Hay Hooks and the Hantavirus: What You Need to Know Before Agreeing to a Service Project

January 20, 2020

First of all, Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! That's right, it's the second most wonderful time of the year! Why schools don't take a full week off for this holiday, I don't know. It's one of the many injustices in this imperfect world.

 But anyway, it's been another awesome week since last P day. And it's been another awesome two weeks since last time I emailed. And now it's time for another awesome email. 

So a lot of good things have been happening here. I might actually space the stories out between the next couple emails to not overwhelm you. But we've been having fun and working hard and it's just going really well. 

On Friday we did a lot of service. The first project was absolutely horrible, and we found out after the fact, that we could've died! What it was was cleaning trash out of this disgusting house with mouse droppings all over the place. Okay I'm getting carried away with the italics, I apologize. Anyway though, we asked for the guy to bring us masks and he said he would, and then he didn't. So we helped him anyway, which was our mistake. And seriously mouse droppings were everywhere. About 15 minutes in I was having such a hard time breathing that I sounded like Darth Vader. Luckily we only stayed an hour. We found out later though that the virus in mouse droppings is called the hantavirus and it is actually extremely deadly, and there's no cure, and we basically just got lucky that we didn't get it.

Not too long after that though we got a call from someone who needed help unloading a trailer full of hay bales. So we dropped what we were doing, grabbed our service clothes which we had just put in the dryer 5 minutes before, and headed out. Or we baled you could say. But despite the wet jeans, that service was actually really fun, especially in contrast to what we had to do earlier. It was so exhausting though. I thought they were going to be 50 pound bales like we've helped with before. But this guy got 100 pound bales. And let's just say the mind was willing but the flesh was weak. It was a fun experience though.We had a couple close calls there with almost dying too but I won't get into that. Basically it just had to do with hay hooks and some nearly unfortunate timing of when the hay hooks didn't hook properly. But all is well. I stay safe on my mission, I promise. Besides, I got my flu shot so I'm like invincible now. 

Anyway though, I'll leave it at that for this week. Before I go though I'll share a scripture kind of about service since that's what I talked about today. 

This is in Matthew 25:40, and I'll let you read this chapter for yourself to get the context because it's a good one, but here you go:

"...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

I like this scripture a lot, especially when it's read after the previous couple verses to get the full picture of what's being said. But I just really like that idea of all our opportunities to serve others being ways to serve Jesus Christ and come closer to Him as well. And I've come to see that that is very true. 

I hope you have an enjoyable Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Til next week,

~Elder Oswald

Please Let This Be a Normal Transfer!

January 6, 2020

With President Cox? No way!

Well everyone, it's p day again. And not only that, but this transfer cycle has already come to a close. And if you've paid relatively close attention to these emails, you might remember that my current companion is named Elder Fonnesbeck, and that we have been companions for 3 transfers already, which is a long time for missionaries to stay companions, so a switch up was pretty much inevitable this time. So you may be wondering: What changed? Who left? Who stayed? Do you know who your new companion is? What does he look like? Do you think you'll get along?

These are great questions, and I'll answer them in reverse order.

Yes, I think we'll get along.

He's tall and has blond hair.

I do know who he is.

I stayed.

No one left.

Nothing changed.

That's right, 4 transfers with Elder Fonnesbeck! They said it couldn't be done. They said no one's done it before. They said we were foolish to even hope. But my friends, we have done the impossible here in St. Johns. 

Anyway, it was a good week we had over here. The holidays are over, and so now people have more time to meet with the missionaries! Hooray! 

This week we're going to start teaching some kids. We found them through a lady and her boyfriend which we found through an error on a list of people in one of the wards. Because the list said a lady and her husband lived there, but what the list didn't know was that the lady got a divorce and she didn't even have the same last name anymore and she started dating a different guy. And they were pretty cool people so we kept visiting them every once in a while, and we've had some cool experiences there just kind of building a friendship, but what we didn't know was that the lady had a daughter from a previous marriage who wants to be baptized. And the boyfriend has two daughters from a previous marriage who want to be baptized. And this couple just out of the blue asked us to teach them and help them prepare for baptism! So that's super cool.

Now I'm going to share a scripture without any transition whatsoever:

32 Yea, ^acome unto Christ, and be ^bperfected in him, and ^cdeny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and ^dlove God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be ^eperfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. 

As you can tell, I definitely typed that out myself from my memory without copy and pasting it from https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/moro/10?lang=eng

But anyhow, I've seen people "come unto Christ" my whole mission. And none of us are perfect, but throughout our lives, through the Savior's atoning sacrifice and His grace, we are constantly becoming perfected. And I've seen that as well. People's lives change and they become better and better each day as they come unto Christ, and strive to follow Him. And I've seen that for me personally as well. I'm improving and growing every day and that is all possible because of Jesus Christ. And that's simply what repentance is. And we can do it every single day. So if you've messed up on your new years resolutions already, good news, you don't have to wait another year to try again! We have power to change and become better always. That is the gift of repentance through Christ's atonement that we have been given. And I am so grateful for Him, and the power He gives us to be better and happier and closer to our Heavenly Father.

Well, I'll write again next week!

With a considerable amount of sincerity,

~Elder Oswald

P.S. -Pictures

Ephesians 6:11. "Put on the whole armour of God..."

I feel like no other explanation is needed. 

The Week After Christmas

January 1, 2020

Much like the day after Christmas, the week after Christmas can be disappointing. You may be disappointed by the realization that the excitement and fun of the Christmas season has to wait another whole year. You may be disappointed because the exciting gift you received at Christmas, after 2 hours of removing the plastic packaging and the styrofoam and the cardboard and the zip ties, turned out to not be as cool as the advertising made it seem. You may also be disappointed because not only is the Christmas season over, but you now find yourself sick due to a virus or an excess of chocolate or something like that.

Or you may be disappointed because a certain email you read last week was clever and creative, but the one from this week, much like the day after Christmas, is going to be disappointing. 

So here's a quick update on what's been going on here in St. Johns:

-Steve was baptized this last weekend, so that was definitely the highlight

-That's all I got

I gotta skedaddle already, but before I go I feel like I should make reference to the fact that today is New Years Eve. And something I've realized the last couple weeks is how Christmas and New Year's are kind of connected if you think about it. And what I mean by that is that in the past the whole "Day after Christmas" feeling has bothered me. Because I've known that the real meaning of Christmas is about celebrating the Savior, and that doesn't end when Christmas is over. But what I realized is that as we're starting the new year and as we have a nice opportunity to reflect on our lives and recommit to being better people, we can recommit to remembering Jesus Christ all throughout the year. And I really like that because that means that the joy we feel at Christmas doesn't have to end just when Christmas is over. 

And as we are setting goals and plans and resolutions for the year, I realized how with any righteous desire we have to improve and become a better person, the Savior can help us to realize those things. He knows our weaknesses and the things we struggle with and as we come into Him humbly and recognize those things, He can turn our weaknesses into strengths and we can overcome the struggles we face.

Talk to you next year!

#mostoverusedjoke #nevergetsoldthough

~Elder Oswald

'Twas the Week Before Christmas

December 24, 2019

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the town,

Not a creature was stirring, so the Elders did frown.

"Who could we visit who might actually be home?" 

That was the question, but no answer was known.

But the Elders kept trying, knocking on doors like the Feds,

As visions of teaching people danced through their heads. 

Many people were busy spending time with their families,

And others were out of town, also with their families.

But every once in a while, through the last several days,

We'd find someone home who'd be willing to say:

"Hey Elders, come in" or something like that

And we'd visit the person we had wanted to contact.

So that's been so nice, when people give of their time,

And invite us to join with their families, something rhyme.

When what to our wondering eyes should appear, 

A whole bunch of presents, how thoughtful and dear!

So we've found that while many of the people of St. Johns

Are away with their families or are otherwise gone,

There are still many people who are here for the season,

And these people are kind and they're giving and sneezin'.

Just kidding, they're not actually really that sick

Well some people are, but now I'm off topic.

But in other news, things have been going real well.

Steve's being baptized next week, if that name rings a bell.

We've also been finding more people to teach,

Like Tricia and Sarah and her favorite fruit is peach.

Just kidding I don't know that I just ran out of words,

So that's why that line just sounds so absurd.

Anyway, Christmas as a missionary is surely quite fun,

With the parties and food in the quantity of a ton.

There are so many cookies and treats and cookies,

And toffee and cookies and cocoa and cookies.

But the best most enjoyable part of it all, 

Is teaching others of the Child who was born in a stall. 

He is our Savior, "the light and the life."

He strengthens us, carries us, through trials and strife.

I know that He lives and He loves me and you,

That His peace and His strength and His Gospel are true. 

This is the reason for this time of year,

It's Christ who gives us happiness, and also Christmas cheer.

He brings tidings of joy, even when things look bleak,

So Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good week!

~Elder Oswald