Season 3: Glacier Park/Lake Wilderness. Episode 2: Caw Caw! Caw! ROAR!!!‏

This is Elder Wagstaff and I (that photo almost looks like we photo-shopped ourselves in it.)

I always fret and fear using all caps in writing for I fear that it will be misinterpreted. In general it looks pretty loud and angry looking. In this context though, its just loud.

 

Consider this: Here is my logic. I am serving in the Lake Wilderness. I am often looking around and exploring this area/ward. I am discovering where people live and what exists in the area. Because I am exploring and discovering places in this area, which is called "Lake Wilderness," you could call me a "Wilderness Explorer!"

Who'duh thunk that I would become a Wilderness Explorer while on my mission? 

 

How  could I define this week or describe it? I am not sure. Today I will do the Monday-Sunday thing.

 

Monday: Elder Wagstaff and I got our shopping game on after we finished our emailing. We really stocked up so that for the rest of the transfer we don't need to buy a whole bunch of things. We did well at that and got the apartment all clean and looking good. It wasn't dirty, but we got some detailing done. I cant remember if I described to you the size of the apartment we are in, but it is massive. I came from probably one of the smallest apartments in the whole mission to probably one of the best. You could probably fit practically 3 of my past apartments in our one apartment. This one is so large. Elder Graham and I would joke around a lot about bringing stuff back to our "great and spacious apartment" (the small one I used to live in) and when I saw him at our mission devotional I told him that "the great and spacious apartment" is where I am living. We even have a balcony to point! :D

Tuesday: Our housing coordinators came over and looked over our apartment. One compliment we got was how well we are stocked up on food. Elder Wagstaff and I were pretty proud about that. :D We also had district meeting which was really nice.

Wednesday: We had dinner with one of the families in the Glacier Park and one of their sons Hudson was super duper crazy energetic. It was super funny with all the energy and craziness he and what he was doing. Also at dinner one of the things we ate was edamames. They are like this bean pod thing. What you are supposed to do is squeeze out the beans, eat those, and throw away the pod (which I didn't know). I saw it, wanted to try it and took a bite out of it just like a normal string bean to find out that it was really hard and couldn't do it well. The family told us that and I being a little embarrassed proceeded to eat them how they are supposed to be eaten for the rest of dinner. It was really funny and I felt good about it because I didn't know how you were supposed to eat it.

Thursday: We had a really awesome lesson teaching a deaf and mute less active member. Her daughter was "translating" what we were saying into sign language. It was super duper cool. A great experience.

Friday: It was a doughnut day, but we still got some good things done. We got to sit down and meet with Glacier Parks Ward Mission Leader and talk about the work in the ward and how to do various things such as dinners and daily contact with him. It was really nice and its awesome to be on the same page.

Saturday: While walking around we heard this weird banging noise. We come to find out that it is a woodpecker pecking a metal sign (like a "one way" sign.) It was pretty funny. We watched as we walked by and as we were walking away we said to each other "Are you good Mr. Woodpecker?"

Sunday: A really awesome day! We met a potential who lives in our same apartment complex who used to be a professional baseball player. We are going back by on Tuesday with a member! :D We also taught a very powerful lesson to a young women who is investigating the church. Her name is Isabel. She is 15 year olds and is friends with one of the members in the ward. She has been taught for a long time and really really wants to get baptized, but is not able to because her parents wont allow her to. This is the first time I got to meet her. It was a very powerful lesson which was good because her mom was present. Elder Wagstaff and I did some serious planning for this lesson and prepared 5 different inspired questions to ask her. We taught the lesson of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and asked those inspired questions afterwards. Those questions really gave her an opportunity to bear powerful testimony about what she believes and knows while her mom was there. Cant cover all the details, but it went well. Her mom didn't allow her to change their stance on baptism, but she is definitely not saying she cant get baptized ever. Just like any concerned parent, she is making sure Isabel takes it slow and knows what she is getting into.

 

Hope that all made sense or at least half of it. It was a really great week like all the other weeks. I definitely know I am here in Maple Valley for a reason and I enjoy the trials and growth it provides so much.

I love you all and hope you continue having great days. The Gospel is really what you can do to be literally the most happy in this life and in the life to come. The things you do and choose today, determine your happiness in the future. So choose carefully.

 

Love y'all.

Elder Sumsion