This Week has Flown By Like Crazy

March 7, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has flown by like crazy! If it goes that fast for the rest of my mission, I'll be home in a week. I guess I better answer some questions about the weather since I always seem to neglect that. Um.... The weather here is pretty unpredictable. It'll be super cold and rainy(maybe with some hail) the one day and then the next will be pretty warm and sunshiney. It also gets super cold at night no matter what, so I have to suit up and always be prepared for anything when I leave the flat- especially for rain. I bought a warm water proof jacket last p-day, but now I'm in search for a nice cheap, light one. I've tried by so many different charity shops since they have lots here in Stourbridge, but to no avail, one hasn't been found. Also with the weather, we haven't had any snow since that stint of snow in December(that occurred on my b-day in fact), at least an amount of snow that is worth mentioning. In terms of weather though, the official worst combo is, cold temps, rain, and wind. It's killer.

Life is going alright in Stourbridge. It is a blast being here with Elder Stein. It is so nice to not have to go through the awkward first week or two trying to figure out each other and dealing with each others quirks. We get along well still, and I hope I'm a better missionary now that I've been out longer than the first time(which was zero). I sure do hope we can turn this area around. It will take some pure hard finding work though. I hadn't done too much finding whilst I was here until last week and I loved it. I totally forgot how much fun finding can be(although rejection is even more prevalent then) and how good you feel when you can have a nice conversation with people about their lives and the gospel in connection with them, even though very few, if any have been interested. We are starting to focus on finding more people now because our list of less actives to try by and check their interest in the church has waned. I'm ready to try something new to make this area good. I'm ready to work my butt off. I've seemed to get a little to lax with the struggle of the area and blaming it on the area, when it could also be thrown back on me and my efforts. Elder Stein is good though and we'll be working hard and I'm sure God will bless us for that. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

This week I've had a good thought about life and the work here in Stourbridge. One of the frustrations that I have had is the lack of success and help from the ward. I have been trying hard to figure out why not much has happened as I've tried so hard and been working hard to get it to turn around. I've come to a couple conclusions, factors, or characteristics that I need to work on. They are Faith, Patience, and Trust(which kind of goes along with faith in missionary work). These are some big factors as to how we can achieve success or happiness, in life(like the rest of you) and in missionary work. For me and missionary work, I need to find the faith in God that he will prepare people for me to find that are ready to receive the Gospel in their lives. I then need to trust Him and have patience that as I work hard and do my best, that the success will come and he'll place people in my path that are ready to be taught or send us to less active members that are now ready to come back and we can provide such that is needed to get them there. The same can happen in your life. Maybe you are asking God for help with something, and yet you haven't seen any evidence of an answer or some help. First, do you have the faith that he can? Second, do you trust that His answer or way is the best? And last, do you have the patience to wait for it to happen? These are vital to life, I believe. I will be working on implementing them in my work this week and if it be God's will, I hope to find some people!

I love you all. I'm almost out of time now, so I need to hurry off. Keep doing good and continue your search for happiness!

Love,

Elder Hulet