of him) missionaries to their dorms. It worked really well, I actually got a huge workout running back and forth. Most people walked, but I wanted to see how many missionaries I could help. I think I helped the most, but who knows. I have talked with some Elders heading to (or who lived in) St. George, Utah. Everyone says it's a beautiful place, but a hard mission, and hot. But I'm from Texas, I'm up for the challenge, and it should be a very beautiful view wherever I'm sent, which is just next week!

You read that right, next Wednesday at 4:30 in the morning I'll head to the airport and land in St. George at 11 o'clock! I'm excited and prepared for this challenge. All my teachers have offered wonderful words of advice, both are amazing; I love their kindness and the knowledge they've shared with me. Elder Collier (my current companion) will be on the same flight as me, but he won't be my trainer in the field, because we need someone with experience in the area. I won't know who is training me until I get there. It'll be a fun ride, and this time I won't be concerned if the plane's wings will rip off or something. Positive thoughts, here.

On Wednesday it still felt like Monday, and I didn't think it was Tuesday until Friday morning. If that makes any sense, then just know that I've accomplished a ton, and am in no way done with this email. I'm just saying this because the week has felt long, yet still like there's no time left. Every time we barely have enough room in our schedule to do what we want, yet everything is finished in time, miraculously, and all the schedules are met.

Well, most schedules. Yesterday I attended this workshop, 'Planning Intentionally'. I was on time, don't jump to conclusions. But my entire district was there, along with other missionaries who signed up for this workshop, yet no teacher was there. We thought maybe it was some object lesson, but nope. The teacher didn't show up for the entire 45 minutes. The power points were up and everything, the doors open, the lights on. But no teacher. So, after getting each other's signatures, my district took the time to plan for our teaching lessons in class later that day. We did plan, but we didn't learn about planning. Success? I'm counting it as one.

While I was struggling with congestion, my companion was required to get a glaucoma test because his doctor back home had said he should. After a couple days of organizing details, we got the test and it turns out he's fine. Some nerves were different than the original doctor had expected, so the end result was that Elder Collier now has one of the lightest glasses prescriptions possible. He'll get that fulfilled in-field, so I'm just glad he's not about to go blind or suffer from some eye disease. Driving around town did show how beautiful the mountains are from different perspectives, though I didn't get any photos (of the mountains, wait till you see Elder Collier's cool sunglasses after getting his pupils dilated).

Yesterday, we played a game as a district that I'm affectionately terming 'goldfishing'. Essentially, someone on top of a roof tosses goldfish off and your job is to catch them in your mouth. Yep, I participated. It surprised me too, but I caught one on my second try! Then the Sisters in our district all caught one as well (though not everyone at the rooftop height). It was quite the adventure, and another wonderful way to spend time together before my entire district ditches Elder Collier and I Monday morning. Their flights are earlier in the week, so my companion and I will be living just by ourselves for about two days.

What, is your name? - Elder Williams

What, is your quest? - To return a random letter to an Elder who served ten years ago.

Why? - Because we could.

Elder Wright thought we had a mouse problem because of a marshmallow that was suspiciously consumed. So he removed the bottom drawer in his desk (the one the marshmallows were kept in) and searched for a mouse hole, because he's a self-proclaimed professional mouser. I believe him, but the result is we found a church program someone had written a letter on, (likely during church) and somehow passed on to the missionary it was addressed to. Well, the missionary in question must have lost it in the back of the drawer, but the thing was dated 2011 or something. Surprisingly enough, Elder Palmer looked him up on Facebook, found a match, and sent a photo asking him about it. The guy responded, which was already pretty cool, but then he actually recognized the note! He said our quest was fulfilled, though I don't know where the letter is now. It's probably still in our room. Regardless, the whole thing was an awesome experience. Imagine receiving a letter of your own that you'd written or received like ten years ago. Pretty awesome, right? Or cringy, depending on what you think.

If you're wondering about the title, that's what we've termed ourselves as a district on our district chat, all based on this one movie quote Elder Wright remembered:

"Psy-bug will tear that place apart faster than a chicken hawk in a coop of crippled roosters."

Well, we all loved the example, so someone titled our chat that, and now it's pretty much what we are. We're just a coop of roosters (and hens, for the Sisters) eager to leave our roost and get out in the real world again! We're all ready, mostly, to jump into this adventure with both feet and just keep swimming. Not everyone may feel like this yet, but the general consensus from every missionary I've talked to is to 'give it two weeks. We'll feel better then.'

This week has been awesome, and way too short. It's sad to see our teachers for the last time and will be sad when I say goodbye to everyone Sunday or Monday. But I'm ready to take this jump and be the best rooster (or missionary) I can be. We did choose a district scripture, based on our district organization number 21-H.

Hebrews 13:21 - Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus Christ is the reason we're heading out, to serve as missionaries and bring people closer to God, our loving Heavenly Father. I didn't choose a mission for myself, and that's definitely not why I'm still feeling energized to finally go serve. I'm ready to serve because I know God loves me, and through Jesus Christ all mankind may be saved. I'll never forget my district, or my teachers, for all the help they've given me.

Finally, to close with a quote from Elder Collier, possibly the funniest man alive:

"Maybe he coughed in your face to assert dominance."

See you in nine days!

- Elder Williams

Pictures:

1. The mural of Martha.

2. One last one of the mountains (no other beautiful sunsets like that first one though).

3. Elder Collier fell asleep.

4. A snake Elder Wright drew.

5. Elder Collier in his powerful pose getting his glaucoma test.

6. Elder Collier after dilating his eyes.

7. Last photo with Sister Judd!