Changes, and the Stig's cousin

Hey Everyone,

First it's my Grandma's birthday.  Happy birthday Grandma.  I'll be
sure to treat Sister Ellsworth extra nice just for you!  Sis.Ellsworth
is like an adopted Grandparent.

It's another amazing week in the mission field.  I have been asked to
train a brand new missionary named Elder Conaway.  He is with
out a doubt an all star Elder.  Already he's applied himself in
every part of missionary work.  He has four older siblings one girl
and 3 boys.  All of his family sounds really cool.  The best part is
he has a real accent, from Houston Texas.  The members have really
welcomed him into the area.  So far we've been working really well
together.  All ready I can see how much better of a missionary he is
to me.

When I was asked to train, and when I actually got my new companion I
really felt like "Doc" from the movie "Cars".  Elder Conaway is a lot
like lighting McQueen.  He knows the scriptures like the back of his
hand, and is really confident when it comes to teaching.  As always it
takes a lot of humility to work with new companions.  I'm confident
that we'll have a wonderful 12 weeks together.

That's one of the nice things about training a new missionary.  The
mission department has a 12 week manual for New missionaries and
Trainers.  It is designed to help missionaries learn faster and
develop teaching skills more efficiently.  Part of the program
includes an hour of extra companionship study, which means we're
studying three hours every morning.  I really enjoy this time, because
you can get to know how to work with each other.

This week has been a whirl-wind full of new situations.  The event
that was most entertaining was walking a Brother WalkingOak home from
the bus stop.  He wasn't exactly stable, so we didn't want him to get
hit by a car as he walked home.  It was an interesting walk,
especially when he decided to relieve himself on the side of the road.
Not the most comfortable of situations.  All in all it's been a great
opportunity to be here.  Hopefully Elder Conaway and I will make the
area blossom.

I love you all,
Elder Davidson

PS: Oh something cool as well is I saw the motorcycle Stig.  He lives
right down the street and I always seem him in a helmet.  The other
day he was actually working on his bike, but had his helmet on.  I'm
sure it's Stig's, motorcycle riding cousin.

A brand new companion

Transfer news!  This week I'll be getting a new companion and training him as a missionary!  It's really exciting, because I'm not sure what it'll be like.  The cool thing is the district leader is also training, so we'll be able to work with each other.

One really cool event.  If you look back on my letters to the early days of the mission you'll remember a three generation family that was baptized.  Believe it or not the husband continued to come to church and meet with the missionaries.  This past weekend he was baptized, and in a year he'll be able to go through the temple.  Then he and his family will be sealed.  If they let me know I'll be able to go to that.  That was probably one of the sweetest things, as I found closure to this experience.

In the coming weeks I'll be put into another situation, and be able to teach another elder who is coming.  Even then he'll be able to teach me so much.   I've started cleaning our house so my new companion won't have to be in a bunk bed.  Cleaning is something we can all relate to with Dad.

I forgot to tell you about Quidditch.  I'm not the fastest by any means.  Mostly because my ankle is still recovering from being sprained six weeks ago.  What helped me is I studied all the streets in the area, and I had a pair of binoculars so I could strategically put myself in the path of the snitch and intercept him on his path.  It turned out to be very successful.  So I don't think I'm the fastest- that would be the other seeker Elder P.  I just ran less than he did and found the snitch first.

 

Love,

Elder Davidson

PS.

Have a wonderful week :)

Quiddich update

Hello,

Can you believe that we actually played a successful game of Quidditch?
It worked like this.  There was one companionship that was a snitch
and a bludger.  Then there were another two companionships that had a
seeker and beater each.  Our playing field consisted of the streets
between University to 8th ST and Westwood to Vineyard (if you want to
look on the map).  The snitch (Elder L) wore all gold clothing,
so we could see him.  While that was going on there was an actual game
going on Orange Street.  It played much like ultimate frisbee, except
instead of a frisbee there was a half deflated soccer ball.  All in
all it was a really fun activity.  Ultimately our team caught the
snitch, but not before we bumped heads.

This past week end another one of our investigators was baptized.  She
was a very prepared women.  She spent a lot of time studying on
Mormon.org, so it made it really easy to teach.

There was a small world moment when I met Brother B in the ward.
He told us a story about how they almost burned their whole cabin
down.  It was quite the story.  His Mission President said,
"way to go Elders".  When I asked what the presidents name is, he said
"Phillip Redd".  I got really excited, because that is my Grandpa.
He pulled out a photo album and showed me a picture of the
whole mission.  It was cool, because I got to see my mom when she was
really young.  It was a wonderful moment.

That pretty much sums it up for the week.

I love and miss you all,
Elder Davidson

Harry Potter attack

Gryfindor wins!

 

No I haven't gone completely of my rocker, and there hasn't been a large group of missionaries watch all the Harry Potter movies.  Today we are going to be playing Quiditch!  I've been chosen as a seeker, and I have to chase my District leader Elder Landsaw (He'll be wearing bright Gold clothes).  Up dates I guess will be next week.

 

Another week and Arizona weather is nothing to get excited about.  In the day time it still gets too hot, and in the evening it gets really cold.  We've been told that it's not normal for the weather to be like this.

 

So Saturday was a very rewarding day.  We didn't have a single lesson hold.  Every single one of the people we're teaching canceled.  On further investigation it didn't take long to see that my companion and I needed to help one another.  As we offered guidance and help to one another, there has been a complete transformation in both of us.  It took me a long time to see that if I want to help my companion, I have to love him first.  To that end it seemed appropriate to make a face in a potato and leave it on his desk.  We are not perfect as we work together, even when we've been together for so long.  This week I can say that we are trying our best.  To that end I am grateful.  It has helped me to read in "Preach my Gospel" and the scriptures about repentance.  Everything I thought was hard to do last week has become acheivable.

 

In this coming week there will be a woman getting baptized, who is beyond prepared.  Her dining table has more study material than my desk does at home.  More than that she has a true desire to make her life better.  It is always refreshing to see others observe the blessings that come by keeping the commandments.  That leads to another awesome story.

 

While biking down the street several days ago we talked to a woman who was totally not interested.  As we turned around and started biking a fellow going the other way stopped us.  In a very greasy T-shirt and rough jeans he asked, "what are you selling?"  I quickly responded, "the good news".  At first it seemed like he was just giving us a hard time (many people do).  Then he started asking questions.  As we explained to him that we believe in everything that Jesus Christ taught and that it is on the Earth today, he asked where church was.  This past Sunday he came!  He had never heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormons.  I invited him to ask any questions and to pay attention to what he felt.  By the end of the three hour block, he invited us back and wants to be baptized into the Church.  It is such a miracle when other people can actually see that we represent Jesus Christ and his church. 

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

 

Love,

Elder Davidson

New Year

Happy New Year Everyone,

It's been a crazy week with all of the holidays. 

We've had two new members of the church go to the hospital for different reasons.  The good news is the weather is wonderful.

This week we have been struggling.  We've had a few good lessons and worked hard on nothing...Ok that's not true, but our efforts have not been up to snuff.  Trying to focus when everyone else is celebrating holidays is a hard thing to do.  That said it's possible for us to do "hard things".

Yesterday Elder Brown and I went shopping for a new suit for him.  He got a nice three piece for ten dollars at good will.  He's been so excited about it.  It looks really good on him.  It's a classic brown color pulled right out of the 70's. 

A couple days this week we played soccer with the Zone which has been really fun.  Our district did this really fun thing where we draw the name of an elder out of a hat, and we have a week to figure out all we can about that elder and share it in District Meeting.  This week I have an elder from Arkansas.  He's an incredible elder.  He really likes to play sports, and is quite good.  He also used to go to BYU before he came on his mission.  He used to swim and compete.  I don't know anything about his family yet, but I soon will.

That's really all the new things that I can think of this week.  The bishop in one of our wards is such an amazing man.  He as taken a personal responsibility to do missionary work.  On New Year's day Sunday, he asked the whole ward to put a greater effort into missionary work.  That he has done himself.  This week we had three lessons in his home, which takes a lot of time, but he has a real desire to do the right thing.

Have a good week,

Elder Davidson