First off can I say........."Who in the world would decide to put a holiday on a Monday!!" And, why are libraries closed on holidays? Wouldn't more people go to the library if it was open on their day off? Did they not realize that it upsets the careful emotional balance of a missionary mom. All holidays need to be on Thursdays and Fridays ONLY. We must put a bill into congress! Missionary Moms Unite!!
You probably guessed that I did not get an email on Monday. My Monday was going great until Kendall woke me up at 5:00 a.m. to tell me that the library is closed today. Me in the fog of sleep said, so, I don't need to go to the library today. Then he said, Dyllon uses the library to look and send his emails, he won't be able use the library today. What! I was instantly wide awake. Kendall promptly fell back asleep. For the life of me I could not go back to sleep because all I could think about was my email was in jeopardy of getting to me today. I was so looking forward to it! Thanks for waking me up so early and telling me! Could you not have waited until......say I woke up on my own to tell me and shatter my heart!
I checked my phone all day for a message because I was hoping he could find a way to send an email, but one never came........sigh!
Around 10:30, I felt the familiar buzz of my phone in my pocket and it was Dyllon. Yes!
Here is what he had to say:
Dyllon: Het I'm on for an hour. ( Is this a spelling error or what they say in Tennessee?)
Mindy: Hi
Kendall: Hi Dyllon, dad is here as well. How are you.
Dyllon: I'm sending pictures! I'm good! how are things back home?
Mindy: Things are going great, we figured you wouldn't be able to email us yesterday because the Library was closed for Labor Day.
Dyllon: Yeah! all the library's were closed! we went to the mall for p day.
Kendall: I can see the big mall on google maps. It looks huge. How are your investigators doing. Any progress?
Mindy: So, how has it been with your investigators, any updates?
Dyllon: No, We've been really focusing our efforts on less actives. The problem out here is missionary's will baptize someone and once they're baptized they're totally forgotten and never come to church.
Kendall: That's too bad, it's important that the ward take an active role in fellowshipping the members once they are baptized. That really shouldn't be your job.
Building Lasting Friendships at the MTC!
Mindy: So have you been back to see the older lady?
Dyllon: We're teaching the old lady "A", we tracted into a new family who say they lost faith in their baptist church and have invited us back. And yesterday we received a referral from mormon.org. we went to see him and he had been reading the book of mormon and lost it. So he contacted us so we could give him a new one. He say's he believes Joseph Smith was a prophet and invited us to come back.
Mindy: Awesome, what did "J" have to say?
Dyllon: She doesn't understand priesthood. She thinks just any baptism will do. She doesn't understand it has to be by proper priesthood authority, so she declined our invitation to be baptized.
Mindy: We will keep her in our prayers.....maybe something will happen. Did you get our package and Aunt Jana's? Do you like the Ties? I spoke with Kari yesterday. Hunter has contracted Malaria. Keep him in your prayers. So, how big is your mission area? is it just the city of Chilhowee or do you also serve in the Knoxville area. Thanks for the pictures they are awesome.
Dyllon: My area is Chilhowee, Corryton and Maynardville.
Mindy: So what is your typical day like?
Dyllon: Wake up at 6:30 eat breakfast. Get ready at 7. start studying by 8, start tracting and getting to appointments by 11. go to a members house for dinner at 6ish, around 7 get back to appointments until 8:30 come home by 9. Plan the next day and go to bed by 10:30.
Mindy: So, you sound like you are having a good time. Did you get the razor blades that I sent you? Are you needing me to send you anything? How did the cookies survive? Were they edible?
I like the Tennessee Shirt. Hey, you never let me know what you wanted me to do with your last check. Put it in your account or pay your tithing?
Dyllon: Pay Tithing, but the tithing shouldn't take up that whole check. Put What's left in my account.
Mindy: It was only $20, it was your uniform deposit. I"ll put it all for tithing.
Dyllon: Did you see the pictures of Neyland stadium?
Kendall: Yes, is Neyland stadium in your area? That was cool. A bunch of people will get a kick out of seeing those pictures.
Mindy: Yes, very cool, glad that you got to visit. is it nice around the stadium?
Dyllon: Thanks for the sport's updates! Keep them coming! The Stadium is huge! I only have a couple seconds left. I love you and will talk to you guys next week! have a good week,
Mindy: Bye...we love you too!
Did you notice that I was only getting a few of my questions answered? Not cool! I guess that I need to stop sending emails until he answers the first one. But, maybe he was just concentrating on sending pictures.
So Mindy, where are the pictures? Share Please. Did you put your flower in the Fair? Keep us posted on what Dyllon is doing. It is sad that member retention is bad everywhere. The members have got to step up everywhere and fellowship the new converts and keep them active! That is our job, not the missionaries, for sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the pictures Mindy!!
ReplyDelete