First and foremost, My moms
birthday was yesterday so i want to wish her a very happy birthday!!! I hope
you got my card on time! Thanks for helping me get out on my mission and for
everything you've done for me <3. Tuesday, the day after P- day, I went on
exchanges with elder tanner. The day was great. We met a guy who is a freshman
at Texas A&M International University who plays basketball there. We found
him through a referral and were told that he was having a really hard time with
life. We went in, and his dorm was just like mine at BYU. I connected with him
super well, and told him, "man, as I look around and as I look at you, I
see myself in your same position a year ago. I was playing a sport at my
college, I was in a small dorm room, I hardly had any friends, and it honestly
felt so lonely. A year ago, I think I felt just like you must be right
now." And we shared with him how much god loves him and because he loves
us, he restored this gospel to the earth. I told him that's how I found happiness,
and that he could do the same. Sadly, I was on exchanges so I won't get to see
him again, but he is going to continue to meet with the missionaries. Later
that day, we committed one of elder tanners investigators to baptism which was
awesome. As we were driving away, a lady waved us down from the side of the
road. We pulled over, and I tried to use my best Spanish with her. I asked her
how she was, and she said, "how do you think I am?" And then she
pulled off her hat, and her head was shaved. She said she just found out she
had cancer, and her niece just died - she just started crying. She told us she
had been hoping we would come and we told her that we were here for her. We
went into her house and promised her that through the gospel of Jesus Christ she
could live with her family forever. Sadly, the next day, I got EXTREMELY sick.
I was out the rest of the week. I went to the doctor and got a ton of super
painful shots in my bum which was the worst. I slept all day the entire week
and apparently what I had was extremely contagious so I wasn't allowed to go
outside. Jesus' baptism is getting delayed because his mom doesn't want to let
him get baptized until she has gone to church and gained the church's trust.
The work this week in my area is dead because I have been so sick but I'm
excited to pick up and work again this week. Something crazy about this
mission. Before I got here, missionaries used the word "weem". If you
know me, you know how much that word means to me. When I got my mission call, i
was second guessing the church's decision in calling me here. But now, i
realize this mission was made for people just like me! While being sick and as
i laid in bed, i got pretty discouraged sitting there, staring 21 months
straight in the face, and wondering how I was going to make it through. But
then, I realized something. Don't count down the days! Don't count how many
days till this or how many months till that. If you keep looking forward to
days ahead, you're never going to find joy where you're at in this very moment.
Soon enough, you're going to be looking forward, this mission is going to be
over, youre going to be married to a beautiful girl (hopefully), you're
going to have kids, you're going to go on awesome vacations, you're going to go
through some hard things, and one day, you will be on your deathbed, looking
back, and wondering where all the time went. I realized an attitude and
perspective like that is what will ruin my mission. My challenge to you guys,
is to find joy where you are right now - no matter the time, no matter the
situation. Because in all reality, I'm almost 20, And as I look back, this time
slipped through my hands like water. So, as we go forward, let's enjoy every
drop god gives us! Im sorry I have zero pictures this week. I would have some
but im assuming most of you guys wouldnt really want to see a picture of me
drooling while asleep in bed so ill make sure to take some awesome ones this
week:)
Thanks for everything and I
love you guys so much!
Hasta La Semana y Con Amor
Elder Freedman
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