Max,
I never thought it would happen but it sounds like I might kinda maybe owe you some money! I'm trying to remember exactly what our rules were. Most likely we did not set them to the degree of specificity to determine if you needed an actual picture or someone who actually remembers meeting me, or if just finding my name somewhere was enough. On the one hand, I hoped you would find my picture with an investigator or an English student who had been baptized or at least a member. I didn't even think of the possibility of an an ex-missionary that I never met. That said, it sounds like you have found proof positive that I was there, which was probably the way we left it. It's funny, we talk about the problem of "vagueness" in the law all the time—one of the big reasons laws can be declared unconstitutional is that they are just so vague that no one quite knows what they mean. So we probably should have defined our rules better, but, don't worry, a deal's a deal and I'm not about declare this one unconstitutional. Let me know the best way to get money to you and I'll be good for it. Do mom and dad know how to deposit it directly? Or what would happen if I sent you $100 bill in a package? Would it get there eventually? Would you be able to get a decent exchange rate? Is there any way you would rather have $200 when you get home instead of $100 now? (I can guarantee you I will have a lot more disposable income in a year and half than I do now! :) One favor I will ask since your finding wasn't quite what we had imagined is that you keep looking and let me know if you can find anything else. I really am surprised you've found something this fast so I'm hoping with 3/4 of the mission left you'll stumble on even better proof! Anyway, it was super fun to get your letter and it's always fun to hear that you are working so hard to look for stuff. I hope our little game has been as fun for you as it has been for me! :)
Well, I've had a super busy week and have probably an even busier one coming up. In fact, while I'm thinking of it, I might say a few words to those whose letters I have already read since I know I won't have time to respond individually. It was fun reading Rosey's, Janey's, and Stef's report of the girls weekend. I love that you guys watched a movie twice in a row. I don't think I could ever do that, even with my favorite movies, but that was a fun detail, Rose. I feel bad that Kristi wasn't able to join you but she would probably not have been much of a party animal since she hasn't been feeling well this weekend. In fact, like Nick, I kind of felt like I got the experience of taking care of the kids more or less on my own this weekend which was really fun and a good experience for all of us. I know Kristi appreciated it, and the kids and I had a great time. We spent a lot of the day on Saturday at Thanksgiving Point at Cornbelly's (a pumpkin patch/theme park they set up in October that we bought season passes for and have to go to a lot more in order to get our money's worth) and another little free party they had going on at another part of Thanksgiving Point that Ivy's preschool was invited to. We all had fun and it was so fun/interesting to see all the different personalities of the kids. At one point there was this DJ for a kids' radio station (dressed as Beetlejuice) that had a couple hundred people crowded around and was getting a dance off going. Ben dragged us over because he loves to dance. Ivy is okay with it. Gwen hates it but was persuaded by the prospect of getting to spin the guy's "prize wheel." So all the kids are up front and he starts teaching them the chicken dance. You know, you do the little pecking with your fingers. You flap your wings. You shake your bum. And then clap clap clap clap. Well, when Gwen heard about shaking her bum that just about ended it for her. She came back to me and said she wasn't doing it and I told her to just go back and do the other parts so she could still spin the prize wheel. Reluctantly, she went back but then he discussed the refrain part of the song (if you can think of it) and asked what they should do for that. It was proposed that all the kids just scream at the top of their lungs and spin in a circle for that part and he put it to a vote: "Ok, everyone who wants to just scream and turn in a circle and do this the FUN way raise your hands! Sorry, parents, you can't vote! Ha ha!" And all the kids laughed and raised their hands, you know, sticking it to their parents since they had gotten permission from Beetlejuice to scream as loud as they could. As you can imagine, Ben was in this crowd and thought the idea was brilliant. Then Beetlejuice says "Ok, now raise your hand if you don't want to scream but you just want to turn around in circles." A few kids raised their hands, Gwen included. He continued, patronizingly assuming the kids with their hands raised just didn't understand the question because obviously no kid could resist the allure of getting to scream and act crazy. "So you are raising your hand to do it the BORING way? Ha ha! Maybe we should just fold our arms and act quietly during that part? Raise your hand if THAT'S what you want to do." Every kid put their hand down except for Gwen, who reached for the sky. He was a little dismayed and even said some little joke to her but then just continued on. Anyway, I was a little nervous that she was so different from all the other kids, but I was proud that she has the self-confidence to stand out from the crowd when she is convinced that her way is better. I suspect she will need that to get by peer pressure growing up in Texas, or heck, even growing up in Utah or anywhere else, I have to think it is healthy to be able to stand against the fierce winds of peer pressure without questioning your resolve. Anyway, so Gwen came back and stood with me and then while Ben and the rest of them shook their bums and screamed I looked and found my little Ivy girl who had not understood what she was voting for and was now huddled over plugging her ears (to be fair, she was right next to Bentley who was surely the loudest kid there). And then before you know it, Beetlejuice told the kids that to get their prize they had to get their parents to come dance too, so, for the second time that day (I won't go into detail on the first, but it wasn't so dissimilar from this whole ordeal) I found myself trying to dance the Gangnum Style dance and feeling like an idiot but trying to be a cool dad that Ben wouldn't be ashamed of (though at the same time, Gwen was probably horrified so it was kind of a lose lose situation.) After that I dragged them away without spinning the prize wheel. There were like 200 kids anyway so there was no way that we would have ever gotten to spin it or gotten anything good from it anyway… :) Wow, so that was a big tangent, but yeah, I had a fun weekend with the kids. We also went and saw Monsters University again which is such a fun show.
Anyway, I loved Janey's description of how the girls' party has talking as a central theme like how eating is a theme of the cruise. Such a good comparison. Also, as a side note, it was funny because for like the first half of Janey's letter for some reason I was thinking I was reading Nick's letter. I wasn't surprised to hear that he had been kind of a part of the girls' party since he lives down there, but after awhile I was kind of like—wow! Nick just really dove in there and became a honorable girl for the weekend didn't he?? Then Janey said how fun it was to see Neddy and I got confused enough to straighten myself out. :) And Stef, your letter was super sweet, especially the part about Bret feeling the spirit. What a good boy! And I don't envy you if Neddy makes too much Ben-like noise, but there are worse things than noise so hopefully he stays sweet like Bentley has so far and you can live with the noise… :) Anyway, great letters girls, and glad you had so fun.
As for you Nick, thanks for sharing your stories and I was really moved by the emphasis you said they put on spiritual journeys. I think that makes so much sense and is so important to remember in missionary work to avoid crushing disappointment. I can only wish they had started emphasizing it when I was still a missionary. I always felt like the area authorities over our area had really unrealistic goals that made us feel like we were not doing our job and that the Lord was displeased with us if we weren't baptizing about once a month. Thankfully, my mission presidents themselves were more down to earth (especially the first one who had nearly three years under his belt when I got there) and helped us deal with the reality that on average, many people were not on that part of their journey yet. But it was still really hard to cope with our constant failure to bring anyone to that particular part of the spiritual journey called baptism. While I heard a lot of "planting seeds" metaphors, I think I like your journey metaphor better. I didn't ever baptize anyone, but I know I moved myself in the right direction on my journey. I like to think I helped move my companions and lots of the members that I interacted with in the right direction on their journeys. And I talked to a LOT of people in the streets and at their doors. I taught some discussions but for every "first discussion" I had, I probably had ten less structured "contact" discussion where we informally discussed some element of the gospel or of life for five minutes and then I never saw them again. If the goal was baptism, or even teaching the gospel to people who didn't know much about it, then my mission was in many ways a failure. But if the goal was reaching out to Heavenly Father's children to help them progress a bit from wherever they were on the path to somewhere a little bit closer to Christ, that I like to think I succeeded everyday. Anyway, Max has already seemed to have a lot more success than I did, but I am sure there are many days he feels the same way so I'm glad you shared that Nick. Also, I think it is a good thing for all of us to remember in our member missionary work, which can also be discouraging if you base your success on how many of your nonmember friends have entered the waters of baptism this year rather than on how many people you have gotten to be a light and an example to.
Dad, thanks for your letter too. Everything you said about comfort zones resonates so much with me, not only in the church but in all facets of my life. Also, that is good to know that they have new scripture mastery scriptures out. I am excited to use those in my personal study. And Warner, I have never been hunting and rarely even hike or backpack (though I did a bit as a teenager), so your letter was especially fun to read. I cannot relate to anything you were talking about through my own experience so that made it all the more interesting.
Anyway, Max, now that all that is out there, I guess I have basically said everything I need to say and have probably already taken too many words to say it. Life goes on. I am very busy but happy to be spending most of my time in the growth zone, like you are. School will do that for you and, while I am very nervous to move and do the job I chose, I am excited to think that this job will also probably keep me in the growth zone most of the time. It's a good place to be and I hope you are enjoying it and finding ways to beat back the negative aspects of it (i.e. stress). :)
I love you and anxiously await your letter tomorrow. Good luck with your new responsibilities and with your nuevo. He will be lucky to have you as his trainer.
Love,
Blaine
