After our session, one of the workers asked us if we would help clean the temple. 5 other Elders and I got to help vacuum, and I don't know why, but that was kind of cool. I got to vacuum the Endowment room, and just sit in there all by myself for a few minutes while I did it and just think. I'm not sure how many people get to be in the temple alone. It was too bad that I didn't get to do the Celestial Room. Anyway, I finished the Endowment Room pretty quick, so the workers told me to go vacuum the office, and the Temple President's office too. After we all finished vacuuming, we took some pictures outside the temple and then started to head home.
On our way home we got a call from someone in the Branch that said we needed to go give a blessing to Sister Foster, who also lives in the Branch. She had been having some health problems and kidney stone surgeries and some other things. When we got to her house and stepped out of the car, Elder Hastings said to me, "You ready to give a blessing?" I told him that I guess I am if she asks me to. So we went into her house and talked for a little bit, and then she says, "Elder Hastings, will you anoint, and Elder Beach will you give the blessing?" We agreed, but I was still really nervous. This was about to be my first blessing. On the porch before we went into her house, and the during the anointing, I just silently prayed that I would know what Heavenly Father would have her hear. After Elder Hastings anointed and I blessed, she said to me, "You said exactly what I had hoped you would say." I was relieved, and thankful that my prayers were heard.
The next day, Thursday, we actually met some weird people. I told you that Elders Rumel and Graham had all the weird ones, but I guess we have some, too. One of them is named Elden. He is probably 55, and he is a less active guy. Apparently he went less active because a long time ago some missionaries were at his house, and for whatever reason they punched his cat. He's been less active since. At least that's what Elder Hastings told me. Either way, Elden is a pretty weird but super funny guy. He kept trying to tell us that a true Christian will have read the Bible once for every year of their life, and that a non-Christian will have only read the Bible once for every 3 years of their life. I didn't understand why he thought a non-Christian would read the Bible at all, but whatever. I guess by his standards, I'm not a Christian because I haven't read through the whole Bible 18 times. He also kept trying to tell us that it's really easy to come up with answers to Gospel questions. "Anyone can come up with answers," he said. "The hard part is asking questions." He said that a Jewish Rabbi (in his words, a Jewish Rabbi has read the Bible 3-4 times per year for their whole lives) is given answers, and then is able to come up with about 300 questions based on that answer. He was making no sense, but he decided to "test us," as if we were Jewish Rabbis. He told us that he would give us an answer, and then we would have to come up with a bunch of questions. His "answer" was just him reading some random verse from the Bible. We didn't really get what was going on, and Elder Hastings and I kind of just laughed at each other the whole time because he was making no sense at all. It was a weird visit. Later that day we went to go see a lady that we had found in our area book. When we got there, we were told that she had moved, but the couple that lived there now invited us in. They told us they were Pagan, and all into witchcraft and stuff. It was super weird, but she also told us that she loved learning about other religions. We talked to her about our beliefs, shared a couple of verses from the Book of Mormon, and gave her a copy. I doubt that anything will come of it, but I know that the Book of Mormon has the power to change lives. Who knows what might happen with those two if they choose to read it?
On Friday I had my first District Meeting. To begin, we went and played a quick game in the gym at the church, and then started our meeting. It amazes me how we can have so much fun together and be a little bit rowdy in the gym, and then settle down so quickly and have a serious gospel discussion. Elder Hastings is the DL, so he led the discussion. We discussed Alma 17, and read several verses that talked about our purpose/focus as missionaries. They were things I probably never would have picked up on, so it was a great training. We also got to go back to the Stoneking's home to teach Skylar. I learned very quickly that our lessons go much better when her mom and brother are not present. This lesson on Friday, only she and her dad were there in the lesson, and it went really well. There were few distractions, and her dad said he would help her with her Book of Mormon reading and help her practice praying. I hope he does, and I hope that the rest of the family can get on board and help her do what she needs to do to meet her baptism date and then stay active afterwards. It makes me sad that her progression rests so much on her parents right now. I hope and pray that they can help her in any way they can.
Saturday was my one month anniversary of being a missionary!!! It wasn't that exciting. I did nothing to celebrate, except more missionary work, so that was fun. I also read a lot in the Book of Mormon this morning about America. I love reading about things in the scriptures that give you those moments when you think, "these prophets are totally talking about our day." Ether 2:12 is one of my favorite America scriptures. Most of the time when the Book of Mormon talks about America, it just says that this land will be a land of freedom and liberty to its inhabitants if we don't get prideful and always remember our Heavenly Father. It makes me sad when people don't. I hope I can be the one to help many people here in the South to remember Him. I have also realized on the mission that personal study is one of the best times of the day, and that an hour is not long enough. A few months ago, an hour would have been forever. Today, it seems to fly by during personal study.
On Sunday the Zone Leaders (Elders Krupa and Fotu) came to interview Diane for her baptism on Friday. Elder Fotu did the interview, and afterwards he said she was solid, and she is so ready for Friday. I'm really excited for her. She was pretty much ready to be baptized before I even got to Scottsboro, we just had to teach her the last two lessons and follow up with some things. Even though I haven't done as much as Elder Hastings and his last companion to get her prepared, I'm glad that I got to help. She is so ready to be baptized, and I am so excited and grateful that I get to participate in a baptism this early in my mission. We went with the ZLs to go see Brittney and Nathan, a less active couple. Elder Fotu really wanted to see them because he was really close with them when he was serving in Scottsboro. He gave them a lesson, and we all read part of Alma 32 together. Elder Fotu talked to them about things that they can do to exercise their faith, and constantly nourish it. He called it "CPR" - (Church, Prayer, Read the Book of Mormon). I remember hearing the same type of thing at the MTC, only there it was called "being brilliant at the basics." I know that as we remember to do those simple things, CPR, our faith is constantly nourished and we will always be learning and growing. Lastly on Sunday, we went to meet Amanda and her son, Evan. Not sure if I mentioned them last week, but they are awesome. We met them last Sunday, gave them a Book of Mormon, and talked to them about it. When they came to the door last night, Amanda told us that she had read the introduction, but hadn't started the Book itself yet. She seemed disappointed in herself, which gives me hope that she does have a desire to read it. I'm sure she and Evan will this week. We talked a little bit more about the Book of Mormon, and referred them to Mormon.org. I have high hopes for them, especially if they read this week. I'm almost sure that they will.
That's about it for this week. It's been a good week, and I'm thankful to be here in Scottsboro. It's awesome being a missionary, and I love doing the work. I miss y'all, and pray for you daily. Thanks for all of your prayers and support that you keep sending my way.
Love,
Elder Beach
Driving to the temple.
Temple trip!
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