ElderTaylorGray: Craziest Week Ever. October 17, 2016

So about the trio. The companionship that lives with us had an Elder go home for surgery so he became part of our trio. Since we had no time to prepare, someone had to stay in Cottonwood for a day, while someone had to go up to Spring Valley. So we went on splits. I was here in cottonwood with a priest or older leading the area for a whole day. Then the next day we got a "surprise" in the mail. It was a new Elder. So now we aren't a trio but two of us had to go up to get him from Camp Verde while someone else did splits again. But now there's more of us. Then the next day Elder Townsend had to go to Phoenix because he's a district leader and they had a district leader meeting. So I was again with someone different leading the area who was newer than I was. Then on Friday we had exchanges, but since my companion is the district leader I was with one of the zone leaders and he was with another one. So I was with another random Elder again leading the area, but this time, I was driving. This exchange lasted until the middle of Saturday. Then there was Sunday which is always a good time to slow down after such a crazy week and just think about and remember why I'm out here.

I also have learned or more so just remembered a lot of Spanish. When we meet Spanish speakers I can help see if they're interested and schedule times for the Spanish elders as a referral.

To add to the crazy of this week the ward boundaries changes which only affected. Four wards in the stake. Two of them were our wards. They took a large chunk out of the Black Hills ward and moved it to a different ward to strengthen them and then took a different chunk out of that ward and moved it into our other ward. So gain/lose. But looking at the changes I think it's actually going to benefit everyone by helping wards who need more support.

I've met some really cool people. I've realized that no one is just an average person. No matter what, something has set everyone apart from what others perceive as normal. People are interesting and each knows something that someone else might not know and vice versa. And also everyone has a challenge, everyone you see might have something that they're going through that you might be able to help them with. Don't think that "they probably have it all figured out" because everyone needs help. You might be that help. Never be afraid to do something for someone else.

There's this family we teach and the mom we've taught the most and she knows it's true, but the dad has had a much harder life and was just so scared to take steps, but the other day when we came he just looked different. Like a light had turned on. He always said that he feels like he's never been able to get as close to God as he wanted to but now he says he's done giving up on God and that he believes that this, what we've been showing him is what God has had in store for him his whole life and it will be what helps him feel close to God always.