February 8, 2011 - Letter Home

Hey Family!

Wow, it's Febuary. I share the thoughts of Brendon when he says it's getting harder to look back and remember what you did each week. P-days are coming and going SO FAST! It's crazy!

This week was marked by a million service projects. Mostly it's just us trying to get that same house torn down (*from last week's letter) and all the wood ready to be sold. It's a way bigger project than we anticipated, and after last P-day the other people helping have dropped out, and it's pretty much just up to us to finish it. 


It's also been raining ALOT (like today) and that's been really making things harder. Speaking of rain, a river here overflowed leaving a bunch of houses under the water, and we helped some members and other people evacuate their things. So, actually, this week, I would say we've done more physical work than outright missionary work. But it's good. I've come to really like physical work. Will this continue after the mission? I don't know. 


But it is nice to be able to take a sofa and put it out onto the street to get out of the water - the sofa won't complain or question why it's being taken out of the flooding, and while you're going to get more furniture, it won't ignore what you did and go jump right back into the water. The house we're taking down won't have second thoughts and build itself up again while we're gone... 
Hmm, I'm afraid that was a bit too pessimistic, so I'll just add in this note that while people are a lot harder to move out of the rising floodwaters they're living in, those who stay in the dry give obviously much more satisfaction and joy to me than does a sofa.

We had zone conference this week. I liked it. I saw a lot of good friends. It was a holiday so instead of going out to eat, President ordered 100 boxes of food delivered by (the only place open) an Arabic restaurant. It was great! Kaitlin would have loved it! Although, I would have traded all the falafel in the world for a box or letter from my family... :( (But don't worry, your e-mails were so good that that doesn't even matter now :) )

It's so cool to think Nick is in the MTC and starting his adventures right now! I want to receive his e-mails home. So awesome. I'm so proud of that guy!

Anyway, I'm here and I'm trying to do the best I can to make the most of the time I have here. I'm happy, but these last couple weeks have frankly been a little difficult, it seems like we're doing what we should be, but I'm not seeing a lot of results from our work. It's been a little bit like driving on ice. People's free agency gets me a little frustrated some times. It helps me to think I'm not the only one frustrated by that, Heavenly Father definitely feels that more than I ever will. 
I'll echo Brendon's thoughts too, in that I'm battling constant thoughts of home and also an increasing tiredness. I think it's right that some of the reality of the mission be saved to be related after we get home, but I just wanted to share a little bit of what I'm going through with you guys. It's definitely getting harder. The curtains of illusion are lifting a little bit more every day, and the reality of a battle between good and evil becomes ever more obvious. It gets a bit scary, but I know that the scarier reality gets, the grander and greater and more glorious is the fact that this battle was already won. Evil will not survive. Jesus Christ has already succeeded. Just that for some reason, people are deciding which side to join still. It's an increasing frustration in my mind but an increasing calmness in my spirit. It's like 2 Nephi 4:15-35 (click the link to read this scripture; it is wonderful!). There are many things to be done, and we are capable to do them. There words to be said, people to lift, testimonies to forge even stronger, more to be done, more for us to be. May we all accept the challenge and allow Christ to make us a little better each day. We know in Whom we have trusted. And that's a good thing. :)

I love each one of you so much, and I love all the photos. Thank you! Don't worry because a bunch of huge Connor hugs are coming to you all in August. That's a promise.

Have a good week everyone! Do what is right! Love you!

Elder Con