We Knock Twice

 Malo soifua!!!

This week was pretty good, and we got a lot of good stuff done. We got a couple more referrals, found some new people, dropped one or two, and had an all around missionary-like time. The subject line actually comes from the fact that we in my companionship and as missionaries always knock or call twice. We always try again, after the first time, and it has occasionally brought blessings. Sometimes we really don't want to keep calling people twice just to go to voicemail, but like we say every time, "we knock twice."

This week I led out in a bunch of the lessons and contacts, so that I could get some experience the hard way, ya know? A couple of the lessons went pretty well, and a on couple, I needed my trainers to jump in to adjust course. I've done a lot of learning, asking questions, and reviewing this week, and I've had to do a bit of self-humbling. I am good at talking to people, but I've had to really focus on teaching super simply and asking inspired questions to tie things into their life and needs. Luckily for me, I have some good trainers who help me out when I slip up and support me when I do well, so I'm not too worried about these next few weeks. Elder Siu is planning on making this "my area", meaning I lead out in every meeting, lesson, contact, etc. That'll take a little time, but I think it'll be good. 

This past Wednesday was exchanges, so Elder Siu and I were with Elder Palmer for the day. To be completely honest, I don't know much about what lessons we had during that day....mainly because Elder Palmer is a Spanish missionary, and both his lessons were in Spanish. I did my best to listen and understand, which I actually can still do relatively well. I've forgotten most of my Spanish speaking, but I'm glad that I still remember a bit about listening to Spanish. We had a great time though, and I learned a lot from Elder Palmer, not the least of which is this legendary quote:  "Repentance is for sinners, not for legends." (note: he's a great guy, he's just hilarious.)

Thursday was in-person zone conference for the Brooklyn South/Staten Island zone, so we drove for one and a half hours to Queens for a conference that involved no one who actually lives in Queens. Yeah, I don't know why either. Either way, it was actually crazy good, and I learned a ton. Pres Teuscher talked about how to improve personal study, and I took multiple lists of notes. If any of yous ever need any help with personal study, just lemme know. Sis Teuscher talked about gratitude, and we talked a lot about the importance and blessings of gratitude, which I'll talk about in a bit. After the conference, we drove back to Staten (another hour and a half). Oh, it also rained the entire day, so that made everything even better.

Today was our district P-day, and we played wiffle ball for a couple of hours. We were going to play ultimate frisbee, but there has been a gale alert the entire day, and it's been crazy windy, so frisbee didn't work. Granted, wiffle ball didn't super work either, but we did our best haha.

Mafaufauga faaleagaga:

The first thought I had was based on Sis Teuscher's words to us at zone conference. We talked about the importance of acting on our gratitude to make it worth the effort. Elder Palmer paraphrased a scripture and said, "Thanks without works is dead." I really loved that, and I know that it's true. If we really want to show gratitude, we need to act on it, and thank both others around us, but also God, for the many many things He has given us.

The other thing about gratitude is from a section of Alma 7:23, which reads, "...always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive." The word that hit me was "returning." I realized that Heavenly Father is grateful to us, and why wouldn't He be? He's the perfect example of all things, including gratitude. Also, when we obey Him, talk to Him, love His children, and bring others to know Him better, He is eternally grateful. And because He is eternally grateful, He will bless us to show His gratitude. That's something I had never considered, but now I think it's one of the most important things I've learned recently. 

The other things I've been realizing is how truly I, and anyone else who is a member of the church, have been blessed to know the truth of the Gospel of Christ. Other churches have truth, but I feel eternally blessed to know about and understand the truth of God and His plan for all of us. I've met a lot of people already (and I'll meet countless more) who simply don't know that God is our loving Heavenly Father, or that He has a plan for all of us to repent and BE RESURRECTED AND LIVE WITH GOD AGAIN. I've been astounded at how many people in the world don't yet know these truths, and how many are content to not know. It makes me sad, but also eternally grateful for this chance that I have to know the gospel, to study its beauty and simplicity, and to exercise my gratitude by teaching others about God's love. This is the work of God and the work of angels. Of this I am a witness and an eternal believer.

Alofa tele lava atu ia outou, 

Elder Hill 

Photos:

A couple pics from our drive in the rain to Queens

Two selfies of our gang 

A road in fall