August 26, 2013

Helooooo home!

So I realized why I never got the package. They accidentally put it in the zone 2 shelf instead of the zone 5 one because I think there is an elder there with a similar last name. But luckily Albert (the youth that I sent the picture of with me in the snow a long time ago) goes to church in Rego Park and saw my package was in the wrong spot. A missionary was about to take my package to their zone! but I will go down and get it today. and I'm sure the special k bars will still be fine. I will enjoy them.

Thanks for the pictures! Washington is so beautiful. There are such good views. Here in New York you can get some nice cityscape pictures if you can sneak onto the top of a building, but it's still not the same.

Here's my letter to President Calderwood

President,

This next week Elder Wright and I are dedicating ourslves to getting someone to church. You have said it before, that there is a direct correlation between church attendance and baptisms. This week while reading a talk, that was reinforced in my mind. And church attendance is one of the many things that we are struggling on. I have rarelly been able to have even a progressing investigator in my mission, and if church attendance is essential in baptism, it has to be essential in progression as well. So Elder Wright and I are going to put our focus on the first sub-goal of getting an investigator to church.
Last week I learned some good things. I think people tend to answer the phone a lot more when Elder Wright calls them. I need to give him the phone more. I also learned a lesson about faith, and filling my language with faith. I never really understood what that meant, but it means that you speak in a positive way, that you have faith in, and already know that your righteous desires come true. Not if, but when. But also this week I had that same faith attacked, as no results have changed. Yet. But I do know that we have to prove ourselves for more than just a few days sometimes for miracles to happen. For that I am extremely grateful for Elder Wright. He has great enthusiasm and desire for the work to go forth, and for our investigators to progress. As I have taken part of this enthusiasm, I feel that we have been led to some that really are pure in heart. Now our only need is to let them feel and recognize the Spirit, and I know that that will lead them to follow the Lord.
Our work moves and grows slowly, but it is growing. And we are growing. And that is all that we can ask for.

Thanks so much for placing me with Elder Wright. He is helping me improve and change a lot. Thanks so much for Flushing; for the zone, district and branch I have here. It's the best place in the mission.

Love,

Elder Schenk

oh yeah, something that I probably should have mentioned in the email is that I'm realizing how weak I really am. Elder Wright and I working full time all week long can't even get someone to church. So clearly we need more than a mortal effort here. We need a miracle, and that comes from God. We'll be sure to work on a way of getting that to happen. That will be nice.

Last week we did service at Flushing Meadows park, then we went to the US Open for a little bit. It's the very beginning so we get in free. I'll post some pictures. Nobody in the zone really played tennis competitively, but Elder Wright really likes playing and watching, so he took TONS of pictures of pretty much everything. He knew a lot of facts about past players, current players, etc. and I was like, well that's nice. But I did see some nice pictures of John McEnroe, and I'll post those on Dropbox for you all.

Also, we as a zone took a lot of pictures, so I will put them on too.

Zai Jian, (that's mandarin for see you)

 Elder Schenk