Season 3 Episode 2: Week # 11...Take us to Deaf-Con 1

Friends & Family,

I've been waiting so long to use that joke. Yes, I went to  Deaf-Con 1 and it was awesome!
This week we were able to go the the National Deaf Convention this weekend. It wasn't as large as I had hoped, but it was very cool to use sign language that much! I got a few souvenirs including a nice ILY hat. We handed out pass along cards and hopefully they will turn into some new investigators.

Elder Hallsted and I were called to give a talk this past Sunday, we both talked about the commandments. The emphasis I had was that each commandment has promised blessings. For example, those who keep the word of wisdom are promised to have greater strengths both in the body, and against temptations from the adversary. God loves us and wants to bless us, it is our agency that blocks those blessings. To better illustrate the analogy, look at the Inspirational Message from Elder Uchtdorf, called "A shower of Heavenly Blessings".

I went on an exchange this week with Elder Chase. Elder Hallsted and I went to his area (Chinese/YSA). There was some interesting people to say the least. One man we taught was very skeptical of other religious groups and didn't want to talk with us at first. He called us, and when we asked where he was (because he was late for our meeting) he said "Look behind you". We turned around to find him in a black hoodie (hood up) and on a balcony looking over at us. The scene was a little funny at first, but as we began to talk with him, it became clear that he really felt uncomfortable investigating other religions. I hope I calmed his nerves, and we gave him a book of Mormon. I emphasized the fact that we wanted any choice he makes to be truly HIS choice, and not a choice made from an external source. God gives us agency, so that we may be agents for ourselves, to act for ourselves, not to be acted upon.

This is an introduction video to let people know who we are.  Since you cannot use voice inflections, you have to use facial expressions to show the emotion in what you are saying.

I finished the Book of Mormon this week. It could have possibly been the first and only time so far that I have read it cover to cover. If you have not done so, please do. 

Elder Hallsted has done more sleep shenanigans. For example, one morning Elder Larsen's phone went off (we use his phone for our alarm) and we heard it very faintly. After further investigation Elder Larsen found his phone in our couch. No one had moved it there, but we had heard Elder Hallsted shuffling around last night. After a short laugh we all went to check our own phones, only to find they were all missing! We looked in the same couch and found all of them. For some reason Elder Hallsted had felt the need to hide our phones as he slept-walk. 

A different morning i woke up to him exclaiming "They are coming, we need to hide". I pried open my eyes and peered over my bed to see him face down and halfway underneath his bed.

An important lesson that I learned is that at every rejection, I am drawing closer to my Savior. I am beginning to see a glimpse of what he felt. Rejection also strangely motivates me to push further and find more people to teach. I know Heavenly Father has prepared people to hear the Gospel, and if I continue with faith, I will find them. 

My invite for any readers this week is to recognize each and every challenge as a way to grow and as always, read from the Book of Mormon. Study the word of God, it can and WILL bless your lives.

Thank you for the notes!

-Elder Vance