This week kinda stunk. We didn't do
very much because Elder Greenberg made me sick and I was miserable and
then Elder Dallin was super sick and achy (I dont know if I spelled that
right) so we spent a lot of time sleeping between tracting and
appointments. On Wednesday we had "Zone 24's" which is where everybody
on the zone exchanges for a day and supposedly it helps a lot and
miracles happen. Our companionship likes being able to do our own thing
and work hard in our area and not have to deal with other missionaries
so we were less than enthused about this whole thing. I was put in
charge of the area with Elder Putnam, one of our zone leaders, and Elder
Payne who has been out for 4 weeks now. In the morning we did some
service and Elder Dallin and I both ended up there and we both felt sicj
and tried to get permission from Putnam to exchange back but he didn't
let us so the day started out rough. It kind of dragged on for a while
but when we were tracting at some apartments we weren't having too much
happen but then we were walking on the sidewalk and out of nowhere this
lady asked if we had a Bible we could give her and we just happened to
have one in our car so I ran to grab it while Payne and Putnam gave her a
copy of the Book of Mormon then started talking with her. When I gave
her the Bible I discovered that she is an atheist who used to be
catholic but she is going through some hard times so she had tons of
questions for us so we stood there on the sidewalk in the cold (it was
probably like 60, so yes you can make fun of me for adjusting to this
wimpy California weather) and talked with her for about an hour. The
part of this chat with her that struck me most was at one point we
mentioned that a mission costs $10,000 so she asked us if doing all this
is worth the collective $30,000 between us and instantly I knew that
despite the times that stink it is totally worth the money and
everything else that I lose or go through just to be able to make one
person's life happier so it has been completely worth it since I have
helped more than just that hoped for one person, whether it be
investigators who have gotten baptized, less actives, or ward members.
The Christmas devotional was kinda cool last night. It was pretty boring here too, as you can tell. We only had one lesson with an investigator which is annoying. She doesn't want to read the Book of Mormon because "its not talked about in the Bible" so I went through and showed her where it is talked about then I showed her in the Book of Mormon where Christ says that people who say they have a Bible and don't need more are basically denying God (it wasn't as harsh as that sounds I promise, she just needed some boldness),then I bore testimony of the Book of Mormon. I don't know how much it did for her but it helped me a ton because as I looked at her and said "I love the Book of Mormon, I know that it is true" I teared up and had to struggle through the rest of what I said. The only other time I have cried bearing testimony during a lesson was at the MTC when I invited our teacher pretending to be Selam to be bapitzed and I told her that the church was true and that it would help her. I love being a missionary, even when it stinks. I know that the Book of Mormon is true with all of my heart and I love to read from it each and every day. It has helped me so much through things that I have gone through and I know it can help anybody who reads it and prays for guidance. I love this gospel so much and I love helping God's children come home to His open arms. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Mentor, and Mediator with God and that He was born, taught, suffered, died, and was resurrected for each and every person who ever has lived, who now lives, and who ever will live. I know that His love for us is unconditional and that as we rely on His Atonement for us we can be carried through whatever trials we may face. He is the reason we celebrate so heavily at this time and it is important for us to remember Him in all that we do all year long, not just around Christmas. Every body should watch the "A Savior is Born" video at Christmas.Mormon.Org and share it with a friend because the Spirit felt during it is amazing. I love being here helping these good people and I know that I need to be with them.
The Christmas devotional was kinda cool last night. It was pretty boring here too, as you can tell. We only had one lesson with an investigator which is annoying. She doesn't want to read the Book of Mormon because "its not talked about in the Bible" so I went through and showed her where it is talked about then I showed her in the Book of Mormon where Christ says that people who say they have a Bible and don't need more are basically denying God (it wasn't as harsh as that sounds I promise, she just needed some boldness),then I bore testimony of the Book of Mormon. I don't know how much it did for her but it helped me a ton because as I looked at her and said "I love the Book of Mormon, I know that it is true" I teared up and had to struggle through the rest of what I said. The only other time I have cried bearing testimony during a lesson was at the MTC when I invited our teacher pretending to be Selam to be bapitzed and I told her that the church was true and that it would help her. I love being a missionary, even when it stinks. I know that the Book of Mormon is true with all of my heart and I love to read from it each and every day. It has helped me so much through things that I have gone through and I know it can help anybody who reads it and prays for guidance. I love this gospel so much and I love helping God's children come home to His open arms. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Mentor, and Mediator with God and that He was born, taught, suffered, died, and was resurrected for each and every person who ever has lived, who now lives, and who ever will live. I know that His love for us is unconditional and that as we rely on His Atonement for us we can be carried through whatever trials we may face. He is the reason we celebrate so heavily at this time and it is important for us to remember Him in all that we do all year long, not just around Christmas. Every body should watch the "A Savior is Born" video at Christmas.Mormon.Org and share it with a friend because the Spirit felt during it is amazing. I love being here helping these good people and I know that I need to be with them.
Love
Elder Cheever
Outside the Ghetto Circle K
A favorite taco truck
Wearing his Samoan lava lava
70 degrees and sunny in December
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