"Desperately Seeking..."

On the train to Romsey...

So glad to hear that things are going well. I'm glad Tay had a great birthday. Can't believe Rincon was packed... Rincon never seems to be packed, but I guess that if you've got the winter surf plus the summer weather, I can definitely see the draw. It is funny to think that I've been gone long enough, though, that it's beginning to become second nature for you, enough so as that you would (almost) forget to email me. Don't feel bad about it, it's just funny.

Still so weird to think that my siblings are growing so old... Sounds like Katie's birthday ought to be a lot of fun as well. I'm glad everything's getting sorted well with the rooming. It's good to know that I don't have to do too much regarding all that.

Mom, awesome things are happening here. Like, really good things. So, we've been meeting all sorts of cool people from time to time, and have been trying to put in more effort, and it's been helping. I find it interesting, because in one sense, I know I ought to be exercising patience, but we're also given a sense of urgency from our leaders regarding the kind of results we can possibly be seeing. I don't know sometimes it's hard to reconcile the two in my head. But, I'm trying to be more patient, and things are happening.

For example, remember last week, when I told you about the two atheist girls who invited us around for dinner? Well, that turned into five new investigators, and a return appointment for tonight. It's so cool, man. They're really awesome -- they're all twenty, and are Creative Writing majors at University here. And they were sooo nice. I mean, Elder Mercer and I didn't really know what to expect, after being grilled on the doorstep for twenty minutes the first time, but they were super nice, and really respectful. I mean, throughout talking to them about our beliefs, not only were they accepting of what we believed and happy about it, but it really made sense to all of them. I mean, (one of the original girls we met on the doorstep) at the end asked us if we would pray for her father, and said, "Man, I don't know why we spent all of dinner talking about movies and things! We should have just jumped straight in to talking about your church!" So, we're making them Mexcian food and teaching them again tonight with one of the YSAs in the ward, and they already want to come to church next Sunday. So, I'm smiling.

The rest of this week has been fairly uneventful, as I remember. I already told you, we haven't had Zone Conference... That's this week, probably. Last week was transfers. Everything's pretty much the same. We've been working to help the Romsey Elders out a bit -- they've been getting discouraged about the work, and so have struggled with getting themselves in gear, so we did a workover with them, and were able to find a few new people for them to teach. Now I'm trying to work on inspiring them to greater responsibility as they seem to think that they'll cancel the teach for a Dinner Appointment... Ugh! They'll get there.

Elder Mercer and I are quite happy. It's interesting seeing that he and I have had similar issues over the course of our missions. But, he's a diligent kid, and so I'm not worried for him. I'm only now realizing though what a responsibility follow-up training is, even if it's not officially training.

Elder Mercer and I eating overpriced, all-you-can-eat Sushi.

Mom, you're so funny. I can't seem to be trunky in the slightest. I just want more to happen! Not in a discouraged way, but in a desperate way. President quoted Elder Nelson in his letter today saying, "My dear elders and sisters, I pray that on your mission you will have many moments of complete and overwhelming and even anguishing desperation. Why? Because then, and only then, will you desperately ask, desperately seek, and desperately knock. Then, and only then, will you find the courage and determination to follow through with exactness everything the Lord needs you to do in order to serve a valiant, vibrant, worthy, and very successful mission for Him." And that's how I'm starting to feel. I keep studying the New Testament and finding that the more I learn about the Saviour, the more I want to do all of this for Him, and then I just have to look for more that I can change in myself! It's really invigorating, actually.

Yes, Cold's gone (finally). Luckily, the Zone Leaders let us take last Monday as P-day, even though it was moves week, so I was able to rest up a bit.

Well, love you!

- Elder Green