8/18/14 - Jordon

Well, this week was Awesome!

We found a new investigator on Wednesday. His name is Kevin, and he's eight years old. He is super interesting in learning about the gospel. His parents are not members either, but currently he is living with his Aunt and Uncle. He is currently on date for Saturday, September 6th. Yes, the Saturday after I leave. I know. But, it's not about me, it's about them. Anyway, we're super excited about it, and so is Kevin.

A lot of our focus at the moment is going toward a couple activities we're having in the ward on August 29th. We're going to have a Carne Asada dinner followed by a Fútbol (Soccer) game. (I love Carne Asada! It's basicly thinly sliced grilled steak with lemon. DJ might have a better description for you. I need to see if I can find a recipe before I come home.) Following that, we will be having a 40 day fast in the ward starting on August 31st. The fast will be about missionary work in general, but when we call people to remind them about the day they signed up for, we're also going to ask them to fast for a specific investigator, less active member, etc. and the circumstance they need help with. (for example: to set a date for baptism, or to stop smoking.) We're getting a lot of participation on both activities, and we like it. The purpose of these activities, and the activities that will follow after, are to help get the ward in a missionary mindset. The soccer game isn't just for coming and having fun, it's meant to be something they can invite their non-member/less active friends and neighbors to attend, so they can start getting to know the church, it's members, and especially the missionaries. We're looking forward to how this turns out.

Guess what...I got to got to the temple twice this week. Once with my Zone on Wednesday, the other on our own on Saturday. The reason for the Saturday Trip was one of our ward missionaries, Ivan, who is preparing to serve a mission, went to the Temple that day to receive his Endowments, and he invited Elder Vázquez and me to come with him. We called President Nattress to see if we could go, and he said yes. So, we went to the 8:30 am session on Saturday. By the way, that just so happens to be the Spanish session. I assume DJ probably always goes to a Spanish Session, but it was a first for me. It's interesting hearing it all in Spanish, and I was able to keep up for the most part. But, I decided to do the last part in English. I know it a lot better in English. Oh, well. It was a great experience, anyway.

That temple trip was also a bit of an awakening. Apparently, subconsciously, I was thinking that I didn't really that great of an influence on very many people here in Arizona. I wasn't made aware of this until I reached the Celestial Room, then it came to me....Ok, let me back up for a moment. When we got to the Temple that day, there at the front desk was Bro. Fire, of Creekside Ward. He recognized me right away! We said "Hi" for a moment, then we were on our way. I needed to borrow a temple packet, so we went down to the baptistry, where we go to pick one up. There at the baptistry were Mason and Rylie, a couple of youth from Desert Hills Ward. They, too, recognized me and flagged me down. Continuing on, I picked up the packet, and went we went on our way to the changing room, then it was up to the chapel. At the foot of the stairs was young Bro. Turley, of Freestone Park Ward. He, too, stopped me to say "Hi". In the Chapel, Hno. Gomez, from Río Solado Ward in Tempe, Saw me and came to sit next to me. Then in the Celestial Room, Hno. and Hna. Trujillo stopped to say "Hi" to me as they were headed out. It was there that I had the realization of just what an influence I've had here. Subconsciously, I might have just been looking at the investigators and less-actives I've taught, but my eyes were opened that I also affected many of the members in a great way, as well. We're not done, yet. Back in the changing room, Hno. Mendizabal, of the Gilbert 11th Branch came up to me and we chatted for a bit. Not to mention all the Queen Creek Ward members that were there for Ivan.

I also realized that I can't remember the last time I went to the temple without running into someone from one of the wards in which I served. On the Wednesday trip, I saw Sis. Quist, of the Silver Creek Ward. Last transfer I ran into a couple youth from Gilbert 12th Ward out in the front foyer. And, on a few trips I've run into Bro. Lambert, of Mesquite Ward. Using just what I can remember (the above list), In the last two transfers I've seen someone in the temple from each of my areas, and over all I've seen someone from all but two of the eleven wards I've served in. I'm going to miss Arizona once I'm gone. I need to make certain I come back to visit every once in a while.

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So, you've heard of 4 being the "Ultimate Number", right? Because 12 is 6, 6 is 3, 3 is 5, 5 is 4, and 4 is the "Ultimate Number". Well, I've found another. I present to you the "Other Ultimate Number": 5. I'll give a few examples:

8 is 4...4 is 5...and 5 is the "Other Ultimate Number".

Here's another:

15 is 6...6 is 4...4 is 5...and 5 is the "Other Ultimate Number".

And another:

2 is 3...3 is 4...4 is 5...and 5 is the "Other Ultimate Number".

Try and figure that one out. For some of you it should be fairly simple. For others, maybe not.

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Well, that's it for this week. Just two more emails to go, then I'm home. I refuse to count days, though, no matter what anyone says. Until next time.

Con amor,

-Elder Jordon Hill-