Well Hello There once
again!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARA!
Holy snaps! You are getting Old! Hope you have a great
Birthday!...And Graduation!
Mom, it's quite
interesting to me that you sent me those quotes. That is actually
something I have been thinking about recently quite a bit. I have been
seeking to understand the bigger picture of the gospel, the why (not the what),
a lot more. It is something that I was doing a lot more towards the
beginning of my time here in California, but I think as I started to understand
it, I got a little bit comfortable and started focusing on other things/aspects
of my missionary work. But now, as a companion of a new missionary, it is
something that has been brought once again to the forefront of my mind. I
have been thinking about it a lot. A ton. The understanding of the
WHY is going to bring the most understanding.
This week was the most
successful week teaching wise we have had together (Elder B and I). So
that was a huge success and a blessing. This was especially a blessing due to
the fact that Elder B needs teaching opportunities. I have learned that
the only time he feels we are being successful is when we are talking with
people in a lesson type situation. He loves to be talking. Absolutely
loves it. I just wish he knew where he was going when he starts
talking... I have to be so focused/on my toes when he begins talking. He
just opens his mouth, starts talking, and before you know it he could be
sharing some personal experience or object lesson that really doesn't relate to
the lesson or the questions of the investigators. It's a toss-up every
single time he starts talking of whether or not we are going to get taken way
off track on some tangent which confuses the investigator or whether we are
going to help the person's understanding because of the story or example.
But every single time, as soon as he finishes his story, he turns towards
me, and just motions for me to take it away. I worry that because of my
bettering abilities to smoothly branch us from the tangent back to the lesson
or message that Elder B is going to continue thinking that everything he
says/shares is a contribution to the lesson or was "guided by the spirit”
But I'm hopeful that our lesson simulations/practices in the morning will begin
to click over into the lessons we have throughout the day. I'm not
exactly sure what else to do, so I do my best to smile and press on. I
think/hope that someday it will all just click for him. Being a trainer is a totally different
experience. I don't even know how to describe it. Some of it is
harder, some of it is easier, some of it is less enjoyable and other parts more
enjoyable.... sometimes exhausting and other times energizing. I have no
idea how to describe it. But I love it.
I just saw that I got an
email from you mom! I have about 10ish min left. So I'm going to
try to instant message you. That just sounds more exciting :)
[Note from Mom: It was so wonderful to talk with Ben through email, if only for a few minutes! This letter is somewhat disjointed as a result. It was worth it!]
But until I hear back
from you, I'm just going to keep writing...just in case you got offline.
Regarding the work of
saving souls, Things are picking up quite nicely. That amazing family I
keep telling you about. Is still amazing. We even started teaching their
daughter too! They are very interested in the gospel. It is so fun
to teach them.
Last night was when we
started teaching their daughter. We went over for a lesson with the
parents, but they weren't there. They hadn't gotten home from reffing
their soccer games yet. We had brought a young man from the ward with us
to help us out with the lesson. As it just so happened, this young man
knew the daughter of the family! I think partially because of him and
partially because she is gaining interest in knowing what we are teaching her
parents, she invited us in. It was great. She is just like her
parents. She is searching and hungry to find the truth to religion.
It was definitely a blessing of a coincidence to have one of her high
school friends present there with us. She, just like her parents,
accepted an invitation to be baptized when she knows for herself that what we
teach is true! But she pretty much already knows. She told us that
this story*/religion seems to be exactly what she has been looking for. They
are just an amazing family. When the parents got home mid way through the
lesson, they were super excited to see that their daughter had decided to begin
learning with us too. Like I said, just an awesome family.
Hasta un momento!
Elder Ostler
*As I read over what I
just typed, I need to clarify something. The story that she was referring
to was the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith, a
modern day prophet.
