Friends & Family,
Elder Larsen is training another missionary and is very excited to go to the Tongan ward. I hope to be his companion again someday.
As for the fate of Elder Hallsted and I, we have both been assigned to be trainers!!
Well, by definition, yes, but not really.
Because of our success thus far, President has ended our training early and decided that we will "finish each other's training" this transfer. So, I will just say I am training to feel cool about myself.
Elder Hallsted and I are taking over the entire ASL Area (the entire mission). We are still slightly nervous about our ASL skills, but because all the pressure is on us, hopefully we become a diamond of fluency.
We had one of the craziest lessons, probably of all time this week. An elder from a previous zone, Elder Tellez, had been teaching a family in Spanish, and found out that the son was Deaf. Not only that but his wife was also Deaf! The only snag was that she knew SSL (Spanish sign Language). I have not yet been trained in that language, so I wasn't entirely sure what to do. Luckily her husband (the son) knew ASL and SSL and would translate to his wife. We had what I deemed the "Elder Tellez Tag Team" and met up with him last thursday. Unbeknownst to me, he had prepared to teach the entire lesson in spanish, a language in which I cannot speak nor understand, and i was supposed to translate it into ASL. Luckily we were on an exchange with our zone leader Elder Chase, who knew spanish, so as Elder Tellez taught, he translated to us in english. We then translated to ASL, and the husband translated to his wife in SSL. We taught a lesson using 4 languages. BoomIf any other missionary can top that, have them email me...
This P-day has been a bit crazy, Elder Hallsted and I moved apartments and for strange complications, will not have a VP for possibly 9 days. Essentially halting our ASL work for a bit (except for our previously scheduled lessons). Ugh, the situation as of right now, is not ideal.
This morning we were doing "Journal signings", basically yearbook signings but for missionaries. I then had a craving for a burger, and we all agreed to go to Mcee Dees (McDonalds). As we ordered and ate, we happened to glance in the corner and see 2 Deaf people having a rather intense conversation. As I finished up my extremely chaotic burger, I determined that if God had put our paths together, I might as well talk to them. Elder Hallsted beat me to it, but I joined him shortly after the exchange started. We talked for a bit and got his VP so we can contact him later (this was before the VP fiasco) and left excitedly.
We also got stopped by a man at Walmart, who had previously been taught by missionaries but had been raised Methodist. He said he always loved to talk with the Elders and occasionally came to our church. We will likely teach him in the upcoming days.
"If you pray for rain, bring an umbrella"
If I am praying for people to teach, I should be ready and able to drop everything and talk to them!!
If you truly have enough faith to pray and ask our Father in Heaven for something, then be prepared to have your prayers answered, otherwise you aren't truly trusting in Him.
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Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire
"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast."
"Prayer is the simplest form of speech
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters heav'n with prayer."
Anyone and everyone can pray, so why doesn't everyone do it?
Some people may not think their prayers are answered. Others may not have the patience for the prayer to be answered in God's time. It is even possible that they are afraid of receiving and answer that will "force them to change".
All of these excuses are simply that, an excuse.
Pray every day. God can and Will answer your prayers!! If you are afraid for an answer, don't be. God wants the best for all his children and will guide us down the path that will lead to true and lasting happiness!
There is no reason you cannot pray
Prayer is simple, prayer is easy, prayer shows our Heavenly Father that we love him and trust him. He will bless us for any and every effort we put forth. The gospel is as simple as that. If you want to be blessed, follow the commandments. One such commandment is to pray.
As my time is brief this P-day, I will not share all my experiences. Maybe next week when I don't have to move.
Thanks for all the support!
-Elder Vance
