Here it is! The culminating event! The day we get to take off jackets! Now that General Conference is over the jackets come off, and humidity combines with heat! Although, the weather out here has been shifty. At one point it seemed liked spring was right around the corner, but winter had second thoughts. It's finally coming out of the snowy slump we had at the beginning of the week, and now I can go out side without a sweater underneath. It's funny, yesterday was such a beautiful day, and carried over to this morning. We received warning from an English member that a storm was coming in. I woke up to find everything nice and dry, but as companion study progressed so did the rain! It was coming down even harder than STG rain I've ever seen,but it multiplied... I think I might drown....
You've asked where I do my laundry, well we actually have a washer and dryer in our apartment! Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I've found that resolve stain stick has been my saving grace to my clothes so far. Without it, well... A few things wouldn't be quite so white...
Now that picture that dad sent me with the Dixie State Herald Trumpets. I am not in that picture. I see people I know though, but I'm not one of them.
It's fun to hear about T and his solo driving efforts I remember my first time going to school alone. My knuckles were white, and my eyes wide! I was scared that first time around all on my own, but I learned really quick if you just look out for everyone else you will be fine. It's the moments I wasn't that got me.
This week was rather bittersweet. Appointments fell through, even when we'd confirmed the appointment and lined up members to come with us. In fact we got a few of the college students that live up in the Hilliard area to come to see Luz, our 16 year old investigator. (we were in the south part of Columbus) Despite our efforts and a few phone calls, there we were on Kingsford street with members, and a bucket of apologies.
We also had a member lesson with Rolan y Aracelli set up with the Parkus. ((Chilean family) BTW the rice and fish is hot, and tomatoes and lettuce are chilled) They canceled on us, and we haven't been able to make contact with them. Aracelli sent us a text, to tell us she wouldn't make it, and since then nothing. We've even head over to hers and Rolan's apartment 3 times. Nothing.... So the word of the day, perseverance!
On a brighter note we did get Jose' to the Saturday afternoon session of Conference! He seemed to enjoy it. It was in Spanish I didn't get a thing. I could probably list off all the words that I got, and still have plenty of time to finish the email! It's also funny because Jose' brought his cousin Braulio. Now every normal family has a drunk, or an equivalent. This is Braulio. Elder Klein & I are pretty sure that he showed up drunk. Now he wasn't out of line, but he was quoting scriptures as if he were Paul himself! So I was pretty disgruntled that the drunk came away from that session of conference with more than I did...
Needless to say, conference was amazing! It seemed like we were getting rebuked from all angles this time around, and those that usually are passive speakers pounded the pulpit to splinters! I was buckling up for Elder Holland, to find out I was getting a bear hug. This is not the Elder Holland I heard in February! Needless to say it was amazing to hear from those called by God to spread his word.
The one that reached out and grabbed me was Elder Bednar's talk on personal revelation. Lately that has been my theme in scripture study. I can study any topic, but eventually I wind up in personal revelation. I think I was supposed to be getting a message... I had an eye-opening-chuckle when he talked about how you can receive revelation for yourself. He goes on to list these marvellous manifestations as to how we can receive revelation, and at the end of the list, was thoughts. I find it interesting that he put it in that order. In addition he only mentioned that divine communion was less-common. I'm not going to take the Martin Harris approach & beg for a witness, but rather take the study I have done, and with inspiration, find the mysteries of the kingdom. (D&C 63:23 (I know it's in D&C 63)
So there isn't a day that goes by that I don't see a police car. Law enforcement, and emergency vehicles are constantly on the run here. It's funny because last week I saw two ambulances cross each other! Neither of them really heading towards the hospital. There is a Brain Regan joke about Log trucks. Well there is now one about ambulances! A simple phone call would have sorted all of this out!
Now the best event of them all! Elder Klein & I were on our way to a dinner appointment, and we saw mom with her two children walking along the sidewalk. While driving by we took a glance, and their skin made us think that they might be Hispanic. So, we pulled the car over, and went to talk to them. Obviously two guys in a suit getting out of a car to talk to you is pretty odd, and the mom was a bit weirded out. She tried to ward us off with "I don't know English", seeing through her ploy we deployed our Spanish. Little did we know that she didn't know Spanish either! You might be guess Portuguese, Italian, French. None of the above. Try Arabic! This family is from Iraq, and have been here in the states for about a year. Her daughters speak wonderful English. You'd think that they'd been born here! Our message was simple families can be together forever. As we relayed our message to her daughter, her eyes lit up! She was excited to here that she could be with her mom forever! She talked to her mom in Arabic (if that is their language....) and her eyes lit up the same way, and in her best Englished asked us if that's what her daughter had told her. We replied the affirmative, and left her with a Together Forever video. That light in their eyes, to hear such a joyous message, lasted in me. Even though appointments may fall through, I can remember that, and know there is a purpose to be here. I hope the best for the missionaries we handed them off two. (We figured English missionaries would be better since the daughters speak English (Spanish Elders don't teach in English very well...))
It has it's ups, and downs, but I know I wouldn't be growing anywhere else! I will send a card home soon. There are only a few pictures, forgive me, but there isn't a large amount of time in the field to take pictures! Until next week. I love you all! Para Siempre.
Love,
Elder A. Ipson
The Great Ohio Columbus Mission
