The Nitty-Gritty

We all hear those stories of the big miracles that happen as a missionary. Those 'Golden' investigators being found and baptized. Converts getting shunned by their family for joining the church but still pressing forward because they have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Elders struggling with the language all of the sudden being able to speak clearly and fairly fluently unto the confounding of the wise and learned. Finding $20 in your pocket while doing laundry on Preparation Day. All big, bright, and shiny stories. And they are praiseworthy, too. Absolutely fantastic, testimony builders that are very fun to listen to! But so often are the other twenty three months not talked about much. You know, the nitty-gritty part of missionary work. The 'behind the scenes' that has to take place in order for those other big events to happen.

The hours of morning studies, the daily planning sessions, the two to three hour weekly planning sessions, the piles of paperwork needed to be filled out, the District trainings, the Zone trainings, the scrambling from door to door before church starts to try to get people to come to church, the last minute phone calls to find a member to come with you to a lesson after another member had to cancel for work; 

The hours upon end of walking up and down streets meeting all sorts of different people who come from all sorts of different backgrounds with all sorts of different needs and interests, the times where we have to explain over, and over in the absolutely most straight forward way what Priesthood authority means for them to still not understand it well, and even the times where you think you think you see a quarter on the ground but it's actually just a round-ish rock. All of that and more go into moving the work forward.

It's all important, it's all necessary, and it's all worth it. Not just for the big, bright, shiny moments but because of all the little miracles. All of the little rays of light that warm our spiritual faces every day. Those moments when you look into the eyes of someone you have been teaching for two weeks and feel a deep love for them. The memories of previous people talked to who lit up your day but who you never saw again. The moment where after hours of prayers and tears you feel a small glimpse of joy, just for a moment, that gives you enough hope to go on. That is what makes up a mission.

So, nothing huge has happened this week. But still, so much has happened. I feel like a rubber band being stretched further, and further. It's fun stuff :D

Love you all!!!

Elder Vance