An Email Beyond Its Title

Though you all may be in different places, you all have something in common. Perhaps you are in the comfort of your own home, excitedly sitting in front of your computer screen. Perhaps you are driving and you just received a notification on your phone that my latest email has arrived. Perhaps you are on the run from a mysterious doorbell salesman who isn't who he says he is. Perhaps you are chasing someone who was falsely accused of stealing what they thought was a doorbell. Perhaps you are in the United States. Perhaps you are in the state of Michigan. Perhaps you are in a state of confusion. Regardless of where you are, you all are doing the same thing. You are reading these very words which I am currently writing, with great excitement I am sure.

Which brings me to my next point, which is actually an apology. It is an apology because it is my understanding that you all have been kept in suspense for the duration of what is now a week. And so rather than giving an excuse, I shall tell you a story. 

It all started one week ago. It was a P-day like any other. The sun was in the sky as usual, and the cacti were in the ground. All was as it should be. I could have never guessed what was about to happen.

I sent an email to my mother, or mom, as she's sometimes referred to, like I usually do. However, then we went to Wal-Mart, and it all went downhill from there. And it was the bad kind of downhill. You see, I cannot email while driving. And I cannot email while shopping. So you would imagine I would have time to email afterwards, right? You would imagine that, however, 'twas not so. You see we ended up doing an escape room which was super fun. Then we went and ate burritos. It was also in Scottsdale though and so by the time we got back I didn't have enough time to write. 

And that is why I failed to write you all last week. 

So, the time has come for me to tell you about this past week.

This past week was pretty good.

~Elder Oswald

Just kidding.

So this past week, and the week before for that matter, were really good.

On Tuesday last, we were on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. In case you don't know, Zone Leaders are missionaries who lead the Zone. And in case you don't know, the Mission is comprised of different Zones, and Zones are comprised of different Districts. And  Zone Leaders go on exchanges with the District leaders and their companions. And  Elder Bower is the District Leader, and I'm his companion, and so I get to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. So Elder Smart came to my area on Tuesday and it was a lot of fun. We just biked around talking to everyone we saw. One lady we talked to spoke only Spanish and so I got to use my Spanish skills and I was able to get her phone number and we gave her our phone number and sent a referral to the Spanish speaking Elders with whom we share an apartment. Later that week Elder Bower and I did the same thing with another Spanish speaking guy we talked to on the street.

Saturday was pretty much the best day ever. First of all, it was Zena's baptism that day! It was amazing. Zena shared her testimony afterwards and it was so powerful. I can't even describe it. She shared her personal story of how her life has changed since she first met with us, and how much peace and love and joy has come into her home, and how much it means to her to be baptized. It was so powerful, and it was especially cool for me having witnessed firsthand those things she was describing.  I have enjoyed teaching that family so much. My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has strengthened so much. That family is just so awesome.

Then after the baptism service we went and did some weed pulling service for a lady.

Then we had dinner.

Then we went to the Shadow Mountain Ward's game show night. They did Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, and Minute to Win It. It was so much fun. It was also still an effective use of our time because we were with Dee who was baptized last month. She really enjoyed it as well.

So in other news, we cleaned our apartment today. A while ago we had the realization that if our mothers saw our apartment they would be really disappointed. And that must have really hit us hard because it only took about 5 more weeks and a failed apartment inspection to do something about it. But it's pretty nice now. It was actually crazy, at one point while I was wiping dust off of a baseboard, I actually had the thought, "what do you know, this baseboard is white and not dust colored." You wouldn't even believe it. It was like something out of an Oxi-Clean commercial.

Let's see what else, oh yeah so for breakfast this morning I had Corn Pops and Girl Scout Cookies, so that was awesome.

Well, as we come to the close of this another email, I would like to share some thoughts I have. These thoughts I speak of center around the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God. It is common for one to hear someone say something like, "the Spirit was so strong," after witnessing or hearing something like a baptism or someone giving a talk, or a musical performance. I have had many experiences where I have felt that, and all I can seem to say is "wow, the Spirit was just so strong." And so I really want to think a little more deeply than that. Because those experiences are so special and real, and I don't want those experiences to ever be taken lightly. So when I ever say something along the lines of "the Spirit was so strong," what I mean is that the Holy Ghost literally, in reality has testified of the truthfulness of things to me, through powerful feelings of peace, love, and joy. I just want to share my testimony that I have felt the Holy Ghost many times in my life, and many times in just the short time I've been on my mission. It's so real and powerful and I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father, and for my Savior Jesus Christ, and for His Church and His Gospel which I know are true because of the many experiences I have had where I have felt the Holy Ghost testify to me of those things.

I love Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father so much. I know they know us and love us more than we can imagine. I am just so grateful to be out here serving a mission for them.

And thus endeth mine epistle. 

Til the next time my friends!

~Elder Oswald