Happy Birthday Mom!

Hi everybody,

 

This past week was really good. We were on bikes so my counteracting plan to being on bikes for the evenings is inviting all members I can think of to come and teach with us. We had members take us out three nights this week. That's not bad for a branch with average attendance of 40 something. I can't express to you guys how much better lessons go with a member. I don't know if its just because theyre that much more spiritual than us or they are just more relatable or God just blesses us for making the extra effort but it has got to be something.

 

I can't even think of anything to talk about right now. I am just sitting here. I am really addicted to mint chocolate chip Klondike bars. They're like the best frozen treat known to man. You should all go get some next time you're in the grocery store. It's like 2.69 for 6 of them at wal mart. Am I making this enticing enough. I will be following up next week on who did this and I will be giving shout outs for those that come through.

 

Also I have finally gave up fighting it and just started using the word yall its way too convenient. I made it over 9 months (one pregnancy and a bit) without

giving in but I have now cracked. I know I am being judged right now but any of you come live down here for that long and never say it and I will take you out for dinner.

 

Transfers are coming up in a week and a half. Decent chance my companion moves but nothing is ever sure in mission transfers.

 

We have some really awesome investigators right now. There are three pretty cool families we are teaching that I would say are kind of our top investigators.

 

Congrats to Waranne on the child. I like the names.

 

Happy birthday Dad Mom and Anniversary too.

 

I will think of things to write about this week because this email is lame.

 

Spiritual message for today. uhh...

Sister Petersen shared a cool story in specialized training last month. It was about this little group of neighborhood kids who all like to do diving as a hobby and they were all very proper and well off or something. And they go to a diving competition and there is this other kid who was poor and didn't have a pool at his house to practice at and he would try to do flips and stuff but he never pointed his toes or had good form. And all the other little kids to nice dives and swan dives with pointed toes and made fun of the poor kid. At the end of the competition they announce the poor kid wins and the narrator girl goes up to the judges and asks how that's possible because hed had lower scores the whole time. And the judges say to her "you may have had the better dive, but he had the harder difficulty" and he wins because of the difficulty multiplier or bonus or something. Anyways the moral of the story is you may look like your better but others may have harder difficulties. You can't judge anybody because we don't understand their circumstances. You don't know where they come from what their brain chemistry is like how they were treated through out their life. And I am not just talking about handicapped people or random people that are kind of different it applies to every person you come in contact with. Something that has helped me a ton over the last couple months is the parable of the two debtors which I belive is in Matthew somewhere. Gottta go and don't have time to find it but I would invite you all to go read it. And then everytime you're mad at somebody or they are annoying just remember how patient GOd has been with you your whole life.

 

That's all the time Ive got

 

Love peace and blessings yall

 

Elder Davidson

How general is your conference?

What's up friends and family,

 

I hope that your week was wonderful and awesome.

General Conference was amazing. ughhh!

I watched the first 4 sessions in spanish so I didn't get quite as much out of it as I do when its in english even though I more or less understand. It's just not the same when it's not their voices and your native language.

 

We told angel about general conference this week we didnt really know what he would say. We'd talked about a living prophet but just briefly. When we told him what it was and that it was this weekend his  face just lit up and he was like wow I hope I can get saturday off work. THat's going to be really special.

Angel came to 4 sessions of conference at the church. He was originally planning on staying for priesthood but he was so wiped out after 2 sessions we just sent him home. I guess thats what happens when you've only had the gift of the holy ghost for a week and you get spiritually nuked. Just drains you.

 

Other than all the other people that said they would be there didnt come. But you focus on the positive not on the negative. (at least that's what our mission president always says when we dont hit our monthly goal haha)

 

My favorite thing from conference was when Tad R Callister talked about people calling to ask which was the best ward and only once in 16 years did someone call and ask what ward needed a strong family.

 

One of the scriptures I memorized is D&C 81:5 Wherefore be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

 

I think when you look around its really easy to identify people who walk around with the what can I give attitude.  I'm kind of out of time maybe I'll talk a little more about what I've been thinking about lately next week.

 

To conclude general conference was awesome. President eyerings testimony blew my mind. And Jeffrey R Hollands invitation to lean on his testimony also left me shell shocked. It was unreal. I bear my witness that they are called of god and instructed by him. Exodus 33:11. I know that God is the same yesterday today and forever.

 

I love you all tons, and hope your weeks are awesome.

Nine Months

Hi friends and family, I'll try and give a all around gerneral update because several people told me they didnt really think they new what was going on in my life.

 

My companion is still Elder Ramirez we stayed together after transfers. He was born in toreon coahuila but pretty much spent his whole life in Dallas. He's a goof, he has the worst eating habits but its kind of funny. We get along fine and we've more or less figured out how to teach with each other. I am still in sout little rock.Everything in my area is pretty much off of a road called baseline which I guess one of the senior couples told us is like one of the first roads like period. when they went and explored this part of the states or something I don't know. There are lots of hispanics in our area and we are decently close to the church which is always a blessing. Angel the investigator with walmart and the umbrella is getting baptized this thursday. He is a very spiritual man and he knows a lot aobut the bible. That'll be my first baptism in this area and it will be Elder Ramirez's first baptism so we are excited about that.

 

The spanish branch is not quite as strong over here but it's still good. There are some wonderful people over here very faithful members of the church. Transfers will be in the end of april like the 20 somethingth of april. Elder Ramirez will most likely move and I will probably stay here. We have some other cool investigators but nobody is really that close to being baptized. I now get tons of emails from friends and I try to send repsonses to most of them. It's very time consuming but also very enjoyable.

 

I've been a little sick for a couple weeks. It's getting annoying I think I will call the mission doctor today and see what he says. I'm not really sick but its not going away.

 

We had a super awesome testimony meeting this yesterday because the youth from the stake had just gone on a trip to nauvoo and so the branch president invited them if they wanted to to come up and share their feelings from the trip. They ALL got up. some of them dont even speak spanish but the branch president translated for two of his kids and one girl just bore hers in english. Angel our investigator was crying during the english testimony. That man doesnt speak a drop of english. One kids from the branch got up and talked about a walk that they went on where they were given the name of one of the pioneers that had crossed through that area or something. and and the end of the walk the stake president (by the way the little rock stake president is awesome he's suuuuuuper intense) says to the kids The important question you need to ask yourselves youth is would you be willing to do the same thing the pioneers did. I know you would all be willing to do it. And this young man who is a little bit bigger a little bit awkward wears glasses not super eloquent says. I was really thinking about that important question and I didnt really think I would do the same. And on the bus ride home I thought about it for a while and I prayed about it and I realized that I would do the same thing. It was super sincere and honest I just started crying like a baby.

 

Anyways I hope that is sufficient for an update. I hope you all feel connected. I hit my nine month this past week. Dont really know where the time is going.

 

Much love, Elder Davidson

Exciting News!!!

Hello one and all!

 

Hope everybody's weeks were satisfactory if not pleasing even. Things re all right down here. I'll get right into the good stuff. This week managed to produce a reasonably good story. Nothing to crazy but it was funny.

 

We started teaching a man from El Salvador about a week or two ago. He's doing pretty well. He's read to about first nephi 10 last we talked and he really wanted to come to church this weekend and see what it was all about. But he doesn't have a car so we needed to find him a ride. No big deal we've got a few different people that can help us with that. It was actually perfect because he lives in an apartment complex and his dowstairs neighbor is an active member. So while we were eating at their house on thursday we asked them if they could give him a ride. They were a little bit hesitant but then agreed.  We gave them his number and gave him their number figured with them living like a 10 second walk from each others front doors we would probably be good. Fastforward to saturday night we call the family giving a ride and they say it's still cool ... unless it rains. Their van's windsheild wipers are broken and if it's raining then they cant drive anywhere. We're llike oh ok thats cool it'll be fine we'll just pray and ask heavenly father to not make it rain so we can have our investigator come to chuch. Fastforward  to sunday morning violent thunderstorms ... our NOAA weather radio is making obnoxious siren noises and warning us about severe weather. Ride 1 not going to work it's cool we're missionaries we always have a backup plan. Go to our cool 30 year old less active who is usuallt willing to help. We get ready to go and leave for church about 2 hours early with the intention of fixingproblem and still getting to church early. We go to his trailer and knock on the door his brother opens we obviously woke him up I dont know how he was asleep at 10:30 in the morning  on the couch with his wife because they have like a 2 year old and I dont know any two year olds that sleep in till 10:30. Irrelevant! We ask him if we can come in and wake his brother up. He says ok we go in (background our less active is a Pretty big guy recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and now sleeping with a oxygen mask)

he's asleep in a recliner with regular clothes on (including shoes) and his oxygen mask. We poke him for several minutes he finally wakes up and he is in no shape way or form coherent so we tell him to come to church and their is mutual unspoken understanding between my companion and I that he is not going to be able to give our investigator a ride. back up plan B we drive to another less actives home who'd been coming to church semi consistently for the last month. 3/4 they're not home. Crap what do we do. We pull into an abandoned gas station to make calls. We first have to call other missionaries to see who is taking their investigator to church because we cant double book anybody. So we get that figured out decide to try somebody else call him he got called in to work for an emergency he says try my wife. We call her SHE CAN DO IT! BOOM! but she needs solid directions. We drive down to the apartment complex where our investigator lives to get a solid address and description for her. Between the two of us and the GPS we get some solid information ready for her. Send that text . Keep in mind its raining this whole time and I and not feeling real well and forgot to eat breakfast. We go and knock our investigators door to tell him about the change of plans. Some other guy with no shirt on answers the door. and says he wnet to buy groceries at wallmart. (he walked) crap! we call our INV and he says he's done buying groceries but he doesnt want to walk home in the rain. In a stroke of brilliance (I have to admit) my companion says fine then we will come to walmart and give you one of our umbrellas so you can walk home without getting wet. Drive to walmart got find our INV give him and umbrella tell him we have a sister from the branch coming to pick him up in 20 min

he decides to get social anxiety all of the sudden because its a woman and is all like I dont even know her what do I say. We assure him its okay her teenage children will be with her its not some kind of date. We go off to church. and leave it all in the hands of the lord.

 

He made it to church. Even had time to put on a shirt and tie and product in his hair. It was branch conference and the stake president gave a wonderful talk. It was all worth it.

 

Knew term coined by my companion for "doing everything you possibly can:" We even gave 'em the umbrella

 

In other news new rule change from SLC says we are now permitted to email our friends! Holy cow! So whoever you are reading this send me an email. jorgen.davidson@myldsmail.net It is now permitted.

 

Cool right!?

 

Love you all hope my story wasnt too dragged out.

 

Have a great week everybody!

 

Elder Davidson

Bueno Bueno (Nov 4)

Hello loved ones,

Life is good. Its hard but good.

Thanks alie for the snacks and the sweater.

So transfers are in a week. My companion is like presidents favorite
spanish missionary so they talk on the phone about whats going to
happen. Sounds like most likely we'll be staying together barring any
last minute inspiration. Fine by me. This is definitely a favorable
area.

Not too many interesting things to say about the last week. We had
rotisserie chicken at the shirmp house so things are a little more
tame on that front.

I cant think of too many specific things to say so I guess I'll tell
you a little about some of my investigators.

Margarita is our number 1. We found her tracting a month ish  ago. She
doesnt look that spanish shes got a pretty fair complexion. She spoke
english to us at first and we werent going to do anything other than
ask here where hispanics lived but I felt impressed to ask where she
was from. After she said Panama the dynamic changed a little and we
started speaking spanish to her.  Shes about 45 maybe give or take a
little. Shes from Panama (uncommon) and she is widowed and has no
children. We've found out stuff about her in a strange sequence but I
dont have time to explain all the details. First we taught her plan of
salv because of her husband and she cried. (I was on exchanges and
wasnt there) The she got Antied by a friend who told her you cant get
remarried in our church so she tried to drop us (again I was on
exchanges) They went striaght to her house and cleared things up with
the scriptures and watched "Together forever" movie about eternal
marriage. ANd she cried. We have taught here many times since. (I have
been there those times)

She really feels like the things we share are true. Shes reading the
book of mormon and she likes it. SHes well ish read in the bible and
she likes the similarities shes finding. SHe listnens to some crazy
pastor though anmd always tells us random stuff he says. Like jesus
lived in the mines in england while he was a kid and the queen of
england is a descendant of his line. (who knows?) She is awesome
though.

We've mowed her grass and picked up here perscriptions. She says we're
angles that God sent to her. SHe gave us some mary kay acne spot
treatment yesterday because she "noticed we have some pimples" haha
she came to churhc once. She liked it. SHe liked sacrament meeting.
SHe is suuuuper self concious and a little awkward though and she felt
reallllly uncomfortable in relief society. It toook us a while to get
to the bottom of that doubt.

Turns out her husband was actually quite wealthy. He owned an aparment
complex and now she's quite poor. SHe doesnt want to come back to
churhc because she only has one churhc outfit and she things that the
relief society ladies will jedge her and that she's from a defferent
class than them. She also thinks they're kind of uneducated and not
well read in the scriptures and that she cant learn anything in that
class. She has on friend in the RS that she used to work with and that
used to clean her house.(when she was married) She is coming to an FHE
with them tonght

We've taught her about the role of the spirit and how even the prophet
is still leaning and that we all learn at our own level from the
spirit.

Whenever we read scripture with her and teach her things she always
says. "Eso es verdad" (that is true) she is also sincerely praying for
a confirmation that this is true.

Man I feel a little weird writing all this about her but this is my
life right now. She didnt come to church the last 2 weeks and after
the first time she didnt come the next week she apologized personally
to me because she could tell how sad I was and she hates making people
sad. But then yesterday she "wasnt feeling well"

Please pray for her. She's getting baptizxed the 17th and I think she
really already knows its all true. She just needs to not worry about
the relief society ladies.

Sometimes as missionaries we have to say strange stuff. I think I bore
my testimony that though the church is perfect the members (referring
to the RS ladies) are not and that we are all trying to learn and get
better.

I guess that brings me to my closing exhortation. As soon as these get
self righteouss or preachy someone tell m,e and I honestly will stop.
But something I did not understand until I came out here is how much
members make a difference. And I am not going to tell you to go out
with the missioanries a bunch and feed them everyday. But saying hi to
someone new at church makes an insane difference. Investigators feel
so uncomfortable and nervous its craaaazy. One nice person can make
such a difference. Another investigator came to churhc yesterday and
after chuch this sweeet member lady put her arm around her and invited
her to stay and eat with the ward at break the fast. SHe sat with her
at talked to her and I wanted to cry. (That lady also asked for mom's
phone number becayuse she likes to call missonaries moms or something
so if some lady that only sort of speaks english calls you mom that
would be why) But she made such a difference in that ladies life.

TO contrast I heard a story about a priest age young man investigator
that came to churhc and one of the priests sat next to him and called
him gay and a fag the whole time and that boy has never come back to
church (personally I dont blame him) (it was a long time ago the story
happened) I know none of you would obviously do anything like that and
nor is it our place to judge those who do. But be a blessing to the
lord and his work

Love you all!

Elder Davdison

That uncomfortable feeling you get from ripping the head off your soup (Oct 29)

Hello loved ones,

 

Man it's been a good week. I hope you're all doing well and feeling blessed.

 

I got a picture of Clara's haloween costume. Very cute. And congratulations warren and leanne on finding out about the twins!

 

I'll jump right into things and try to waste no breath this week.

 

I shaved my head. Well my companion shaved it at least. Only with a 4 it's not actually THAT short. But it looks way different than it ever has. Feels pretty tough.

 

Halloween is this week. I want to go tracting but I dont think we are allowed to.

 

There is a new mission prayer finding (tracting) tactic. It's called politic finding. I suspect I dont even haev to explain it but basically you knock all doors with a Romney sign in the front yard. Its an english missionary thing. And I think people spend a lot more time joking about it than actually doing it.

 

As for the spanish missioanries. Well we will stick to puting everyone with the last name hernandez into our GPS. (We do that) (Well my companion did at least) (before I got here) (I'll stop with the brackets now) (we have found some cool hernandez's though)

 

Viseted the soap opera house in our complex I talked about last week. Knocked and the old white guy answered. He told us we didnt need to bother "them" (the honduran women) anymore and then slammed the door in our face. I'll be honest. I was sooooooo mad. I wanted to say a lot of things that wouldnt have been good things to say to that guy. But thankfully he slammed the door before I could.

 

On to the subject line story. We went to a recent converts for dinner on Sat and she is a very good cook. So she has some huge pot on the stove and I am like oh goodness I know what hispanic people put in soup. EVERYTHING (as far as parts of the animal go) It was a seafood soup. Basically she brought us a bowel with a little broth in it and a half a tilapia, like the whole fish, bones and all, just sitting in there. And a huge mound of shrimp. Shell on. Faces and heads still present. You have to rip the heads off to eat them. So your hands are in your bowel like the entire time. My fingers were legitimately very pruney. It was a little weird. But in all complete honesty it was really tasty.

 

We have been working really hard. We have 4 baptismal dates that are solid at the moment. 3 that arent as solid. and a number of solid other investigators. If I stay in this area another transfer (fingers crossed) November we should baptize for my first time and many other times as well.

 

I can't express in an email how my faith is growing. Ive begun to hit my breaking point finally and thankfully. I am beggining to just love what I do all day every day. The things I understood from the scriptures the doctrine I knew in my head is begginging by the power of the spirit to sink into my heart. I feel like I am just barely starting to "get it" doenst mean I get it. Doesnt mean I stil dont have a billion problems to work on just like everybody. But I am really starting to understand. Missionary work is close to the only thing that matters in the entire world. What we do in our families is missionary work in the home. That's the most important missionary work we will ever do. (I think spencer W kimble or David O Mckay said that) The church callilng you have is missionary work within that stewardship. Missionary work is just any form of bringing someone our ourselves closer unto christ.  All the other Junk doesnt matter that much. I was studying faith this morning and it occured to me that all of the things that we should do if we have faith and all of the things that build faith are the same there is close to a 100% overlap. So as soon as we exercise a particle of faith the teeniest bit (alma 32:27 I think maybe) is should begin a cycle of acting on the faith we have receiving more and acting on the new greater faith we have. I was thinking about this and I was thinking "so why doesnt it work like that"

 

Its because we ourselves get in the way. Our natural man. There are so many things out there that undermine our faith. #1 is probably disobedience to the commandments. The simple ones like read, pray, go to church, touch no unclean thing, etc etc on and on. Fear also gets in the way. (Fear of man over god) (D&C 3 cant remember the verse maybe 7 I think)

 

I dont know if this makes sense to anybody other than me but I think that looking at it this way helps me see what I need to do. Not get in the way. ( I understand how lofty and complex of a statemtn that is)

 

Anyways that's my new goal persoanlly to work on not getting in the way. I testify of the power of the spirit. It's rediculous. I literally see it tear down peoples walls and fears every single day. This is the work of the lord. He is on my left hand and my right.

 

I love you all so much.

 

Elder Davidson

The day my life became a Spanish soap opera (Oct 22)

Bueno!

Hope everyone is doing well. Couple solid things happened to me this
week I will get right into it.

OH anybody that wants my address for my apt you can get that from
Heed. I think katie asked. And anja yes you can email this adress it's
any family. And for the record I am pro seattle :)

First I went on zone leader exchange this week because my Companion is
the district leader. I was with the zone leader formerly assistant to
the president. IT was interesting to see how he approached the work
because he spent the last 8 months serving with president. We were
prosing some really wealthy areas which is different.  Also we were
pros-ing in english which was weird. THere was no language barier to
hide behind. tee hee. In some ways spanish is easier in some ways its
not.  Anyways... I dunno if anyone caught the weather this week but
there was some hardcore weather in the south on the day I was in
walnut grove on exchange. So every apartment has these NOAA weather
radio things trhat freak out in wxtreme weather and tell you
everything. Basically we were in tornado warning. (nothing happened)
but we went down to the church for the last couple hours of the day to
follow safety procedure. Anyways basically wednesday night I was in
the back of the gym watching young women in excellence. IT was by and
far one of the stranger things I have done as a missoinary becayuse I
felt so out of place. Man and when you are teh only 2 missionaries in
an english ward people LOVE you sooo much everybody wants to tralk to
you. THe primary kids follow you aroudn. IT was strange I didnt like
it. Its better with 6 missionaries and 100 members.

Anyways if you want a description of all the positive qualities of the
young women in the wallnut grove ward in memphis tenessee, talk to me
.....

Anyways we can get to the wopper of all stories for this week. We were
picking streets to knock one day last week and I felt impressed to
knock our own street. Which basically made no sense because we live
with all black people and there are only two apartment complexes on
our little street. But I was like uhh maybe we can look around one day
there must be someone here. ANywats while I was on exchange elder
Canales poked aroudn our apt complex with 10 extra minutes we had and
he saw some hispanics pull up and go into there apt in our complex. So
when I was back we knocked the door. THis old lady who can barely see
or move or talk answered the door and let us in and we sat down on the
couch and we saw one girl who kinda left and another lady came out and
there was a little girl running around. So we end up talking to one
lady who sat down on the other couch. She was a really nice lady maybe
late 20s and we told her we felt impressed to come by and we explained
what we do. SHe was nice. We got to know her a little bit. TUrns out
her husband she tells us, had a really bad heart attack and is pretty
much in bed all the time. And I guess he's not all there mentally. We
are like oh man goodness thats aweful. SHe doenst seem too distraught
about it. We explain the priesthood and talk about blessings. SHe
didnt really seem interested. It was late so we prayed togethere and
set and tried to set a return appointment but she said she was working
a ton and didnt know when she was free.

Fast forward a day or two we had 30 extra mins ish because we were
waiting to get picked up by a member so we went by our neighbors the
hondyurans to knock and see how they were. The other girl answers the
door and lets us in (there was always another man in the house just
not talkting to us) So we sit down with her and start chatting shes 21
she tells us the other lady is her aunt. SO we teach most of lesson
one. Towards the end of lesson one this reallllly old white guy walks
into the room with a walker and I mean this guy was oooold. And he
looks at us and goes with aweful spanish accent "que es esto" or in
english what is this. We are like uhhhh and we look at each other. THe
21 year old girl is like ohhh we are just talking about Jesus Christ.
THe old guy is like oh ok and wanders off and we kind of look at her
weird I guess and she goes. ummm that's the esposo (husband) of my
aunt. My companion and I just looked and each other and our mouths
were silent but our eyes were saying OHHHHHHHHH ok there we go. Now we
get it. We see whats going on here. It was a hilarious yet sad yet
strange experience all wrapped together. We have a return appointment
this week to talk to the younger girl. We felt impressed to go by so
somebody in that house needs the Gospel.  haha anyway that's the day
my life became a spanish soap opera. (similar to the ones that I have
started recognizing characters in because they're on in all spanish
houses when we visit)

Anyways I started studying topically during my personal studies and I
really have been liking it. THis may sound weird but hopefully
somebody will get what I am saying. I have started writing in my study
journal what are similar to mathimatical proofs, but with scripture.
It's obviously not as concrete as math but it really works. THey are
more logical proofs created from different scriptural combinaations on
the same topic. I am learning a lot from them though because thats how
my brain works.

Anyway. Love yuo all! Thats my world for now.

ED