April 5, 2013

April 5, 2013

Hey family,

Thanks so much for helping me out with all my college stuff. Basically that's my entire future in your hands, so it means a lot. That's cool that Tim is helping you. You'll have to tell him thanks for me and hello! And as for me sleeping in the hammock, that would be a large part of the reason, for bugs and other things. I definitely am not look for an experience like the centipede one again. Never again.

I am actually looking forward to playing Just Dance again with all of you. I'll always remember when UD, Ty, and all of them were dancing together. So funny. Hopefully you have that video somewhere because that is totally priceless. 

I'm also looking forward to conference. We actually just have one investigator right now. His name is Ari. We got him to come to church with us two weeks ago and he totally shows up in a suit and tie. He's 19 and I think he's progressing well. He's praying, he's reading the scriptures, and he's learning a lot more about what God wants for him and what he needs to do to be able to be happy forever. He likes to be really sure about things before he makes decisions, so he says he's still not ready to be baptized, but he says that this week he's preparing questions to look for answers in General Conference when the prophet and apostles speak. I know he'll get answers because I do the same thing every time and it seriously is the coolest. That'd be something really good for you to do too, Austen. I never wrote down personal questions and then looked for answers in what the profet and apostles said until the MTC, and I've gotten answers every time. I should have started way earlier! You too, Savy! Just if you feel like it would totally seduce you.

This week in the offices (and the weeks go by super fast for me here, by the way) we did some shopping with Sister Swapp for new houses we're opening, for all the missionaries because these next three weeks there are zone conferences so I've been getting all of the supplies ready and sending them off with the Swapp's from toilet brushes to Finding Faith in Christ DVD's, pamphlets, blankets, fans, dishes, literally anything they need. I feel like I'm in the warehouse with Mark again, but just with church stuff instead of java. Every week I go to this place and pay electricity bills for all the missionaires and we helped the senior missionaries that used to be here in the offices with us pack all their stuff up and load it into their truck. They left on Wednesday. We rearranged the furniture in the office. I called a whole bunch of areas to try and figure out where we can put two sets of missionaries where there are only one right now, made a list, and gave it to the assistants and to President so they can see where they will be sending the tons of new missionaries we'll be getting. I also set up all the stuff for conferences and just basically whatever job is not really assigned to anyone becomes my job. We made emergency maps on how to get to the offices from all the missionaries houses if they need to be called here in an emergency. I was actually telling Sister Swapp that President has his assistants and Elder Avery (the financial secretary) and I are totally her assistants because we just go with her and do stuff for her all the time. It really is cool and I like it because I feel like the things I'm doing matter. Like, if we didn't do our jobs, none of the missionaries would have light in their houses or they'd have no materials to share with the people and stuff like that. It's satisfying. So I'm happy. It's tiring sometimes because we usually are here working pretty late (usually until about 11pm durning the week and on Sundays, that can go until about 3 or 4am) but I really do like it all in all.

I'm happy to be here and just trying to help whoever I can. I'm glad that I have such good support from you guys at home and from my friends. Even though there are like three that write me (which was inevitable) it's totally cool. I'm pretty sure I couldn't be much happier. Sister Swapp sent me an email this week that meant a lot to me, too. It just said ¨I am glad you like it here because I have never been happier with the elders in the office than I have been in the last few week.  I appreciate all you do and the smile only adds to the happiness.¨

Thanks for everything. 

Much love,

Jordan