June 29, 2010

Alrighty I read all my mail and so now I'm beginning to respond to it all.
I'm so sorry Katie and Jack had that happen to them, that's really, really hard. You would almost wish once the mom decides to go one way or the other that they'd be forced to stay but it is her child. I really hope Katie and Jack are ok. I really have no idea how much that hurts, the closest thing I've seen on my mission like that (and not like that at all) was a mom with her baby we contacted that seemed interested in the Book of Mormon, but last night we visited and her husband was nice but pretty anti-Mormon and she left the room probably because we were on the edge of Bible Bashing. It would really hurt if she couldn't or won't join the church because her husband doesn't believe or want to believe for whatever reason.
On a brighter note, last Wednesday we ran into a 17-year old boy and gave him a Book of Mormon but since it was an exchange Elder Shrubb didn't have him in his list of New Investigators and we didn't make a specific time plan to see him. Yesterday when all our plans fell through we had time to go see him and when I spoke to him he told me that he had read and prayed and had felt something weird and different. He hasn't told his parents and he wasn't sure how to proceed and Elder Shrubb was distracting his brother so we could talk without hindrence, so I did the best I knew to encourage him to talk to his parents about it and I gave him a pass along card with Mormon.org and he said he would definitely call us so I'm really hoping for him. He seemed gentle and sincere enough to really be ready for the gospel and so I really want him to move forward. This was my first real time like this to see the spirit work in someone else's life that I had seen directly from my actions and it was pretty special.

Onto less important things, I realized one or two big things I forgot about CDs and stuff. I REALLY REALLY want the 2009-2010 Men's Chorus Archival CD. I was supposed to get one free at the end of last year but I missed it so like I don't know if you could contact Sister Hall or Nathan Wright and ask them about that or if you can even buy one right now but like I would really love that cause it's obviously mission appropriate and also very close to my heart. On the same lines, either in snail mail or in email I would really like the words to the English Hymn "I heard the voice of Jesus Say" you may remember it as a congregational or audience-including song from one of our concerts to the same tune as If You Could Hie to Kolob. Whatever way you'd like to send it would be nice and appreciated. Now, Christa is a punk and didn't respond to what I sent her last week so I don't know any of her thoughts but along with Come Thou Fount by Sufjan I'd like Christa to select other songs that he has made that are peaceful and spiritually uplifting, and like I said considering my companion has the Last Samurai Soundtrack I think there's a bit of leeway, so long as it isn't distracting. And since we spend lunch and dinner when we don't have Dinner Appointments at our flat listening to music, all extra music would be appreciated. I will say the Kenneth Cope stuff is a bit weird and we haven't listened to it a whole lot. And so yes CDs like How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack and maybe LotR Fellowship, Two Towers, and Return of the King as well as any other soundtracks that would be uplifting and not too reminiscient or distracting ( not sure what an example of this would be, maybe like video game music is off the list). EFY Themes/CDs for 2008,09,10 would also be nice because it's appropriate and upbeat, which makes the line for what's appropriate(like Sufjan Stevens) even grayer. Maybe when I have a President Interview I'll ask him how he feels, but I trust Christa too so if you want to send a package sooner directly to Kidderminster (like 4 weeks left until I MIGHT leave) feel free to include the Sufjan songs Christa approves.

I must confess I did not write anyone last week because I was tired and because I didn't feel like I had a lot to write, especially to family that gets this email anyway but I'll do a few letters today likely. I also have 1 letter from everyone since I've been in the field and even though it's not your fault it is a little bit of a downer, so hopefully Thursday(Zone conference with an area authority, I think the Area President of Europe) I'll get tons of mail that was sent to the mission home.

Lots of love and who knows what more I'll write!
Love
Ryan

Ok the first one has pretty much everything, but I did remember, when it comes to packages I don't know England enough to crave specific foods they don't have here, so unless you make something homemade and really want to share it with me food is not a high priority in packages. Also tell everyone I can't afford to convert $ to £ here easily so send me pounds or virtually add it to my debit card and just inform me.

Trying to think of any last minute things, I love music and we listen to a lot of it and our selection is limited so I would love that sometime roughly soon. Christa said she'll try and send me a tape sometime and that does sound nice so if you want to slip that into a package that could work too, although it is a little early for too many tapes(hers is just about mission life and I think it would help).

I'm trying to love the work and it is getting a little easier and I think it's already beginning to kinda rush by. Technically I've been in the field for like 1 month but only in my area for, well, almost 2 weeks I think, and it feels a little quick already. Maybe it'll REALLY rush by once I settle into everything and it becomes normal, but right now it's not like a dragging painful thing, though it will hit that point briefly every once in awhile. I really want my first baptism because I almost feel like I don't really understand what I'm trying to do out here until I see that, and really develop a love for the people, the work, myself being here, and Jesus Christ who's work it is.

Well that's about it, obviously when you hunt for addresses let them know why you're giving them to me, and at the same time maybe talk to relatives of those I've asked for in the MTC so I can know where they are in the MTC.

I have to say I made a post-mission bucket list which is probably not the best thing, but there are some things that in the bustle of life I've forgotten I really want, or really want to do, so I'd say it's like a better in the good, better, best. Missions without TV and games and everything help you see the world differently like that, and I want to take advantage of "Mission Amnesia" as I call it (Elder Shrubb can remember that there was a song that was one of his favorites, but he can't remember who made it, what it's called, or anything about the tune) I've had a similar experience with a song I liked briefly before the mission, but I still have the entire Blue Album by Weezer logged safely away so it's not afflicting me too much now. But, the real way I'll take advantage of it is so that, as Dad keeps musing, what if you could read The Lord of the Rings again? Well it won't be completely new, but hopefully I can read it and not have Ian McKellin(Spelling?) slated as Gandalf Etc. Cause I saw Fellowship of the Ring before I read any of them.

Well Love, Take Care, BYE!
Ryan