October 29, 2012

Hello! For some reason it feels like I haven't emailed in a while...? Anyway, things are really good. We have another person on date for baptism! And in the hearing ward that we're working in, we'll have another 2 baptisms soon. The work is exploding now that I'm in a trio. We've been soooo busy! Today, we had two appointments cancel...but they are still interested. We might stop by and see how they're doing anyway. I watched a little bit of the news concerning the storm and all I can say is: I'm so happy to be in Southern California right now. A big storm would be fun here, but I'm really not in the mood for a giant hurricane. It does not feel like Halloween, or Fall, or anything. It's still summer. Well, I guess summer was in the 100's+. But it's hot enough some days that I feel my skin turning red. It does cool off at night though. I have doubled up my covers when I sleep.

I could tell many boringish stories and very few interesting or life changing events that have happened recently. I guess the big thing is that we are actually teaching lessons with people and actually doing missionary work. It feels so much better. We get up on time, we go to bed on time, we are out most of the day talking to people or...driving. Yes, we still drive a lot! But we are doing productive work so it's all worth it. I'm just plain excited to continue with this new perspective on missionary work. Sure, I've had a lot of disappointing times, but the good experiences outweigh the bad.

I don't know what we'll be doing for Halloween as missionaries. I think we are supposed to be inside. I thought we would be going to some trunk 'n treat thing with the hearing ward, but I guess we're not allowed to do that...? I want to go trick or treating like I have every other year of my life. My idea of a costume, is to switch name tags with my companions. That'll get 'em. Tonight, we are having stuffed pork chops for dinner. How does THAT sound? Sounds really good to me. I've never had anything like that. The sign language is pretty good. I consider myself 80% fluent now. I understand that much, and my guess is people understand about that much from what I say.

Yesterday, I confirmed a recently baptized girl into the church and gave her the gift of the Holy Ghost. I didn't feel the same Spirit I felt when giving the sick woman a blessing. My thoughts are: maybe it's the sign language that detracts my focus. I'm too worried I'll mess up with the language so I hinder the Spirit in a way. Being in a trio has been a blessing. The MTC trio I was in, was bad because of a certain companion with certain problems that were hard to cope with. This is really just another boring email isn't it? Ugh. Why can't I come up with something better!? Um...I'm thinking...well...i got nothin. I can't help but thinking that I'm forgetting something. Not necessarily important, but something that I just wanted to say. Anyway, I'll talk to you next week. Thanks for everything.

Elder Peck (CA-RIV)  

Well, I don't know how much time I have to email today either. But I'll try to fit in as much as I can. Okay, so first, I wanted to let you know about an experience I had at the store. We went shopping with some members after teaching a lesson or something. I was left alone trying to figure out how much it would cost to buy a certain number of food items when a man approached me. He said "Hello, you're an Elder?" I said "Yes." He said "How old are you?" I said "19" He said "wow" Then he went on to talk about how the book of mormon can't be the word of God because it "wasn't prophesied in the Bible". I showed him Ezekiel 37 where it talks about the two sticks. (Bible and Book of Mormon) He said that anyone could make that up.

He talked about Joseph Smith and how he was deceived. He quoted the Bible for a long time and I just sat there. I was waiting for the right moment to talk, but he kept interrupting and I was beginning to notice that he was not there to learn from me, he was only talking to me because he wanted to prove me wrong. When I finally got the chance to talk, the only thing I said as I looked directly in his eyes was: "The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and there is nothing you can do or say to persuade me to believe otherwise" He bowed his head and I thought I had him beat. Then he explained: "I care about you, I really do. And it hurts to see you missing the truth" Then he asked if he could pray with me. I respect his relationship with God even though it's fake, so I said yes. He took my hand as though he were shaking it but he just held it. Then he started "singing praises" and he kept repeating the phrase "in the name of Jesus" It felt very wrong and very uncomfortable.

I tried listening to his words but it sounded like he was cursing more than praying. He even teared up at one point after telling me that in a few years, I will come to the truth. He told me to not listen to my parents. And many other things did he say unto me which I cannot write at this time. The result of this abuse was profound. On the drive home, and when we arrived home, I couldn't help thinking all these negative thoughts and feeling very angry. This extreme anger carried on into the night and kept me up. I slept maybe 2 hours that night. In the morning, I went to district meeting and told my Zone Leader that I am going to need some kind of therapy because my anger from this experience is too strong and I can't be a good missionary if I'm angry. He just told me to not worry about it and that that guy was not important. I didn't feel much better but I tried to forget about it. Anyway, this part doesn't have a happy ending. It just shows that there are some people out there that would rather burn with Satan, and we have to be okay with that. :(

About a month later, we were visiting some members at night. I had never met these people, and they weren't Deaf or anything...they spoke Spanish mainly, but I guess Elder Mercy wanted to go see them before he left. So after a little chat, we asked if there was anything we could do for them. The daughter mentioned that her mom was really sick and hasn't had a priesthood blessing. I had given blessings before, but they were in Sign Language. This one, would be my first blessing in my native language. I put my hands on her head. I said her name. I proceeded with the blessing. You know very well that I am not an outgoing, or straight forward person. I am shy, and I will find my way around the point if I can. But during this blessing, I spoke boldly, and commanded this woman to be healed. I told her "use your faith and heal yourself". I almost felt like that would offend her. But maybe that's just what she needed.

I know she didn't understand the English, but I know she understood the Spirit. She was thankful for it and we went on our way. I haven't heard from this family, but I'm the one who felt blessed. I had never felt the Spirit so strongly. It was amazing. My bosom filled with a warmth and an energy I never knew before. I always thought I was feeling the Spirit in church and maybe at the MTC. But now I have a firm understanding as to what the Spirit can feel like if you make yourself worthy for it, and you seek out the blessing of the Spirit by serving others, and doing as our Savior would do. I can't compare myself to Jesus, but I felt very powerful while giving this blessing. On the way home, my testimony built as a thought came to my mind "God is real. This is real. The Priesthood is real." We got home and I slept very well.

So, about my new companions, Elder Erickson is from Idaho. He's been out 17 months. He likes to play rough and acts a little young for his age if you ask me. Elder Henrie is completely deaf in one ear. in the other, he has a hearing aid and can hear almost perfectly. We have been really busy with driving around going to appointments. Elder Mercy and I rarely had appointments. If we did, it was not made known unto me. Now, we plan together, we study together, we practice teaching together, we work together, and we preach together. I have heard stories where a missionary will not appreciate his trainer until he gets a new companion. Only then do they realize that they had a good trainer. Well, I'm not going to expound because I fear I will be a little harsh, but I am an exception to this common circumstance.

For my birthday, we went to Taco Bell for lunch. That's it.

Elder Peck (CA-RIV)  

O.........K! so, I have more things to tell you than I have time to tell you. So I'm going to start with one, and hopefully I'll have time in the future to write the others. I don't have a lot of time to email and yesterday didn't work.

First, I want to explain my current situation and how it came about. So, right now I'm in the library with Elder Ramos and Elder Parry. Elder Parry is my new district leader. This morning, they picked me up from my old district leader's apartment. I spent the night with him and his companion last night because Elder Mercy was spending the night at the mission home. Yesterday, Mercy was supposed to be at the mission home at 4pm and we had all day to prepare for it. In the morning, we went and played basketball. Then we went to lunch around noon. We got home around 1 maybe, and he started doing some packing. He was up all night the night before packing, which kept me up too.

Anyway, we needed a ride to drop me off with the other elders and to take Mercy to the mission home. So a member came and we waited for Mercy to finish packing. It was about 4:15 when he finally came out with his bags and stuff. They dropped me off, I looked through the window at Elder Mercy and signed "I love you" and his last words to me were "If there are any problems let me know, we'll be in touch" Then they drove off.

Then I spent the rest of the day with the other elders and it went well. I WILL BE IN A TRIPANIONSHIP. 3 of us. Elder Henrie, me, and Elder Erickson. Erickson is an English missionary who doesn't know any sign language. We will be doing more English work than ASL.  At least for this transfer. (6 weeks) I have a meeting today at 2 to learn how to train...and I expect Elder Erickson will be there by that time. I still haven't met him. It's almost noon. He was supposed to be here yesterday and it would have saved a lot of confusion and craziness.

Anyway, at 4 today, we will meet with Elder Henrie and go to the mission home for dinner and testimony meeting and all that good stuff. Then we can finally get home and figure out what to do with all Elder Mercy's stuff. The house is full of it. ? He did say that he's coming back to visit and he'll get some things to take home at that time, but for now, he's just going to leave it where it is. I, personally, will put everything in boxes, and put them somewhere out of the way, out of the goodness of my heart. Oh, I'm such a sweetie I know I know.

Anyway, I'm excited to tell you of my amazing experiences next time I email. Hopefully it will be more predictable than it has been. This email is probably the most boring of them all, but I felt like somebody had to know my situation for yesterday and today. UGH. We have a lot of work to do now. With the English ward and all that. Before, with the ASL, we weren't teaching anyone, we never taught lessons, talked to people, ...it didn't feel like being a missionary...not that I know how it feels...yet. But now, things will change and be better. I will teach, I will baptize, and I will feel like a real missionary!

Anyway, lots of change and lots of big plans for the near future. Next week's email should be the most exciting. To make up for this one. I cut my hair by the way. It's short.

Elder Peck

PS If you send cake stuff, I'll have to bake it at the church, or at some members house, or ask someone with an oven to bake it for me. . . I won't eat it anyway. I never eat anything. I eat dinner and lunch every once in a while....thanks for the thought but I had to be honest. I really don't want anything for my birthday. It's not a milestone or anything important. thank you

As part of Elder Mercy's last two weeks in the mission field, he has been planning trips all around the mission to visit everyone he's ever known here. It's the 9th today and we already have 800 miles on the car. He'll be gone by the time I get yelled at because of it. When it's finally up to me to make the plan for the day, I'll ask for help from my greeny and we'll come up with a good mile saving plan for each month. Anyway, I hope that didn't sound like I was complaining. Ugh.

General Conference was great! I was shocked to hear the age change for missionaries. Especially for the young women! This should more than double the numbers of missionaries serving! It can only mean that we really are getting close to the end of the world. haha ok maybe not. We are not allowed to watch in a members home, so we just sat at church all weekend. Priesthood was really good too. I took careful notes of conference and filled about 8 pages of things that stuck out to me. That's more than I have ever absorbed before. I really liked a lot of the talks. I forgot who and what, but I remember one specific talk that applied to me at this time and gave me comfort. I'll have to review my notes and read the Ensign and let you know who gave the talk.

So yesterday was colombus day so the library was closed. But I guess we are allowed to go the following day if a pointless holiday pushes us back a day. Well, I was just informed that I cannot email anymore, I'll send a story next week I guess???

    

October 1, 2012

It has been hot these last couple days. It's October for crying out loud. In Utah, it could very well be snowing by the end of the month. Here in SoCal, snow is a myth. It's like bigfoot or the lochness monster. But not like skin walkers. Those are real. Anyway, I wish I could have been there for the drive up the canyon. That was always one of my favorite things about this time of year. Going to see the leaves in the trees and breathing air the way it's supposed to be. The air here is horrendous. You'll see in my next set of pictures I send. The water is bad too, I heard it's in the top ten of America's worst drinking water. But enough complaining from me! Goodness!

I was reading my journal and decided I'm really quite a crybaby. I am always ready to be offended or ready to have a negative feeling. But from reading my silly words, I determined this with myself, that I would not come again unto you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? And I wrote this unto you, lest when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you, that my joy is the joy of you. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But now I can continue with positiveness and with the knowledge that the negative things that happen are not immutable. So you can expect better things from me- resulting in a distribution of a mutual happiness. Hopefully.

The baptism was great! It went by too fast. I interpreted everything into ASL for the deaf people that showed up. Which were Elder Mercy, Debora, the Branch President, and the Branch Mission Leader. The confirmation followed directly after the baptism which I thought was uncommon but whatever. The confirmation was done in spanish and someone interpreted for me into english, and I interpreted into ASL, and Elder Mercy copied me from a different location, so that Debora could see through the crowd of Priesthood that surrounded her. A truly unique experience. I wonder how many times throughout history that has ever happened. Not many I would guess. The baptism was not a convert baptism because the girl's father was a member. But the missionaries were the only ones that could teach Debora in her language. Her family has yet to learn the language she must learn in order to succeed in life. She can't learn any spoken language because she can't hear enough to speak. And I'm sure eventually, she'll be able to write but that's a tiresome and slow way to communicate. I didn't take any famous baptism pictures because it wasn't really our baptism...even though Elder Mercy baptized her. But there are a couple pictures of Debora and her family. I'll send the sd card sometime soon. I took some cool ones this time. I hope you enjoy BRIROSSPHOTOG!

Today, during our Pday activity (basketball) I sat on the stage and played the piano. There were many missionaries whom I have not met before, yet they came up to me and talked to me because I plainly had a wonderful gift. It was hard, but humbly, I accepted their compliments with a simple "Thank you" (That "humbly" part was a joke if you didn't catch that) Anyway, I got to play for a good hour or so. I loved it. My hands were very grateful. I wrote a lot in my journal while I was in the MTC about my hands and the piano and how by serving a mission I willingly chose to abandon the piano and desert my hands. But, as the mission goes on, I find enough time once a week to keep my hands...less than rotten. If I had my way, I would be playing 2 or 3 hours between every meal - like I did at home. I really don't like playing the piano in front of people. It makes me look like I'm trying to show off. I really don't care what people think about my skill. All I want, is to play and to feel the piano. It's rather selfish. But, if people want to sit and listen, fine. As long as they don't all come up to me and give me praise.

The high school aged kids around here have no standards. The use of their language is comparable to the stuff that's brown and doesn't smell good at all. Which to me, shows the level of education they are receiving...tsk tsk. Their choice of dress or clothing is offensive to the body. FEW people around here are nice, clean, friendly, and willing to listen. MANY are ignorant to the methods of a happy life. They delight in telling lies and getting away with doing evil. I guess I really shouldn't be saying anything bad about them. They are still children of God, and I should love them. I feel bad for them really.

Well, I don't have any great stories this week...we might be getting a real baptism in the next couple weeks. Maybe. I'll let you know. I am thinking of a favorite treat that you can send for my birthday since getting nothing doesn't seem to be an option.

Let me know about Kirks new companion. I'm excited for someone to understand how it feels. Haha.

Thanks for all you do to support my while I'm away. I look forward to this month with everything going on. Possible baptism, Elder Mercy leaves, Elder Henrie comes, I turn 20, Halloween! I would love to go tracting on Halloween and get some candy at the same time! Trick or Treat the missionaries are here!! What else ...oh yeah General Conference! Enjoy!

Elder Peck (CA-RIV)