The Holy Ghost, Pickleball and Sick Companions

Yo. So this week has been pretty good, Yesterday, was our P-day and it was a good one. All the Libraries were closed for Presidents day so we couldn't Email, so part of our zone met at the mission office to play some basketball. We even got our mission President to play with us, and he is a balla. We played for a couple of hours. Then we went to a local rec center in Broomfield and we played pickleball, which is like tennis and ping pong but with a wiffle ball, it was so fun. We ate dinner that night with the Bird Family, and that meal changed my life. He served his mission in Korea and I had told him that I like Kim-chi so he had some for us, and made a lot of other Korean dishes it was so good. Elder Gnehm and I ate so much.

We are still teaching Steve and Joanne and it has been amazing to watch her change. When she first started coming to church she was a little reluctant and didn't really like it. But now she participates in discussions and has gained a testimony of Joseph Smith. Last week in Gospel Principles we talked about the Holy Ghost and the light of Christ, and I made a comment on how the light of Christ can lead someone to the true church and she agreed. I also realized that one of my favorite parts of being a missionary is telling about the first vision and using Joseph Smith's own words; ''I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of the spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other - This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!'' Every time I hear that, whether it be in Sacrament or whether I am telling it to an investigator I always feel the Holy Ghost testifying that it is true and that Joseph Smith truly did see God the Father and Jesus Christ that day. When we taught Joanne last week, it was the first time she has heard that account and it was really something to watch her reaction as she was receiving a spiritual witness that is was true.

Last Thursday Elder Gnehm went on exchanges with one of the Zone leaders and the other zone leader (Elder Stanger) came with me. He makes me look like a fool when he plays the guitar he is amazing. We tracted apartments for a couple of hours that day and let’s just say that people weren't too nice to us that day. We exchanged back Friday night. Then at 2am Saturday morning I awoke to Elder Gnehm being sick, it was not that cool. So Saturday we stayed home because he was so sick, he slept all day and when he wasn't sleeping he was in the bathroom. And I have to admit a mission can be really boring when you don't do anything all day. I think I studied for about 7 hours and played guitar the rest of the day. There is an elderly lady that lives across the street who we go and shovel her driveway every time it snows, we also help her with taking out the trash and getting her mail, but she took us out to red lobster last week, it was pretty good.

So I decided that the best part of checking my Email each week is to see how much more Famous Ben has become. I'm pretty sure he will be a household name by the time I get off my mission. But I hope you all have a good week and smile a lot! There is no point in frowning. See ya!

Elder Pedro

Img_0271 - Kimchi! and some of the other Korean dishes Brother Bird Prepared.
Img_0264 - one of the kids who we live with, drew this for us!
Img_0272 -Elder Gnehm
Dscn0928 - what you do when your companion is sick all day
Dscn0953 - doing some weekly planning