Hey all!
Hope you're all doing well! Figured I'd run through my P-day just for kicks, so here's what happened today:
After waking up, getting ready for the day, studying for a bit, and calling my family during their ski trip with my cousins (
) Elder Keller and I headed to Walmart. This week we bartered for supplies and rations the old fashioned way as we're totally broke in terms of meal funds. Just kidding, I've got personal savings. Shoutout to Aunt Jen for paying for my groceries today.
) Elder Keller and I headed to Walmart. This week we bartered for supplies and rations the old fashioned way as we're totally broke in terms of meal funds. Just kidding, I've got personal savings. Shoutout to Aunt Jen for paying for my groceries today. From there, we went on a lil' P-Day exchange with our roommates the Spanish Elders, so while the other Elders could get haircuts, my buddy Elder Ashcraft and I went on a festive rampage for his 20th birthday.
First up was a record shop in downtown Van Buren. Elder Ashcraft combed through the bargain bins and I followed until we hit the 45-minute mark, at which point I sat down on a couch at the front and vibed to some jazz fusion put on by the cashier until Elder Ashcraft finished his quest.
Next came my first-ever trip to Olive Garden, and, well, we ate Olive Garden. That sums up the experience pretty well. We spent most of the rest of the day recuperating on the couches in the church foyer afterwards. I still snuck in some piano practice, though.
Once P-Day ended at 6:00, it was back to business as usual. Our friend Melannie had her baptism interview for her baptism this Saturday (
) and after that we spent some time with the youth playing a scripture mastery game called Book of Mormon Baseball. Rounding out the night was some meetings and another call with la familia de Rigby, and now here we are.
) and after that we spent some time with the youth playing a scripture mastery game called Book of Mormon Baseball. Rounding out the night was some meetings and another call with la familia de Rigby, and now here we are. ~
Other highlights of the week include AP exchanges with Elder Fife (one of my missionary role models,) another lesson with our friend Michelle who watched every single Book of Mormon video in under a week (gotta be at least 8 hours worth of footage,) and a church tour with our friends Davin and John, who are quite possibly the funniest guys I've met on my entire mission. John is a super caring single dad who loves video games and is extremely hyperactive and Davin is the spitting image/personality of Po the Panda. They're unreal. I love them so much.
~
Elder Fife and I talked a lot about spiritual gifts on our exchange, and the one that's particularly been on my mind this week has been the gift of discernment. The ability to observe, discern, and filter is invaluable in finding those whom the Lord has prepared receive His trusted servants and their message of "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16.)
If you want to learn about discernment and spiritual gifts and why you should care a whole lot about them, check out some of these resources as the Spirit guides:
- Doctrine and Covenants Section 46 (esp. 28-33)
- Moroni 10:8-18
- 1 Corinthians 12
"Spiritual Gifts" by Dallin H. Oaks
"Quick to Observe" by David A. Bednar (super cool)
~
Songs of the Week:
- "Shenandoah" by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (missionary-approved)
- "52nd Street" by Toshiki Kadomatsu. Unparalleled grooviness.
Cool book: You Are Special by Max Lucado
~
Stay rad.
Love,
Elder Rigby
