So after emails Monday, had dinner at a members house, and listened to church music on the drive there and back. I love it, yea I may not be listening to my old stuff, but church music is peaceful and nice. Also, I don't know if I talk about it much, but some of the drives to where we need to go that day are beautiful. I've always been one to enjoy outdoors, camping, and fishing. It's refreshing I guess you can say. A lot of trees, basically a forrest down here, and with Kudzu. For those who don't know what Kudzu is, it was a plant that was brought to the United States from Asia, to help erosion and feed some of the farm animals. Let's just say it's now everywhere, and it makes beautiful scenery, and even sometimes look very annoying in some places hahaha, one of these days I'll get a very good pic of it and I'll send it to you guys.
Tuesday we went up to Collierville, Tennessee where we had District Council(Pic of District and Zone Leaders down below). Our Zone Leaders joined us because after Council we would do exchanges. We had a cool lesson on Repentance and the Atonement. Elder Brinkerhoff made cups, one of Jesus, a big jug for the world, and other cups for us, and we all poured our water into Jesus's cup, even though it was full. It just shows that even though his cup was full, he sacrificed himself for all of our sins, so that we can be forgiven and be able to return to him again. It was a cool experience. Then we all went to Panda, then went off to exchanges. Me and the person I exchanged with, Elder PaoPao, he's really cool, went with the Sisters to someones house who is getting baptized this month. I can't give details about stuff because she's a mega smart, to the point, and a freaking seer, and she told us if we said her name in emails or something she'd tell on us if she found out. But that experience happened. Then after I got a haircut (Pic below) ((I hope you love me now mom XD)), then me and Elder PaoPao left back to Holly Springs, in that process, we tried visiting 3 houses on the way back, but only 1 one of them was home, and we talked with her and her son. The mother was telling me that she has been wanting to come back to church recently so we said we could help her out with that so that's exciting. Then we went to the church and spoke with Brother Roswell about Splits that would happen the next day, then he took us to Wendy's and we shut down for the night.
Wednesday me and Elder PaoPao played Tennis, and then got ready for the day. After Prep and other stuffs, we left all the way down to a town at the bottom corner of our area called Hickory Flats, where we gave a lady her Book of Mormon, talked to her about it and taught her who we are and about the Restoration. She seemed pretty interested so we're praying we can work with her. Then we tried contacting others in that area but no luck. Then we drove all the way to the other side of our mission to teach the two kids, Unique and Maricus, about the Plan of Salvation. Then the other two Elders came from South Haven and co-taught with us about it. Then we ended exchanges, and then parked at a Gas Station to make calls and figure other things out. Then we drove to our Branch Presidents house, and then left for Splits. During this, it started pouring, and I mean pouring, it was intense, and the lightning looked really cool. I was with the Branch President and our Branch Mission Leader Bro. Roswell, and we tried visiting one person, but she was heading to the doctors due to chest pains, so that was sad. Then we visited another member who had surgery on his leg recently, while the power was out. So that was interesting, then we came back and had Ice Cream.
Thursday we did the usual plan and studies, then helped Gary in Lamar with a few things. We cleaned out his rain gutters and helped fix a spighot, and was basically sweating rockets, like bullets... But it was intense. Then after that we switched into church clothes, had dinner at Garys moms house, then we visited Mike and his family, and gave them blessings which was cool. Then we stayed over at Garys to save miles, because we are allowed only so much.
Friday we woke up and went straight to our apartment, where we got ready and then Brother Roswell picked us up to do service at the Animal Shelter again, then after we went to his house and helped his daughter move to her new apartment, which was upstairs, I was sweating rockets too that day, it was blaring hot, me and Brinkerhoff were basically sweating rockets. Then we had Subway, and then came back home. Then we switched over and had dinner at a members house, then visited a member who goes to the Collierville ward, but lives at Rust College, which is right around the corner from us. While we were waiting for her, a few students came up and talked to us, asked us if we were students there, if not what college we went, then we told them we weren't students anywhere but we're missionaries. Then we spoke with her, her name is Michelle, she's studying Social Work which is cool. While we were talking with her, one of her friends named Nasir (Na-Zeer) came up to us and started talking with us. He's Mr. Freshman in his class and all this other really cool stuff, and he's new to Christianity. So we talked to him, answered questions about our view on the term 'Shouting', and we talked to him about how we didn't do that because Jesus was a peaceful, reverent person, and that since we try to be like him, we sing hymns in that type of manner. Then we got his number and he left, so hopefully we can start working with him, then we left and spoke to Michelle a little as we were walking to the truck.
Saturday we played Tennis, and did all of our studies. We went to the Morrisons where Brinkerhoff got a haircut, and we spoke with them for a little. Then we visited President Griffith, talked about the needs of some people and helped him move things to his shed. Then we visited the Smith family, they were cleaning their Pistols from shooting earlier that day and it was cool to hear their stories about it. Then we tried visiting the Hobbs family, but they were busy. Then we came back and did weekly planning, called Zone Leaders and our District about stuff.
Sunday was a really good day. Fast Sunday was good and we talked about Ministering in Priesthood and Relief Society and talked about why this new approach. Then after church we went to one of the kids we were teaching had a family birthday party because he was turning 8, so we helped and talked with people there. Then we felt the need to go visit a family who wasn't at church that day, and we found out it was more family business that prevented them from coming, nothing bad, just bad schedules. But we spoke with them, then we were about to head back home, but then felt to go visit a member and speak with her and check up on her. She was the one who the boyfriend left behind. Then after we thought we were done, but then we felt we needed to go visit Brother Roswell, and ended up giving hin a blessing because he was sick. So all of Sunday was really spirit lead so that was cool.
As I close today, I want to speak on about the struggle a lot of people have, even myself, which is being good enough. There are a few people out here who sometimes think they aren't good enough. But that's not true, you were placed on Earth for a reason, a very good one too. Believe it or not, God trusted you to be placed at this point of life because he knew you would do amazing things at this time, don't let anything tell you otherwise. You all have importance, and you have to be strong, even when times may seem like nothing will work out.. God knows you, and he knows your desires, and he will help you be the best good you you can be. He watches over you and always has his arms open out to you.
I hope you all have a amazing weekend, hope school for all of you is going well. And I always keep you in my prayers.
Much love,
Elder Braxton Hotton
Attachments:
Blog link: https://elderbraxtonhotton.blogspot.com/?m=1
1st pic: Me and Elder Brinkerhoff
2nd: The District (Me and my companion, and the two Sisters, Left is Sister Hawkes, Right is Sister Uli'i) and the Zone Leaders (Left is Elder PaoPao and right is Elder Nelson)
3rd pic: Me and my haircut
4th pic: A Spider I saw
5th and 6th pic: Me and Elder Brinkerhoff playing Tennis today
(Sorry the pics are in weird order)
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