Lost in Time

May 9, 2016

Hello my friends! (I feel like I start every week like that...) It has been a crazy week down here in Abilene, TX for Elder Ericson. But always a good week nonetheless!

I will start off by mentioning the topic of my subject for this email, "Lost in Time". It is what it is. This past week was so weird for me. Every single day was just a dream for an experience. I went about all day doing my work and got it done while being super tired, but not even realizing that I was tired until someone asked me how I was doing! Every night I would come in and plan, and then handle whatever was on task for that night, and then lie down in bed and not even really be able to remember what happened that day. It seemed like I would go to bed at night, and then get out of bed and then without delay get right back in bed again. It is starting to freak me out! I would think about lessons I taught and people I talked to and not be able to remember them very well for some reason! It was crazy! We went on two different exchanges this week as well so I think that was a reason for the dreamy like state. Spending two full days plus two mornings and two nights with a change of companion and social dynamic will do that. Plus exchange days just come and go and all of a sudden you are two days further ahead than you thought you were! So, it was interesting, but hopefully it'll cool down here after this week. This week will be crazy with transfers and cleaning out apartments, so I am not expecting a change! Maybe I should though... I don't know. I don't understand the human mind well enough to decide.

On a lighter note, here's a sweet story. We were at the church on Wednesday night because we play basketball with the missionaries and sometimes some members on Wednesday nights. Anyway, we got there while our ward's youth were finishing up their combined activity in the gym. After they were done they had a basketball that they were shooting basically full court shots with (it’s a smaller court). So, Elder Ericson got the ball somehow and shot one from the opposite corner of the gym...... nothin' but net! Oh yeah, who's the coolest missionary now kids! The young men were pretty impressed to say the least. I shot a few more over the next 5 minutes or so and was just right on but just off enough to not go in. But then, tossed up another one..... nothin' but net! Holy cow I got some mad brownie points with the young men of the Abilene 1st Ward! And then after they all left we played a game with the missionaries and a member, and I forgot my athletic clothes so I played in my missionary clothes. So that was interesting. But I still balled hard regardless.

We went out on Friday to do some service in a tiny town called Buffalo Gap. We go out there and help a non-member family with their house. They bought a tiny little hut basically and now its 3800 square feet and they still have 3 years or so to go! They are building everything with supplies they get from other construction jobs or scrap stuff so they aren't paying a single penny for anything! Its incredible! The house isn't your typical house, obviously, but it is super sweet to see the project they have going for them! They are basically preparing for the day when people will need a place to stay because the economy and society are completely shot, so they are planning on providing enough room for at least 40 people to live there! Pretty interesting project! Missionaries go out and work every Friday, and I've been out there two times I think, so hopefully we'll be able to go with the other elders more this transfer!

As for the work these days, its picking up! We picked up a few new people this week to teach! We haven't been able to meet with others people that we picked up in recent weeks though. So as for any progress with anybody, there isn't much. I try not to throw names out there in these emails because y'all can't keep them straight anyway, so unless we actually teach them multiple times, I usually keep the names out so its easier to keep things straight. Hopefully we will have more progress with some people after this week so that I will have more to report! As for other work, our ward mission leader is really pushing building up "PR" with the members. Luckily, Elder Lund and I both have always been the type to be liked by the members so that is going real well for us! Apparently things have improved a lot since Elder Lund got here and even more since I got here a transfer later! So we are doing work there. We ain't doing anything special. But we just are friendly and nice and don't act like business missionaries. We act like real people while still fulfilling our purpose as missionaries. People seem to love having us in their home because of that. We can have a nice chat about who knows what at dinner and have some good laughs, and still be the missionaries that we need to be! A lot more people are calling us for service and stuff and inviting us for things. So its going well. Hopefully we can get this rolling into some good member missionary work here! But its a process that will take time!

And then of course it was a pleasure to Skype the fam last night! Always a treat! Happy late Mother's Day to all you mothers who love the rest of us so much and take such great care of us! And especially to my own mother! Love you, Momma!

Well, I need to git. I hope y'all hold tight to the iron rod this week and go forward with an eye of faith! May the good Lord bless you as you strive to live righteously and be a true Christian!

God bless ya!

Mucho amor,

Elder Reed Ericson