week 64, 62 weeks in Phoenix Mission, 14 weeks in Glendale--- Sick, Sick, SICK!
Dear family and friends,
Happy Halloween! As you can tell from the title of this email, I was
sick all week. And it was absolutely terrible. I'm pretty sure I had
the flu. I had a sore throat, headache, nausea, fever, congested nose,
and a cough. Probably the worst I've felt my entire mission! But we
didn't stay in very much. I persevered! We still ended the week with a
lot of lessons. Here was my week! Sorry if it's a boring email!
Monday: Pday! We went mini golfing as a zone activity which was pretty
fun. I'm still super bad at it. After our time off, our lesson fell
through so we spent the night finding. Not much else happened!
Temp: 89°F
Tuesday: I didn't write in my journal because I went straight to bed
after we got home. The sickness began on Tuesday. We did stay in until
we had a few lessons at 2, 3, and 4. Those lessons were super hard to
teach because I felt sooo bad. So yeah, a pretty miserable day.
Wednesday: Still sick! Despite my illness, we went to do service for
the IRC (International Rescue Committee). They help refugees from
other countries. Once again, we worked in the shop. Elder Clough and I
sorted through incoming clothes and restocked the clothes racks when
they were getting low. It was super fun, like always! Except nobody
who comes in speaks English. There is a lot of Arabic, African
languages, and European languages. After service we headed to dinner
and a lesson with a less-active family who wants their 8-year-old
daughter, Jamie, to be baptized! It's pretty cool because we get to
teach her parents, too. I've never met such an attentive kid. Jamie
sat there the attentively for the whole 45 minute lesson. She asked
great questions and is excited to be baptized. She isn't an
"investigator" because her parents are both members and she is 8, but
we're still going to teach her so she knows about the gospel! It's
pretty cool. Her dad really opened up and showed some interest in
coming back. He actually served in the military and was stationed at
Ft. Leonard Wood so he was excited to learn I was from Joplin! Plus
he's super into cars and he said he loves when VW makes manual cars. I
told him about my Beetle and he was pretty excited to hear about it.
Overall it was a great meeting! Later that night we met with Elaine
and went over the Baptismal interview questions with her. She is so
ready to be baptized! Super cool!! You did well, Elder Claypool! :)
Temp: 85°F
Thursday: Still sick. Weekly planning. After planning we had a great
dinner with Javier and Ana, recent converts! Javier just received the
Melchizedek Priesthood! He teaches our gospel principles class and
does a great job even though he's only been a member just under a
year. We had some Mexican food! Then we had a great lesson with Frank,
another recent convert. He's the best. He has a little tiny chihuahua
named Sammy and I have spent the whole time I've been in this area
trying to get Sammy to come up to me. She finally did and I held her
the whole lesson! I think she likes me now.
Temp: 78°F
Friday: Super bad day, but we did our best! All lessons cancelled and
I was still sick. Had district meeting which was pretty good.
Temp: 77°F
Saturday: It was a pretty weird day (Still sick). We got up and
exercised and came back to study. Mike, a recent convert, calls us up
and asks if we want to come over and present our first lesson to his
girlfriend, Cindy. *We usually go over to Mike's home every Friday to
see him and Cindy is there on Fridays. We usually just talk with Mike,
but we felt prompted to start teaching Cindy. She is very active in
her own church, but is curious.* So we went over there and he fixed us
French toast. Then we presented our first lesson, the Restoration. She
accepted it pretty well and accepted the challenge to read and pray
about the Book of Mormon. It was a super powerful lesson. That's all I
remember about Saturday.
Sunday: Still sick! Church, nap, studies, dinner, finding.
Temp: 82°F
That was my week! I'm feeling a little better every day. Today I just
have a cough. That I can deal with! Things are cooling down to the
point where I need a sweater at night. Life is good!
Have a wonderful week!
Much love,
Elder Jones
Black Canyon Ward
Arizona Phoenix Mission
Dear family and friends,
Happy Halloween! As you can tell from the title of this email, I was
sick all week. And it was absolutely terrible. I'm pretty sure I had
the flu. I had a sore throat, headache, nausea, fever, congested nose,
and a cough. Probably the worst I've felt my entire mission! But we
didn't stay in very much. I persevered! We still ended the week with a
lot of lessons. Here was my week! Sorry if it's a boring email!
Monday: Pday! We went mini golfing as a zone activity which was pretty
fun. I'm still super bad at it. After our time off, our lesson fell
through so we spent the night finding. Not much else happened!
Temp: 89°F
Tuesday: I didn't write in my journal because I went straight to bed
after we got home. The sickness began on Tuesday. We did stay in until
we had a few lessons at 2, 3, and 4. Those lessons were super hard to
teach because I felt sooo bad. So yeah, a pretty miserable day.
Wednesday: Still sick! Despite my illness, we went to do service for
the IRC (International Rescue Committee). They help refugees from
other countries. Once again, we worked in the shop. Elder Clough and I
sorted through incoming clothes and restocked the clothes racks when
they were getting low. It was super fun, like always! Except nobody
who comes in speaks English. There is a lot of Arabic, African
languages, and European languages. After service we headed to dinner
and a lesson with a less-active family who wants their 8-year-old
daughter, Jamie, to be baptized! It's pretty cool because we get to
teach her parents, too. I've never met such an attentive kid. Jamie
sat there the attentively for the whole 45 minute lesson. She asked
great questions and is excited to be baptized. She isn't an
"investigator" because her parents are both members and she is 8, but
we're still going to teach her so she knows about the gospel! It's
pretty cool. Her dad really opened up and showed some interest in
coming back. He actually served in the military and was stationed at
Ft. Leonard Wood so he was excited to learn I was from Joplin! Plus
he's super into cars and he said he loves when VW makes manual cars. I
told him about my Beetle and he was pretty excited to hear about it.
Overall it was a great meeting! Later that night we met with Elaine
and went over the Baptismal interview questions with her. She is so
ready to be baptized! Super cool!! You did well, Elder Claypool! :)
Temp: 85°F
Thursday: Still sick. Weekly planning. After planning we had a great
dinner with Javier and Ana, recent converts! Javier just received the
Melchizedek Priesthood! He teaches our gospel principles class and
does a great job even though he's only been a member just under a
year. We had some Mexican food! Then we had a great lesson with Frank,
another recent convert. He's the best. He has a little tiny chihuahua
named Sammy and I have spent the whole time I've been in this area
trying to get Sammy to come up to me. She finally did and I held her
the whole lesson! I think she likes me now.
Temp: 78°F
Friday: Super bad day, but we did our best! All lessons cancelled and
I was still sick. Had district meeting which was pretty good.
Temp: 77°F
Saturday: It was a pretty weird day (Still sick). We got up and
exercised and came back to study. Mike, a recent convert, calls us up
and asks if we want to come over and present our first lesson to his
girlfriend, Cindy. *We usually go over to Mike's home every Friday to
see him and Cindy is there on Fridays. We usually just talk with Mike,
but we felt prompted to start teaching Cindy. She is very active in
her own church, but is curious.* So we went over there and he fixed us
French toast. Then we presented our first lesson, the Restoration. She
accepted it pretty well and accepted the challenge to read and pray
about the Book of Mormon. It was a super powerful lesson. That's all I
remember about Saturday.
Sunday: Still sick! Church, nap, studies, dinner, finding.
Temp: 82°F
That was my week! I'm feeling a little better every day. Today I just
have a cough. That I can deal with! Things are cooling down to the
point where I need a sweater at night. Life is good!
Have a wonderful week!
Much love,
Elder Jones
Black Canyon Ward
Arizona Phoenix Mission
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