February 23, 2010

Hey,
Well, this week has been eventful. This whole transfer has gone by really fast. We are already nearing the end of it. Yesterday we did some service over in the sister missionaries area helping them help someone with some spring cleaning yard work. This lady had a whole bunch of power utensils to use and I loved it---a gas powered leaf blower, a riding lawn mower, a gas powered power washer (for all the moss on gutters), and a weed whacker, also gas powered. It was awesome.

I love this ward. I've been here long enough that I can name all the families in Sacrament meeting by last name, most of 'em by first and also their kids, and a few dogs and maiden names. It's ridiculous---the only families I know better than that are the less active ones.

Me and my companion are doing great. Now that I have more of a choice as to what we do from day to day I have been able to serve the mission I have envisioned for me. It is an awesome feeling. Last week we were helping this lady lay some laminate flooring and her step dad came over to help.... He saw me measuring a cut for a corner and felt the need to show me how to do it his way, so even though I knew what I was doing I deferred to his tutoring, as I pondered what would Jesus do. As I watched him, I realized he was marking the wrong corner and I couldn't find a way to word telling him without making it a negative experience for him. I reasoned that Jesus sometimes let people learn from their own mistakes first and decided this time so would I. So he went out, cut the piece, came back in and tried to fit it in and then when he realized he had cut it wrong he cleverly stated "it don't fit." He looked at me and I decided to plead ignorance to make him feel better and said "awww why not?" My purpose in telling this story is not to boost my own standing in your minds---it is to tell you that I learned from this guy, because in the service that we did yesterday there were sooo many instances where I could have taken the "let me show you how to do it right" approach, but then realized that is not a good way to make friends. So instead I made myself available when I saw someone in need because sadly, not all missionaries that are out here have mowed their own lawns or really done much yard work, much less mechanical work. So my point to my story is that I have recently realized that I can learn from others by my initial reaction to them. So I hope that makes sense for you all 'cause it's a bit of a labyrinth of thought, but that is the lesson I learned this week. By the way, some people like that still drive me nuts---I just deal with it better now.
So I hope you're all doing well 'cause I am great.

Love y'all,
Elder Schroeder
Reported by Mom