This episode, an Elder gets shuffled, I pray for a mailbox, and our best friend goes AWOL. Buckle up, it's a long ride today.
Quick News:
Real talk, last week was hard. We gave it our all every day and found exactly 0 people. However, Elder Cebellero and I grew a lot closer as a companionship as a result. The Lord saw fit to humble us through this time and once we finally got that in our heads, we were able to become more unified as companions. Plus, He blessed us with three new friends for our efforts this week: Sofia, Eduardo, and Fernando! I'll give an update on how their lessons go next week.
Sorry for the long YouTube link, my phone's weird.
- tragedy strikes: a missionary in our zone went home last night and Elder McKee's being emergency reassigned to the Grove, Oklahoma area :( . I'm losing a homedog all too soon. On the bright side, a new missionary returning to the field is going to be joining us and Elder Atuaia's going to train him this time around, so the boys'll back to full strength soon enough.
- Harrison went completely off the grid out of nowhere. These last few weeks have been awesome with him but then he canceled a lesson with us on Friday saying a ton of stuff came up at work and he had to stay and fix it and we've heard nothing from him since then. From what we've seen through his window it honestly seems like he hasn't been home much, if at all, in the last few days. Tricky stuff.
But so it goes. The adversary's making an extra effort on him as it always does when a friend is preparing for baptism but we won't give up on him that easy.
WEEK IN REVIEW
THURSDAY
Zone Conference (a big meeting with our mission leaders teaching various workshops.) We talked about how to leave home blessings, keeping Jesus Christ as the center of God's Plan of Happiness/Salvation, and a cool proclamation titled The Living Christ.
- 5 hours of sleep = not good.
Mental self-evaluation: Kinda grumpy; discouraged; jealous of the more experienced missionaries around me. But y'know what, I felt the Spirit a lot at Zone Conference today and that was cool.
- prayed over the postal service at a mailbox with a guy named Jacob. He really loved the postal service.
- Atuaia and McKee picked up a Burger King delivery quest from a random person who got someone else's Doordash. Mission failed unfortunately.
FRIDAY
- Exchanges with Elder Klingler, day 2: today was an exercise in navigating my own area without someone else who knew it better. Definitely a day in the growth zone. Elder Klingler's cool though.
- gave my first home blessing ever to Jill and Ken Ehret (the guy who told us to buy land a month or so ago.) They're such a good family. We may have some differences but these people have real charity and that goes a long way.
SATURDAY
- Woke up in a mini faith crisis. I felt a little better now after prayer, scripture study, "Lord I Believe" by Elder Holland, and time. As I went to bed, I looked back on my day happy and satisfied and ready to work more tomorrow. I had some serious angelic help today.
- flashback to Campo Craft. If you know you know.
- Picnic in the park with the Grosses for dinner. Good times.
- Found a fully functioning roomba that Elder McKee had been using as a pillow. Now the apartment has a pet.
SUNDAY
- mailbox Jacob showed up to church to return the Book of Mormon we gave him and then leave because "the the mail came late therefore this church must not be true," among other interesting reasons, and promptly went home. He was an odd enough bird from the start to make me think he was probably being genuine. Kinda surreal.
- Ate some raw tuna like a champ.
- Sofia and Thomas: she's a Chilean Facebook referral taught as a kid who's really interested in the Book of Mormon and he's a fellow Christian who totally Bible-bashed us but in the oh-so-kindest of ways. Keep going, Sofia! Go pray about it, Thomas.
- Elder Ceb gave me a hug today. Huh. That doesn't happen very often. It was pretty nice.
- Accidentally interrupted a Marshallese church service in this random house we knocked on. Whoops.
- met four returned missionaries in one home, all of them now inactive in the church. Dang. You think you'll be invincible once you get home from spreading the Gospel for two years but we're commanded to endure to the end for a reason. Pretty sobering.
MONDAY
- picked up a stick bug. Now I really feel like Newt Scamander.
- Brother McKinney is so cool. He's a firefighter and a (relatively) recently returned missionary from the Fresno mission who's an ace at coming out to tract with us.
- Got the cops called on us for "aggressively trying to open the front door multiple times" and like four police Chevies just kinda spawned into the hood. They said hi, told us we were all good, mentioned it might rain soon, and sent us on our way.
TUESDAY
- finally found someone: Eduardo!
- The B2 Sisters picked up a raccoon. No context really. People just have interesting pets sometimes.
- Dinner with a young couple, the Heltons: she owns almost the same Victrola record player as me, has good taste in jazz and makes fantastic sausage and tortellini soup. He served his mission in Mesa, built a PC, had an old gameboy color, and likes brockhampton and Childish Gambino. I've found my people.
- Second find: Fernando!
- Talked about U.S. Embassy stuff with Elder Powell. He's from an expat family who was born in Finland and lived in Japan, Kuwait, and a few other countries. Sick. Plus, his dad had Elder Powell give me his email and told me to hit him up after my mission for some networking connections. Double sick.
- our carpets got replaced this week so the other Elders decided to use this chance to relocate the entire gym setup to the living room. Our interior design has my inner Animal Crossing fan in crisis.
This week's aspect of charity to focus on: Longsuffering.
- Star Wars nerd fest with Elder McKee. I get so few chances to nerd out with people while on my mission. Boy, that was satisfying.
WEDNESDAY
- Brother Agard: a member walked over, and gave us 20 bucks like 30 seconds after we found out we didn't have any money for food this week.
- Knocked in a trio with Elder Ceb and Elder Atuaia. Blessed two homes tonight baybee
- also got cussed out for the first time but that's less important.
Thought:
1) Moroni 7:45-48 in context.
Here, a prophet speaks on charity to the few faithful Christians left standing. The Nephite civilization is collapsing once and for all and the wicked are actively hunting him down and yet he still teaches to love and forgive as Christ would.
2) A lesson from my dad on expectations:
Excitement: anticipation of a good thing happening.
Fear: anticipation of a bad thing happening.
Enthusiasm: walking with God no matter what's coming.
"Living outside the 'now' is just painful. Don't miss out on being with the Supreme Creator. If you're with God on your birthday, it could be your best birthday ever."
Fair enough. I want to be an enthusiastic missionary because I want to find joy in the present.
Well, that's about it for this week. I'm trying to work hard and stay diligent, although I still need to work on my bedtime. I've gotta plan my pdays better haha.
ΡΠΎΡΠΎΠ³ΡΠ°ΡΠΈΡ:
Love you all!
Elder Rigby
Marvin's doing awesome! Since we've met him last Monday, he's come to three lessons, two scripture studies, church, and a baptismal service out in Joplin. Who says 80-year-olds can't change? Marvin is all about learning and is determined to be reunited with his wife in the next life. His last big hurdle besides a couple of cups of coffee (yup, the rumors are true - we avoid coffee and all other addictive and/or destructive substances in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you're curious about why, feel free to ask me!) is gaining a witness that the Lord truly has restored His kingdom to the earth again preparatory to the Second Coming. 
) had immediately decided to drop coffee for a week when we first taught her the Word of Wisdom, but...uh...it kinda backfired. She's so old now that her system physically can't handle caffeine withdrawals and she was super ill all weekend, so her doctor told her if she doesn't want to actually die she had to keep drinking coffee. One morning and five cups later, she was pretty much back to normal. Guess she gets a doctor's note on this one 
Our friend Richard, the lost recent convert from Idaho who we went to a Chinese buffet with a few weeks ago, has come to church every single week since then! He's become buddies with the two other members we ate lunch with that day and they hang out all the time. He describes their group as "basically those two grumpy old Muppets who make fun of Kermit from the audience." He's a lot nicer than he gives himself credit for, though. 
Goodness gracious, they really are making a Minecraft movie. I'll miss it in theaters, but at least I can buy the Minecraft movie collectible meal at McDonald's. Worth. 
