River Falls week 13

Hello Family and Friends!

So this last monday, I endured one of the most difficult trials of my life. There were a few moments where I did not think I would be able to make it and I would sink to the bottom of the sea of despair and possible give up the ghost. But I survived and am grateful to be here sending this email today. What is this trial, this gargantuan challenge I am speaking of? The Lumberjack Challenge. So there is an ice cream shop in Stillwater, Minnesota (it is in our area) called Nielson's that gives crazy ice cream portions. The kid size is like 3/4 the size of my forearm. No joke. So the Zone Leaders, Elder Mattison/Looye, and Elder Berg and I went over there after email and decided to take up the challenge of eating 5 of those scoops, or about 5 pounds of ice cream, in one sitting. Which is adequately named The Lumberjack Challenge. I got 3 scoops of vanilla, one chocolate, and one strawberry. I didnt want a ton of sweet ice cream or I would have gotten sick pretty fast. Elder Looye didnt want to do it, so it was just us 3. And then we began. I did some serious evaluations of my life near the end of that ice cream. But, after 45 minutes, I finished. I finished the ice cream and then got a straw and drank the melted ice cream from the bottom and then had to get up and walk around or else I was going to be sick. Elder Berg was foolish and got ice cream with chunks in it. He kept on muttering about how when he wants chunks in his ice cream, he never gets any. But when he doesnt want any chunks, he gets a ton. Ha ha. Anyway, we all finished, felt like death, got our pictures taken, and began the drive home. Elder Looye was the designated driver. About half way home I just put my head out the window and lost all of that ice cream. It was bad. All the cars behind us swerved into the middle of the road. Elder Berg was watching the cars and laughing. Elder Mattison was in the seat in front of me and saw the whole thing in the mirror and was just laughing his head off. Elder Looye was freaking out and was yelling," SHOULD I PULL OVER SHOULD I PULL OVER!!!!!!" Elder Mattison just kept laughing and told him to keep going. Finally we pulled over but I didnt feel sick anymore. So we started driving again. Well, then I get sick again and my head went out the window again. And, only naturally, the car we were driving was white. On the bright side, I felt great the rest of the day. Elder Mattison and Berg felt sick. lulz. 

On Thursday I was talking to my district leader about how the zone leaders want me to get a ride to Bloomington to go on exchanges with the assistants (we don't have miles for that). My district leader said he didnt think that was allowed and told me to clarify. So I called the zone leaders, they were unsure. So i called the assistants. They thought it would be ok. Then the zone leaders texted me and said they remembered it wasnt ok. So they told me to call president and ask. So I called. President gave a firm NO on member rides and then sent out a mission wide text clarifying this issue. I was on the phone with the zone leaders when the text came in and they burst into laughter when they read it. one zone leader recounted a story her remembered about someone getting a ride to an exchange and they got into a LOT of trouble. I am glad that was avoided... then my district leader texted me and was like whoa, president clarified that fast. So yeah, I got a White Handbook Clarification text sent to the whole mission without getting into trouble. That is a pretty rare feat. Ha ha 

Jamie was baptized on Tuesday night before transfers on Wednesday night. She almost started crying before she was immersed and she couldnt stop smiling the whole night. It was wonderful!

Elder Berg and I got milkshakes Tuesday (I didnt think I would eat ice cream that soon after the Lumberjack challenge...) and Elder Berg ordered, then walked away. He accidentally left the car key on the counter. The elderly lady taking our order was about to call out to Him, but I took the key and was like, "dont worry about it." She asked me if I was going to pull a prank. I replied yes. She looked me in the eye and said, "that's wicked." So I got called wicked by and elderly lady this week. ha ha. 

Transfers were Wednesday. I am training, as I mentioned before. Elder Cole is my trainee and he is from the San Francisco area of California. He is pretty quiet and reserved like me, so that creates challenges. Elder Berg was very outgoing and now I have the be the one that needs to be super outgoing since I am training, so this will be interesting. 

So 2 weeks ago a Brazilian girl flagged me down on the street and asked to come to church, well we got her to church yesterday! Saturday night, Bishop called us and told us he had the information for an exchange student in River Falls. He started giving me the info and I said, "Bishop you won't believe this, but we already found her." My testimony that this truly is the Lord's work was deepened. 

A talk in sacrament meeting had a great deal of effect on me. The theme was revelation. The man who spoke last is a riot. He is pretty funny and has a wacky personality. He gets up and declared that none of us receive revelation! Seeing angels and whatnot is revelation. We get promptings and inspiration. I shook my head and was like of course he would say that. The Bishopric's faces were amusing. Anyway, he talked about how we must be patient and realize that the Lord will answer us in His own time but also that we must be willing to act on that answer. Now most people will say they will if they pray for guidance, but God rarely gives us an answer that is within our comfort zone. We can only grow when we go out of our comfort zone and learn to expand that zone. Just like a muscle can't grow without resistance. That got me thinking a lot because I have always avoided uncomfortable situations. This mission is getting me out of that habit quite quick, ha ha.

Well, Have a wonderful week! I love you all!

-Elder Ethan Damron