It's day 490 here in Ohio . . . ooops, hah I added an extra zero 😅😉 But for real though, at this point I could be a caveman if I had grown my beard out for this whole time we have been inside :) We are like bears in hibernation currently. I feel like Edward from the movie Twilight when he has sparkling skin, haha because I feel so so foreign to the sun when I step outside now 😉 I have been working out 2 to 3 times a day, and making sure I'm eating healthy, which I can tell has made a huge difference with being inside all day!💪
So, here is the update as of Friday for what we are doing in Ohio. The governor of Ohio, released a statement on Friday and said that the Stay at Home order is still in effect until May 29th, and we as the missionaries are supposed to still be inside. So by May 29th, it will roughly have been 12 whole weeks of being quarantined! This was quite the news to everyone and not something any of us was really looking at doing or wanting to do. I had a really good talk with Elder Sirrine this week on Tuesday about it. Sometimes it's hard to be cooped up inside all day, for the physical as well as the mental/emotional/spiritual health of an individual; you more or less feel that you aren't doing much or contributing to help out as much as you can. Me and Sirrine talked for about 30 min on this, and I just shared with him some of my thoughts that, "The Lord is in control. I'm just doing the best I can, and that's all I can do. Being quarantined for a total of roughly 3 months is hard, but my mission hasn't been put on hold. I still go home next summer 2021, and so I have told myself that I just keep serving in the name of Jesus Christ, and that that makes up all of the difference". I know that when we focus not on the circumstances, but on the small and simple things of our lives, we are able to get through them, with steadfast faith in Christ, as President Nelson has told us time and time again.
We did hear that between 100 to 200 new missionaries will be coming to the Ohio Columbus mission in the next 6 weeks.
Alrighty, so let's get to the rest of the week. Sadly, not too much happened this week, it was kind of a wierd week to say the least.
Some things that I have really been trying to improve and strengthen within myself are my ability to get a lot of things done during the days, and also focusing on setting goals and then working/striving to accomplish them. I have loved being able to wake up at 530 to give my absolute all for the next 17 hrs til I go to sleep at 10:30. Everyone always ask me what I do to keep going strong everyday, I just tell them that, "I have my ways" 😉.
We did have the Nepali zoom sunday school meeting on Sunday, so that was fun. We were told by President and Sister Stratford that we can no longer watch/attend institute anymore as they feel it takes away from our daily schedules, so that was very sad to hear. I guess you just got to keep finding other things to hear, even in quarantine 🤔.
Thursday was about the only really adventurous day this whole week! We had training visits with the AP's on Wednesday night and all day Thursday. Elder Foster came and picked me and Elder Smith up on Wednesday night. We got back to the APS apt at 12:15 in the morning on Thursday, and I went to sleep at about 12:45. I woke up at 6 and went for a run, then proceeded to run (literally, hah it was quite fun :):) around all day doing "Assistant" things! We also had 2 lessons, and then my favorite part of the whole day, and this thing is the reason I am going to buy a Toyota Tacoma for my first truck when I get home 👌👍. The elders in Mt. Vernon needed a new car, and so Elder Foster drove the new car to them on Thursday night, and me and Elder smith drove the Tacoma up to Mt Vernon so that Elder Foster had a way back to Powell. So I not only got to drive for 2 hrs on a road trip, but also did it while I was driving in a truck that I love, and the drive was so amazing and peaceful with a country/field like look and you all know that road trips are almost like a 2nd Christmas for me ;) It was fun! I got back to the apt at about 10:15 that night, so 2 pretty late nights for me, but so so much fun to be able to be an honorary Assistant to the President for one day, and see how much fun it is and what all happens in the day/life of an AP.
We have been playing frisbee golf the last 2 or 3 days now at a little park by the apt and freeway. It has been super fun, more so just to get out of the apt and run around, but I've actually developed quite the skill for frisbee golf, if I do say so myself 😉 Its been pretty fun to do this week!
We were also able to listen to Elder and Sister Gay speak on Sunday night at the young adult devotional! It was so good! I loved how they talked about how we can each receive personal revelation in our lives as we focus on hearing the Spirit and striving to have the spirit in our lives!
Also, before I forget, transfers are next week on May 14th, so so crazy to think that they are already here and I will be in my 7th transfer of the mission, which is about the halfway point/"transfer" of a mission!
So to finish off the email for this week, I thought I would do another talk/my thoughts and feelings on a topic. This has been quite fun to write all of these, I may just be a public/motivational speaker when I get home :).
So I wanted to share my thoughts on the topic of: "Gods purpose for us!" This last week, I have thought a lot about how God has a purpose and a plan for each and every single one of us in our lives, and how we help to further that plan everyday of our lives. I read a scripture, it was Enos 1. In it, where it talks about how Enos' sins are forgiven because of the faith He had in Christ; we can then relate that to, We can further our Heavenly fathers plan for us by receiving a remission of our sins, and then going forward in faith that He will be the lantern that we need in our lives. It's such a very cool blessing, and from now on, I'm going to start saying: Its a very cool MIRACLE, that we are able to recieve because He lives and He loves us. He didnt design us to fail or to walk in darkness. We know, that He is the way, and He is the crossing guard wearing the "reflective" vest to help point to us what will in turn, be our greatest destination we will ever reach!
I'm so so grateful for this Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for the comfort it brings to me knowing that, even in the darkest of times (a pandemic), we can recieve HOPE and light to us in our lives as we turn to our Savior Jesus Christ.
That is going to be my invitation to all of us this week, is to: Focus on how we have the Holy Ghost in our lives, and how we can be finding strength everyday to further our Father's plan for each of us in this life!
I'm so grateful for everyone, for each of you, and for the blessing of temples today and everyday! Temples are so awesome and a quote that I always used to read everyday when I walked into seminary class was: "When your focus is on the temple, then nothing else matters, because the temple is the best place to be on this earth". I know those words are true, because the temple really truly is the best place to be on this earth, with family by our sides!
Happy Happy Mothers day this week on Sunday! Mom, thank you so very much for being an incredible example and amazing best friend to me and everyone around you everyday! You are #1! 💛
I love YOU Forever and always! :)
Elder dylan💛
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