Heeeelllllloooooooo everyone! First things first, I love
y'all! This past week was something else. A lot of ups and downs, that's for
sure. I'm usually not the roller coaster type of person, I'm usually just along
for a pretty straight shooting fun ride, but the coaster has been rolling
around in all sorts of twisties and loopies.
The beginning of the coaster was probably Wednesday when I had my last Zone Conference in
the Texas Lubbock Mission. The conference was pretty good, in fact I thoroughly
enjoyed it. I had a lot of buds there and for sure felt inspired by it all.
Plus, the food was dang good, so that's always a plus! However, along the high
riding roller coaster of Zone Conference is the portion for departing
testimonies of missionaries going home. You always think about giving your
departing testimony as a missionary, and then all of a sudden it happens and it
hits ya right across the face. President Heap instructed on some killer stuff
right before a short break that was followed by testimonies. So as President
Heap was wrapping up his instruction on "Words Mean Something" I knew
the time was drawing closer. Then the break happened. So I got up and went
wee-wee before returning to the chapel to sit there and wait. Well, we all
gathered back together and the Elder conducting announced the departing
testimonies, and when he announced my name I had the big twinge in my chest and
almost lost it. But I kept it real. There was one sister missionary and then I
was the first elder to go. So when the sister stood up and opened her mouth I
nearly lost it again. But I kept it real. She said "amen" and sat
down and I got myself up and walked up to the front of the chapel. I knew I was
toast, I don't stand a chance of holding back tears for things like that. So I
said, "For those of you that have been to my district meetings and zone
trainings, you know that I cry. So bear with me!" And at that point the
tears were coming. Long story short, I cried at the beginning but did
surprisingly really well for the last half.
There is always a problem with departing testimonies being
long mushy stories but all of us kept ours really short and bore testimony and
didn't tell stories or give advice. There was some advice from a couple, but we
all kept it short and real. So I stood up, shared my love, bore testimony about
the things that matter most and a couple reasons I know them to be true, said
"amen", and sat back down. One of the things that I mentioned a
number of times as well was that "you" (referring to the missionaries)
were one of the reasons that I knew those things to be true. I had 7 companions
there (current and former) including my two mission sons, who are both prime
examples of the grace of the Lord changing people. So that was a pleasure to
have them intently looking into my eyes while I mentioned that I know the
Savior lives because of what he's done for them. So anyway, there is my sob
story for the day. There may be more, so it may be the first sob story of the
day. But Zone Conference as a whole was pretty sweet. I have found that just
being around President Heap is such a huge boost to life. Holy cow. I don't
know what it is but just being in a meeting with him makes you feel good. He
also instructed on his expectations of our missionary work. He apologized to
his "young friends" for not having his expectations high enough
regarding finding and baptizing. A mission presidents love + expectations drive
the work, and he said that his love for us has never wavered, but he said that
he has had to repent and raise his expectations and have more faith, which he
said that he has developed and is still developing more and more. Dang, that
was powerful. I wish I would be here for follow up zone conference on this one
to see what he does to raise our own expectations.
Also during zone conference I got word of my first severe
accident as the vehicle coordinator. So that's been great. Luckily the sisters
are alright, however the car is totaled. And to make it worse, it was the
sister missionaries fault. However the sister has been handling it like a champ
and she has been super duper good at getting everything in that she needs to.
I've gotten calls from church people, insurance people, and even law people
that the church has hired to help her. And she has been doing everything and
getting everything into all those people that she needs! So good on her! I had
to send her a text yesterday thanking her for her good work! I thought she
deserved it, plus, she could probably use all the boost she can get right now.
Luckily I haven't had to do much for it at all. The insurance and law firm
people have been working with her directly so I'm just chillin' as for now,
however I have gotten a few calls about it from some people. It was kinda weird
how it all worked out on our side as well. Missionaries are to call the vehicle
coordinator and President Heap/Sister Heap immediately if they have an
accident, however I was sitting in zone conference listening to someone talk
when I heard my name from behind and looked back to see Pres Heap summoning me.
He asked me if particular sisters had talked to me, and I said "no",
and he said that they had gotten in a serious accident the previous night and
that the car was totaled and all. Then he departed as he accepted a call from
them, and then they called me an hour or two later. So it was a little
frightening hearing about it from him like that. Luckily both the sisters
weren't injured. The car can be replaced, but lives can't be!
Anyway, back to my roller coaster. Thursday
was probably one of the hardest days I've had. We spent a ton of time getting
moved into our own apartment, which we finally got after crashing with 4/5
elders for the last 5 weeks. It was sure fun, but we needed our own place! So
we basically spent all of our day doing that aside from a little bit of time
working in our assignments. But Thursday
night I was having it rough. We spent a long time assembling my new desk (which
is super legit by the way) and I just had time to think about life and I was
losing my mind. I just felt totally lost as a missionary. I realized that I was
stressed because I feel like I need to make things happen for myself personally
asap before I'm out of time, but I just couldn't seem to find the time to do
it. I just felt helpless in a sense. I felt like I hadn't fulfilled my
potential because I hadn't had the opportunity to get out and work on it at
all, and that I was just wasting away. It was terrible. I was straight about to
call President Heap to get a boost. So Friday
morning (yesterday) I decided I was going to get things straight during my
study time, so I read my chapter out of the Book of Mormon as always, and then
I went to Preach My Gospel ch. 1 "My Purpose". There is a section on
what a successful missionary is, and there are a list of bullet points in there
that help you know if you are successful. So I went through one by one and
recorded how I have been successful in those ways, and I realized that I have
been successful in many many ways! It helped a ton!
And then yesterday we were busy all day until our evening
proselyting time, so I had my mind occupied, and then we were able to go out
and make a couple visits before the night was over, and it just helped me get
back on track! It felt good to just get back to missionary work! We talked to
President about doing our full studies until 10 instead of being in the office
at 9 and not having anything to do all day, and then also he recommended before
I even asked that we should go out and work when we have slow days. And now
that our apartment is settled we should be good to go and it will help me a
ton! We have done full personal and companionship studies the last couple days,
and now our apartment is for the most part settled (besides my dresser I still
have to finish constructing) and so that's out of the way! So this coming week
I should be rolling high! Even just after yesterday and then some good studies
today I feel like a champ, so all is well.
Anyway, we had a good dinner and visit with the bishop the
other day. That went well. Good guy. And then last night we visited a couple in
the temple presidency and that was nice. Pres Curtis taught seminary and
institute for like a million years so I asked him some Old Testament questions
and shared a scripture that related to our conversation from the Old Testament.
Its always fun sharing scriptures with people you know for a fact know the
scriptures way way way better than you! I read from Joshua 3 and then he went
on the talk about Joshua 4 and on. Good stuff. Our ward mission leader and our
bishop want us to spend our little proselyting time trying to visit members in
their homes and getting to know them. So sounds like thats what we'll be doing
from now on!
Well team, I'm fixin' to get headed off this thing sometime
soon. It has been a pleasure to address you this day! May the good Lord bless
you throughout your week! I love y'all and thank you for your support and
prayers!
God bless ya!
Love,
Elder
Reed Ericson
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