Faith Requires Us to Have Patience

P-Day bike ride

Bike ride selfies

Elder Shirley says "Sorry about the inappropriate statues"

At a mansion/chateau along the bike path

October 17, 2016

Hi! 

As for me this week, I got sick at the start of the week. It has gotten really cold and on Tuesday we were outside for about 5 hours or so in the rain. That evening I was really cold and couldn't stop shivering. I ended up with a fever and a sore throat. So I spent half the day on Wednesday sleeping. That was my first time sick on the mission. 

We did a little bit of less-active finding this last week. This ward is bigger here so there are quite a few less actives to contact. We split up the ward list and we are trying to visit them all. It actually takes quite a long time to find some of these addresses and then quite often the person either doesn't live there or isn't home. We are seeing new parts of the city though and finding people in new areas of the city as we travel. 

On Saturday we had service at a lady’s garden that we tracted into the other week. We ripped a few big trees out of the ground. It was some good hard work. And then we shared a spiritual thought with her at the end and she sounded pretty interested. Service is a successful and effective way to find people who are waiting to hear the gospel.

The coolest thing this past week was probably today. It's P-day so we decided to do something pretty awesome. We took a train to a nearby city, Breclav, rented some bikes, and then biked for a while and saw a castle, a chateau, and a few other cool sites. We ended up biking 18 miles or so. My body isn't used to all that biking so I'm sure we'll be sore tomorrow. But it was probably the coolest P-day I have had on my mission. I'll send lots of pics. 

Overall, it was a pretty slow week with the sick day. We're hoping this week to have a few more lessons. We'll see.

We talked this last week about urgency and a better attitude. With a better attitude and a little more “skip in the step" or urgency to get out and talk with people, we show our faith to God that we are here to work and find people. It can be hard sometimes to work without immediate results, but I've definitely learned something out here about that: faith requires us to have the patience to wait and work for the promised blessings. We may not know when, but we can be certain that the blessings are there for us.

You and Dad are both asking about journal writing haha. I actually have been pretty bad this transfer. For the most part, I would write at least every other day, but this last month has been pretty bad. I'm averaging about once a week right now. But I'll get better! I still haven't received any packages. Training is on the 27th so I will get then then. There really hasn't been any investigators to teach this week. Potentials come and go pretty quick. But we are still working hard to find the one solid one. The 4 of us living together is still great. We're enjoying it. This transfer has definitely gone by super fast. Time really does go faster the longer you are out. Yep, I'm the chef here haha. I don't make anything too special. We had mashed potatoes and gravy this last week though. Elder Hanis got gravy packets in a package and it was so good. My white shirts are still in great shape! I don't think I'll have to buy any of those out here. Shoes are going strong as well. But I'm planning on buying European shoes at some point. You are correct, I haven't really worn my glasses this transfer. I just wanted a change. And I've also heard from other people that I look better without them. Not that I really need to look good right now, but you know haha.

Love you all!

-Elder Shirley

Here are some more pictures taken during the P-day bike ride: