Alright, this last week we have been having a soccer tournament between the districts during gym time. Today was the final game, my district, Helaman distict vs. Nephi district. Sadly it was rained out though, so I got a little bit more time to send emails.
You've been a great mom. Its probably a lot more my fault then yours I didn't have many spiritual experiences. I still haven't had a lot here, but there have been a couple times when I feel like I asked an inspired question or took a lesson in an unplanned direction that ended up working out really well. In a devotional from David Bednar i learned that we often focus too much on whether or not what we felt was the holy ghost or just our own thoughts. His advice was don't worry about it, just do what you know is right and the holy ghost will fill your mouth as you open it and guide your steps if you are willing to take them.
Also dad, I have memorized that standard of truth quote you gave me. Me and this little chinese Elder Lee worked on it together. Actually we all call him Saint Lee.
I have been meaning since the first email to mention I really appreciated those letters you sent. I was actually the first missionary in the MTC to get a package. Also, I forgot to tell you about my street contacting. Last wednesday we went on a train into manchester and spent like three hours just wandering around the city sharing our message with people. It was really scary at first, but once we warmed up we actually had some really good discussions with people. People seem to really find it interesting that they can be with their family forever, that we have a living prophet, or that the same church Jesus Christ established in the bible is again on the earth. In these three hours we talked to a lot of people, and a lot of people told us to leave them alone or ignored us or whatever, but we actually had some sucess. We talked to this Jewish kid who was about 17 and had him commit to reading and praying about the book of mormom. A guy from africa agreed to the same thing and also to meet with local missionaries that week. We ended up placing a few more book of mormons and getting the missionaries a couple refferals, and overall it was a great experiece. It showed me that I have a lot of work to do, but it also showed me that I am able to do this. I hope eventually I will be at the point where I can help people feel the spirit while talking to them for 30 seconds on a busy sidewalk in downtown London. Hopefully one day Ill get there.
I have also realized a lot about what I need to do to be successful. In the back of my daily planner there are a bunch of 'key indicators,' like how many lessons you taught, how many progressing investigators you have, how many people attended church with you that week and how many baptisms you had along with a few other things. Everything you do should be geared towards these key indicators. I guess what I learned is that there are a lot of good things you can do but unless you use these things to help with key indicators then they are really just a waste of time. And i think that applies to life outside the mission.
This is embareassing, almost as embareassing as the fact that i don't know how to spell that word, but I have actually already gained 7 pounds here. I clearly am enjoying the food a bit too much. But I do 55 pushups and 90 situps a morning so who knows, maybe its all muscle.
You've been a great mom. Its probably a lot more my fault then yours I didn't have many spiritual experiences. I still haven't had a lot here, but there have been a couple times when I feel like I asked an inspired question or took a lesson in an unplanned direction that ended up working out really well. In a devotional from David Bednar i learned that we often focus too much on whether or not what we felt was the holy ghost or just our own thoughts. His advice was don't worry about it, just do what you know is right and the holy ghost will fill your mouth as you open it and guide your steps if you are willing to take them.
Also dad, I have memorized that standard of truth quote you gave me. Me and this little chinese Elder Lee worked on it together. Actually we all call him Saint Lee.
I have been meaning since the first email to mention I really appreciated those letters you sent. I was actually the first missionary in the MTC to get a package. Also, I forgot to tell you about my street contacting. Last wednesday we went on a train into manchester and spent like three hours just wandering around the city sharing our message with people. It was really scary at first, but once we warmed up we actually had some really good discussions with people. People seem to really find it interesting that they can be with their family forever, that we have a living prophet, or that the same church Jesus Christ established in the bible is again on the earth. In these three hours we talked to a lot of people, and a lot of people told us to leave them alone or ignored us or whatever, but we actually had some sucess. We talked to this Jewish kid who was about 17 and had him commit to reading and praying about the book of mormom. A guy from africa agreed to the same thing and also to meet with local missionaries that week. We ended up placing a few more book of mormons and getting the missionaries a couple refferals, and overall it was a great experiece. It showed me that I have a lot of work to do, but it also showed me that I am able to do this. I hope eventually I will be at the point where I can help people feel the spirit while talking to them for 30 seconds on a busy sidewalk in downtown London. Hopefully one day Ill get there.
I have also realized a lot about what I need to do to be successful. In the back of my daily planner there are a bunch of 'key indicators,' like how many lessons you taught, how many progressing investigators you have, how many people attended church with you that week and how many baptisms you had along with a few other things. Everything you do should be geared towards these key indicators. I guess what I learned is that there are a lot of good things you can do but unless you use these things to help with key indicators then they are really just a waste of time. And i think that applies to life outside the mission.
This is embareassing, almost as embareassing as the fact that i don't know how to spell that word, but I have actually already gained 7 pounds here. I clearly am enjoying the food a bit too much. But I do 55 pushups and 90 situps a morning so who knows, maybe its all muscle.
Thanks for keeping me posted going on back at home. I always read it, even though I might not have time to reply to all of it.
I actually lied last week. I am still in the MTC. Tommorow morning at like 7 or some other ridiculous time we hop on a bus for a 7 hour drive down to london south. We have to drop off the Birmingham kids first.
One of the members in my district told me a great quote. 'People who say be realistic are those who never achieve greatness.' We have also been learning about goals a lot, and so I have set a goal for the number of baptisms I am going to get during my mission. I know its not just about that number, but at the same time having a goal for that will help motivate me and I will be able to work towards something. I am not going to tell you the exact number because you would just think it is unrealistic.
I really hope I get a good trainer. I have enough trouble getting out of bed at 630 as it is. I have no idea what area I am going to or who my trainer will be. I will find that all out tommorow. I am very excited to get out of here. Its really hard to concentrate right now because my companion finished his emails a few mintues ago and now he is rolling around the room on his wheeled chair, singing and talking aa lot but about nothing. I am not responding.
I just decided that in future emails I will try to refrain from mentioning anything negative about companinons.
Ya I love breakfast now. I eat this raisin bran type of cereal like every day, except it also has raisins and bananas in it, not just raisins. And they have this really good yogurt that in a container filled half with yogurt and then another half of like fruit syrup and you have to mix them together to make the yogurt taste good. It is called corner yogurt and is delicious. But I really wish I did have chicken dippits or bagel bites or any of that food like that.
I want you guys to make an effort to help the missionaries in our ward. We have been learning about how much of an effect members have on missionary work. I know that I will really appreciate it everytime a member helps me out, so if you guys ever have some time think about trying to help the ones you have.
i dont really know what day my p-day will be in the field. But i will write to you from the field next time you hear from me.
Sorry this is kind of short, I think I tried to reply to to many emails this week.
Sorry this is kind of short, I think I tried to reply to to many emails this week.
I love you guys, thanks for all the love and support.
Elder Steed
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