Monday was awesome. We had a good morning getting some exercise in and then had a good time getting some studies done and calling family. Pretty much the usual preparation day things. The fun part was going to Costco and having a friend help drive us there so we didn't have to bike there. We got our shopping done and then made our way back to the chapel and shot some emails off and then proceeded to get stood up by an investigator. It was all good though because we were prepared and now we will be prepared for the next time we teach that lesson. That was pretty much the day though. Way fun and chill too. I do enjoy a nice, relaxing preparation without the expectation of doing much. It helps truly prepare me for the next week's work.
Tuesday was a very awesome day! We had Zone Conference and it was awesome! President asked me to help translate alongside a Taiwanese elder and boy, did I have a good time doing it! Comparing it to the first time I tried translating 6 transfers ago I can see such a big improvement. I felt super great and kept up with hardly any issue. It all flowed so smoothly and afterward the missionaries I translated for thanked me and said I did a very nice job. So that was a big confidence boost and Zone Conference itself was great too. We talked about the pamphlets and President shouted me out for the pamphlets and providing the letter that our mission is using now to help us learn how to do it. A big thing that was introduced to us was the new mission music standards. Up until now, we hadn't had any specific guidelines but now we do. And to be honest it meant me deleting almost all my music. I did it right then and told President because he knows how hard it was for me. The sacrifice is worth it and I am willing to give up something I love for a mission and a God I love even more. After this amazing conference, we went to a taco shop for language study and it played some interesting tunes. We heard "What Does The Fox Say?" and other great hits. We also had dinner there and it was so tasty. I miss Mexican food a lot so this was a great taste. And for the night I was on exchanges with my District Leader Elder Bell! We had an awesome night and also had some awesome discussions about life and our missions. He is a great man and I love serving alongside him.
Wednesday was another good day. Elder Bell and I had a chill morning and got out the door to do our studies and whatnot. We honestly had a laid back day because we did studies and English Group planning so it was some planning and whatnot. Then we came back to our apartment and did contacting and had dinner then had our English group. It went well and afterward we just went home and also hung out with the District for a second before heading out. So it was a good day and pretty chill too.
Thursday was a good day and we didn't have much going on so we went out to a further part of the area and tried to visit some members that were on our list. That was the big activity of the day and at night we spent some time talking to a member and Elder Ellis and I talking amongst ourselves. We just got to chatting and time got away. It was a good time though. And we also had a fun morning exercise with the other Elders. We met up at a sports stadium nearby and did a running workout and threw a frisbee around for a bit too. The workout was fun, we did two, 1-mile repeats. So not a lot of volume but for where I'm at it was a good workout. The first mile was 5:53 and the second one was 5:57. So pretty consistent and it was a good push for me as well. So overall it was a good day. Just another day laboring in the vineyard.
Friday was pretty fun! We had a busy day teaching a lesson and doing our studies and weekly planning. That took up a lot of the day and at night we had District Dinner, some contacting, and then practiced singing a song for a gig we are going to tomorrow. It should be a good time but I kinda wished we had more time to practice the song. No matter though, it'll all work out. We also helped set up a little for the wedding reception (the previously mentioned gig), and before you knew it curfew hit and we ended the day.
Saturday was pretty interesting. We had that wedding reception and it was pretty good except for the fact that it lasted a lot longer than we anticipated and therefore kind of wrecked our schedule. However, we were able to salvage our language study and do some companionship study as well. Probably the coolest thing that happened in the day was that we had a lesson with our super promising friend and he also went to the wedding reception for a bit too since we were tied up with that. When we shared the commandments with him he was very willing to obey and saw the blessings he could receive as a result. It was so inspiring and as I told him that no matter what he has done in the past he can have a fresh start and follow these commandments and he was so willing to do it. He committed to come to church and he is really coming along nicely. The last fun thing we did was have dinner with four YSA members and that was really fun too. So overall it was a fun day with some good things going on.
Sunday was pretty busy and fun. We had church and our most progressing friend was able to come with us! So that was super great and after church we had foreign member Come Follow Me and a nice lunch! By the time afternoon hit, we did studies until our coordination meeting with the other ward we cover. That was pretty good and after dinner and contacting people we ended the day with a lesson with the sisters where we went to visit one of their recent converts who is a young man. It was fun and biking home was nice because I was able to talk with the Taiwanese sister in our District and after we biked back to town she said she was thankful I spoke Chinese. That hit me hard and it made me think that sometimes the Taiwanese missionaries sometimes just need a friend and someone to talk to. I am so grateful I am able to speak Chinese fluently and be the friend that these missionaries sometimes really need. The sabbath truly is a delight!
Elder Heber Chase Ciminski
謝希伯長老