Well Hey there!
I love you guys so much! It's always so fun to hear from everyone! I am super blessed. Speaking of hearing from you guys....I think I had my first "trunky" slap in the face this past week. It happened when we went out to the mailboxes here at the apartment complex. It was Friday (the day that your letters normally come in). It was empty. So we went back to check on Saturday night too. Nothing. Then it hit me, "Wow....I must have hit the point where I'm so close to going home that everyone stops writing in fear that it won't ever get to me in time! CRAZY!"
But if that is the worst of my "trunkiness" then in my opinion I'm doing pretty good. Not even the phone calls I have been making to people from my old areas to invite them to my despedita has been taking a toll on me like I had imagined it might. Everyone always talks about trunkiness as some sort of major challenge that one hits towards the end of his mission which causes him to lose motivation/drive and focus as a missionary. I imagined that if I were to ever experience trunkiness that it would happen when I started calling people to invite them to my despedida....but nope! Still going strong and loving the mission!
After ward counsel yesterday one of the ward leaders (the primary president) who sits in on the counsel asked me, "So are you getting trunky yet Elder Ostler?" I thought about it for a second as I realized that I still don't really know what "trunky" feels like before responding, "Hmmm...well, I'm not sure if I'm just fooling myself or not, but I don't think so." Then I explained to her how we have been super busy these past several weeks. We talked about all the many miracles within the ward going on right now with the people we are teaching and even the new people we are meeting and how all that has made it really easy for me to stay focused.
And then we transitioned to a quick conversation on what would need to happen this week as we prepare for the baptism a primary aged young man this coming Sunday. Woot Woot! Not bad eh? Could there be such a thing as "On Purpose with Purpose Trunkiness?" ;)
So speaking real quick on all the amazingness we have going on in our area right now, I credit ALL of it to the truthfulness and power of a statement from President Monson in his April 2013 welcome to conference address: "Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together...." The rest of the quote is awesome too and I'm not sure if I'm quoting it exactly or not, but that is the idea that has been impressed upon my mind with so much emphasis the past 24 hours.
This understanding of missionaries and members working together being the best way to do the work of the Lord has been coming to me steadily and increasingly over the course of my mission. But I feel as if I had a capstone type moment of clarity and understanding yesterday as I sat in sacrament meeting. Normally I sit in the front with our investigators, but yesterday, due to some late arrivals and the pews at the front of the chapel being already full, I ended up in the back with a part member family we are working with. Luke, the 10 year old son in this family is the young man on schedule for baptism next week. He is a huge inspiration to his family concerning their conversion and return to activity in the church. This kid is a stud! And I have learned so much from and with him as we visit with him and his family. But before I distract myself from that moment of clear understanding regarding President Monson's statement that I wanted to share with you, I will return myself to the original topic....
From my seat in the back, I had a perfect view of everything going on in the chapel. It was beautiful! I was literally watching the combo between members and missionaries working together in real time right in front of me! Every single one of our someday-soon to-be-member friends had paired up with already official member friends in the ward and were sitting enjoying the messages being shared in sacrament meeting. Even the family that I was sitting with in the back had been warmly welcomed by the other members on the back bench with us! It was awesome! And to make it even better, even the messages that were being given over the pulpit had been tailored for our recent converts and non-member friends. It was just wonderful!
Well, I'd like to go on and explain more about the power and unity that there is when members and missionaries come together, but I just ran out of time. Our zone got invited to a member's house for a barbecue and games and stuff today for pday. It's going to be lots of fun. But I have a TON I have to do today in my last pday including a stewardship report of my mission and other end of mission tasks (like deciding what to bring home and what to throw away).
Well....not sure if I will have the chance to send you guys a quick email next week or not.....
Hasta Luego!
Love you All!
Yours Truly,
Elder Ostler
