Hey family!
How is everything going? Thank you for all the emails this week. The big 21 is coming up, huh?
Anyway, I got a letter from the mission office a few days ago informing me of my flight information, so I brought it with me to tell you about it, but I guess you already got all of that. lol. I'm was surprised to see that I was flying into Bush airport rather than Hobby. (I don't even know where the bush airport is anymore, but I know it's not as close, lol. I can drive right to the Phoenix airport, though. lol.) But that's alright. I was just surprised to see flight plans come in the mail. Speaking of which, I decided that from now on they should NOT repeat NOT send that to missionaries. There really is no reason for me to know my flight plans, it just makes me home sick. They should just send that stuff to the missionaries families and let the missionaries know about it when they show up at the mission office to go home. Why do I need to know what time I leave and what flight and all that stuff more then a month ahead of time? Anyway, enough of that. . . .
Libby Lee is FOUR? What?! When did that happen? Everyone is so grown up now. I probably won't recognize anyone. Tell Addison that I said a VERY VERY VERY VERY SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS on her baptism this Sunday! That's super exciting. And tell Logan that if she wants to drive the three and a half hours to snowflake from Phoenix, I would be happy to keep my eyes open for her. lol.
Well, this has been an interesting week. It's rained a lot, thus I've been rained on a lot. lol. The temperatures have actually been really nice, though. Not too hot, and because of all the rain, we've had a good deal of humidity, which I am LOVING because it's sooooooooooooooooooooooooo dry in Arizona. Everyone here complains about it, so I get a good laugh out of it, too. My poor companion from Idaho hasn't seen humidity a day in his life, apparently, so he's suffering. But again, I love it.
And we have been really blessed with people to teach this week. We've had a hard time finding new people to teach lately, so everythings been struggling as a consequence. But the Lord blessed us a lot this week.
About six weeks ago elder Lerwill and I talked to a guy named Shawn, and he said that we were welcome to come by and visit with him. We got his address, and went by but couldn't catch him. After a while we gave up, thinking he gave us a fake address (that happens sometimes) because no one was ever at the apartment that he said he lived in. Well, a week ago we were going to another appartment and we saw a light on in Shawn's apartment. Elder Lerwill and I were shocked and obviously we knocked on the door to see if it was Shawn. A guy answered the door, and after talking with him it turned out it was him (I couldn't recongize him after a month and a half). He was busy but we set up a time to come by and talk to him and his girl friend.
We went by on the day that we had set up, and wouldn't you know it, no one was home. . . . We were really discouraged, but we left a note on the door and went with a member to drive around and make some other visits. While we were driving, we stopped and talked to some people who were walking around along the way. As we were talking to someone, I looked over and saw Shawn mowing someones lawn. I jumped out and talked to him. He apologized for not being home, and reset a time for us to go by. We did go by, and he and his girl friend were there and the visit went great. They're awesome. It took a lot a miracles to help us get to teach them, but we finally got there.
And we had a similar thing happen with another guy. We went by to teach him, he wasn't there, but we caught him later and had a great lesson anyway. Miracles. If there is one thing that I've learned, it's what's in Mormon 9:16-17
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
I've seen lots of miracles. I guess those verses are kind of the unofficial theme of the mission.
Speaking of, funny story. We were out making visits a few nights ago, and we ran into some older members of the 6th ward. They invited us in for a minute, and we shared a message with them. I shared the story of Alma and the Zoromites in Alma chapters 31-32 (surmrised, of course) and talked about how the Lord prepare people. And then the sister said that it reminded her of a story that she had heard recently in a talk in sacrament meeting that impressed her, and she wanted to share it. It shocked me when she suddenly started sharing the story of me tracting in Scottdale, when I ran into Ceanna. When she finished the story (she left out some of the best parts, but that's okay) she started trying to figure out who it was that had told that story. I didn't want to say "that was me!" and sound prideful because she was just saying how it impressed her. "I think he was a returned missionary. . . " my companion and her started trying to figure out who it was, and then she said "No! It was a missionary who's companion was sick!" My companion finally figured out that she was talking about me, and that I wasn't telling her, and we changed the subject. But it was really funny, and really neat that something I said in a talk stuck out to someone who heard it. When I gave that talk, I wasn't planning on sharing that story, but I felt prompted to at the end, and so I did. I always choke up a little when I tell that story (I'm getting emotional in my old age ;-]).
But that's been about my week. Teaching has slowed down a little bit, but miracles have not.
No box yet, but I did get Kellie's letter a week ago. :-) Yay!
I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Uncle Elder Jason Mace
P.S. I love you Camren! o( ^ _ ^ )o
This sounds like it has been really exciting so far. It is weird sometimes to have everyone grow up while you are gone.
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