Sent some pictures for no reason. NICE!

First, just thought I'd send you some pictures, just because it's been a while, nothing too exciting just some pictures bajjik (for no reason) I don't think they need any explanation, nothing super exciting going on. This week was pretty good, nothing too exciting, other than the fact that I almost passed out on monday night. I don't know if it was just exhaustion or what, but didn't feel too good and had to take Tuesday off to recover, but now I'm good to go, no worries! I don't know we didn't get a ton of lessons this week, but the people we did study with were really good lessons and I felt like we better identified their needs and taught accordingly so that was good. I also went on another exchange with another Elder who is still relatively new, and just doesn't really have an idea of what's going on. It's crazy to think that, that was me not too long ago. Crazy how much the Lord blesses us and I truly do believe in the gift of tongues if we study and we do our part. I guess to answer your questions now, the person that I heard from this week that surprised me was Sister Draycott, that was nice and unexpected.  Oh and also thank you for the package! Before I forget to say thank-you for that it really was a nice package, I literally just started running out of good spices, so your timing was impeccable! That was good, and scripture from this week, well one lady asked me who Jehovah was and what was the difference between Jehovah and God and things like that, and I knew the answer but didn't exactly know how to answer it with the scriptures. So I went and did some searching and found some good scriptures in John 8:54-58 that perfectly answer that question, that before Abraham was I am. And how the term "I am" means Jehovah, and then also looked up in the bible dictionary the other meanings behind the word Jehovah, and found out that it meant unchanging one, and other things like that, add hebrews 13:8 to that and I think that's a pretty good definition of Jehovah. So I learned a lot about Jehovah this week and have also been continuing to read Jesus The Christ, which is a really good book, full of interesting insights. Just gives you a different perspective on some things and also makes the Gospels come alive for me. There is a lot of huge words and James E. Talmage speaks in a very intellectual manner, but it's still really good, just have to really focus and ponder it, rather than just read. Person I remember meeting the most... I don't know maybe my recent convert Franky, just a solid kid and just from the first visit I could tell that he was really solid and just a happy down to earth kid, which was nice, super friendly and then all of his cousins and whatever just all really funny and love to just talk with all of them.  That was a good first meeting I think, nothing crazy, just good. As for the rest of the questions, I guess a spiritual experience I had was when we were teaching an investigator, he has all these problems that he has to deal with, he has to live the word of wisdom, get his probation revoked and just all this stuff, and I'm not sure if he believes that he can do it, but a marshallese proverb and I guess also a verse popped into my head when he was speaking "an pilinlin koba, e komman lometo" which is like from tiny droplets it will make an ocean. It was kind of like by small and simple things great things can be accomplished, so it made me realize how simple this gospel is. If we do the small and simple things everyday, the big things will begin to take care of themselves. We will begin to see changes within ourselves and all of life's problems will seem not as significant, because we have more of that eternal perspective. We explained to him that through prayer, if he just prays daily, everything else will be able to fall into place and that he will be able to overcome all those things that causing him to not be worthy to be baptized. I thought that was a cool experience, but nope nothing super funny from this week, hard to explain some of the things that are funny, just because in English it doesn't really make sense. And no new foods really, although bwiiro is still delicious, love me some bwiiro, but yeah I think that's about all for the week, hope that your week was equally fantastic, and try not to have too much fun in Cancun!

Lots of lovin'

From Elder Jordan Michelson

 Jordan just chillin' in the sand.

Elder GQ anyone??

He's still Jordan!!!

Had some cool experiences this week

Oct 6, 2013

Something completely random, but husking coconuts is ridiculously hard!! Way harder than you would think, the first time doing it, it takes you like forever to get one, but once you get into a rhythm it's not that bad, just feel like a total white boy doing it! Just I guess another random experience from the week!

This week has been pretty good.  I don't really eat a lot of fruits and vegetables due to the prices.  That sounds like you had a pretty solid week, busy as always but good nonetheless!  We had a slower week but also had some cool experiences, so on Saturday we had our investigators get interviewed for baptism and they both passed, so this upcoming week we have 2 people getting baptized! I love teaching them and it's gonna be hard to not see them as much, just because it is honestly so fun every time we go over there! So that was good definitely a highlight of the week, and then on Sunday we planned a ward missionary night, to help strengthen the ward and help them all fulfill their callings. My companion and I were assigned to talk about Home teaching and the benefits that come from it, it went well, but it is tough when you have to teach the class 4 times and also speaking in another language in front of a group of people. I feel like it went really well and hopefully it will help the ward grow stronger. The goal from the area presidency in the end of 2 years is to have 2 stakes on Majuro and so in order to do that, they have to split the current ward so that's kind of our focus right now, to help strengthen the ward and bring back Priesthood holder's so that missionary fireside was a way to help achieve that. I feel like they have a greater understanding now, and hopefully will be able to fulfill their callings better. So in terms of teaching a lot of lessons this week, it wasn't that great but I feel like we did a lot of good this week and that we are doing more than just teaching lessons, we need to work more efficiently with the ward and that will help monumentally! That was our week, also my companion got some tough news from home, and so he wasn't in the best mood, it's hard to strengthen him and know what to say so I just gave him his space and let him come to me when he wanted to.  I guess it kind of made me realize that's how our saviour does it as well. I'm definitely no where close to the level of the Saviour but I guess it gave me a new perspective of how he sees us hurting, he knows we're struggling and he's willing to help, but he won't force us. He will wait for us to come to him, and he can do all he can to make the trials in this life easier. That's been my week! To answer your questions now though, the food is good nothing too new or exciting but it's good. I am trying to see what else I can do with what I have... I'm glad I have a creative mind when it comes to food, otherwise life would be boring. At least in this area pretty much all the expenses go towards food which is nice, don't have to pay for laundry or taxis where as in other area's you do. So I like this area quite a bit, with the washing machine in the house, a propane stove so when the power goes out you can still cook, it's just a really good set up. If you just don't be stupid and eat out all the time you can make it to the end of the month. I'm glad I know how to budget so I can eat well and not have to worry about running out of money, that's definitely nice. Nothing super funny this week, and I guess in terms of spiritual I guess I just have been realizing how much I've been growing, I tried reading Jesus the Christ at the beginning of my mission and really wasn't getting a whole lot from it, due to the complex language and I think my lack of diligence in trying to read it. I recently picked it up again and it's amazing the power that is in that book, James E. Talmage is just ridiculous and I couldn't imagine the relationship that man had with the Saviour, just incredible. That book has definitely been opening my eyes lately and giving me new things all the time. In terms of companionship study, it's just amazing what can happen when 2 people want to do it, and have both studied for the investigators, how the spirit can lead us and direct us. Role plays are hard to do for sure, but they definitely help a lot and prepare us for the lessons we teach during the day. I think that's about all for the week, it was a pretty good week, and hope you guys have an awesome week this week! It's crazy how fast the time is going!

lot's of lovin' 

From Your Son Elder Jordan Michelson

Companionships are put together for a Reason

Oct. 13, 2013

Thanks for the email, this week has been fairly interesting, just trying to work with some of these investigators is kind of difficult.  This work definitely requires a lot of patience and has to be led by the spirit. I think it's interesting how we are put in companionships, because there are certain things that I wouldn't say that my companion does. His way of working is different than mine, that the spirit is able to work through him differently then it does through me. For example this past week we had an investigator who started drinking again, which was hard, but I feel like we dealt with it appropriately where the things that we both said worked well with each other. They complimented each other, sometimes before I would think that maybe he shouldn't be saying those things, it will hurt people's feelings or whatever but sometimes people need that push. I'm glad to work with a companion who has different strengths. There are certain things that I do better than him, but he also has things that he can relate to investigators better. I think it works well together, just something interesting I've noticed from this past week. I mostly study for my investigators and that really helps identify people's needs, role plays are an interesting thing, where if we do them with the spirit they can help us identify certain problems that we couldn't on our own through just studying. I've also been reading from Jesus the Christ again, and it is really a powerful book. It gives more detail and insight into the life of Christ and truly how perfect he was.  I find it amazing just reading about all the miracles and how he dealt with adversity and problems. The best discussions I've had lately are probably with this lady Katline, she really has a desire to learn, and the discussions go well. She asks good questions and has a desire to come closer to Heavenly Father. One thing that is difficult though is to get people to ask questions, they will usually just say that they understand and say they will do everything we commit them to do, and then when we follow up, there is a clear lack of understanding. I've been trying to ask more questions lately in order to test people's knowledge and it seems to be going better. I think that's about all for the week, thanks.  Sorry I won't be there to clean up all the leftovers but I'm sure it'll be fine. Have a great week and take care

Love,

Elder Jordan Michelson