Monday, January 5, 2015

The Year of the Mission: Accomplished (01/05/2015)

I always referred to the year 2014 as "the year of the mission" because I would literally spend the whole year preaching the gospel, and that's what happened! 2014 was just an incredible year to sum it up. There was the final weeks in Sulphur, getting to serve in the metro in Mustang in the southwest Oklahoma City area. Then moving from Mustang in the middle of the humid summer to Altus right into the desert. Trainings, temple trips, zone conferences, transfers, and all kinds of missionary memories.

It's sad to think that with 2015 here the end is in sight more than ever. We have transfers this week. Elder Fuller's going up to the city in Edmond. I'm getting an Elder Tanner. He will possibly be my last companion. From the moment I left Altus, I was convinced that Ada would be my final area and would seal my fate for the rest of my mission.

So without trying to think about the remaining weeks of the mission, allow me now to report on the events of the week with the mindset of many more weeks to come! Our usual Monday and Wednesday FHEs were great. At the Buckmasters we played Evolution, and on New Year's Day (since we couldn't really proselyte) we played Small World. Both really fun games. By the way, I should make everyone aware that we always make sure to teach a lesson and share a scripture before we play any board games with the Buckmasters! Just so there's no confusion there...

Tuesday was pretty interesting. Another random fact about Ada: it's a train station hub. LOTS of trains go in and out of Ada. In fact, there's a four-way stop in Ada on Mississippi and Arlington called "crazy corner," and there's a train track that run right in the middle of it! So there are at least one or two accidents a day that happen there, and it's the most accident-prone intersection in the entire state of Oklahoma. We've almost gotten in a couple of those since I've been here! Anyway, that day we were walking and trying a less active near the train tracks, and the crossing guards kept going up and down! And cars would weave in and out of the crossing guard arms! It was quite the sight.

Our 12-year old investigator, Zavior Willis, is doing well. He's progressing quickly and learning a lot and asking a lot of good questions. He has a baptismal date for the 31st of January. We also picked up a family of three this past week. They had some very intellectual questions about doctrine coming from the Bible. It was a very interesting visit. It certainly kept me on my toes. Luckily we had the bishop there with us, so he had the opportunity to testify of the importance of a modern-day prophet and about receiving revelation.

I left 2014 exhausted, and woke up in 2015 feeling sick! But fortunately we had enough appointments and plans to keep my mind occupied on other things besides my sickness. Friday was scary. President came to our district meeting, and I gave part of the training! I haven't done a training since Altus, but I hardly felt rusty. With President there I could feel the pressure, but I just made sure not to look at him :) Nahhh it was all good.

On Saturday we had plans to go to a sealing for the Schuette family (pronounced "Shooty"), but it postponed due to family adoption complications. We ended up doing service for Bro. Ryan down in Coalgate. We shoveled gravel onto his driveway. It's a loooonnnnggg driveway. Later on we got to watch one of the sisters' investigators get baptized. Really neat stuff. Then Sunday night was our transfer news! The new year's starting off well (besides feeling sick, of course)! I hope y'all had a fantastic New Year's Day!


Elder Garner

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