His messages usually start coming first thing in the morning so this week we included him in our scripture study. We are currently reading in the New Testament about Christ's parables. We asked him what his favorite parable is and this was his reply:
"I like the wheat and the tares, because I feel like that is very much what we are going through right now. It is so important to do all of the little things that we are asked to do and especially the hard things. The Come Follow Me can be challenging at times bit it will be one of the means of separating the wheat from the tares."
It was cool to be able to learn from him in our scripture study even though he is so far away.
Of course I peppered him with a lot of questions throughout the day. He talked about doing service once a week at a food pantry and he enjoys that especially because he really gets to use his Spanish. He shared about how he went to a follow up appointment with a man. When they got there, a child answered the door. They could hear the dad in the background yell "Tell them I am not home". Now this a common occurrence for missionaries and something I struggled with during my mission. I asked Ryan if it bothered him and he said no. I think that is a blessing. He just reiterated to me once again that the hardest thing for him as a missionary is not having anyone to teach. I know that is so hard. He feels the desire and weight of his calling to preach the Gospel. I am sure it is discouraging when your are unable to do what you feel you were called to do. So we talked a lot about patience and he said that is one thing he is really learning. I asked what else he is learning and he said Spanish. He has also come to understand about different types of relationships and what he wants in the future with different people. So he is learning many important things. I don't know what future experiences will come to him but I am sure they will be for his good. I just hope he has a few more opportunities to actually teach someone.
Group Email:
Hello from Minnesota otro vez, made it through another week for all of you that I know have just been worried out of your mind.
Well as the title of the email here says, this week we have had quite the rain. We have been in a cycle of buckets of rain, and then it will all freeze in the night and like next morning or day, and then it will all thaw and then more rain will hit! So we have had lots of fun practically having our car be a boat when we are driving around through the rivers that we once called streets. So that has also been a lot of fun on tracting, and as you can see in one of the pictures, we all got just a little bit wet... all over our body.. but we made the most of it.
Another pretty fun thing that happened was we got to help out at a quinceñera this week which is always a fiesta. This is my second one on my mission, and they never cease to amaze me with how all out they go on it. It's like a full on wedding reception like status, if not even bigger sometimes, and so those are awesome. We helped the family dish out lots of food, and then of course since we were the lunch ladies and this family is just the best, they let us take loads of leftovers to fulfill our Mexican food needs for the proximo days afterwards, and we still have tamales to spare! I have really grown to enjoy the culture and see and take part of some of their traditions here on my mission. Even though I may be all gringo up in here, especially since my skin hasn't really even seen the sun in about 6 months, I get to jump right in and be in the center and be accepted and have fun with the people, and I am very grateful for that opportunity on my mission.
Well hope you all have a great week, remember who you are and what you stand for!
Elder Pickering
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