It's Been A Minute

Hey Everyone, I'm Alive!

 

 

Merry Christmas and happy New Years! These last couple of months have been pretty awesome, especially due to it being the holiday season and all of the snow that comes with it. Here's a quick debriefing of everything that went down:

 

 

My first two main companions went home! Elder Shepherd and Elder Bagley both finished their transfers a few weeks ago and it was honestly pretty bittersweet. Already knowing that the people I spent the majority of my mission with are done with their own missions is a super weird feeling. Thankfully, I've spent a lot of time living with a bunch of missionaries in a bunch of apartments, which is pretty uncommon. And this does mean that I still know a few people in my mission really well, that could've been something that I really could have struggled with. I think that the Lord always makes sure that we'll have our own spiritual insurance when we're trying our hardest to serve him, and that this is just a slightly more obvious example of this...

 

 

This means that I have a new companion once more, and I'm training him! My younger, newer companion is named Elder Allen, and he actually happens to be Elder Haws', my MTC companion and normal companion for a week's neighbor! He really loves carpentry and he proudly dresses like he's from the 19th century, and I love it. He's a little bit different than my last companions but his desire to do this great work is surpassed by no one. He is always willing to serve the Lord and has honestly been a good example for myself to follow closely. Once again I can definitely see why I have this specific companion and how God wants me to grow over this span of 6 weeks.

 

 

This is also the first time that I've been in the Washington Yakima Mission longer than my companion and it's made me naturally more bold and responsible. I genuinely think that every companionship and area that I've been in has been inspired by my mission leadership. After talking to my Mission President, President Welch, this past week for the first time in 3 months. I have really come to a different love and respect for him. He challenges and pushes me and ways that are great for me, and I cannot express my gratitude for that enough.

 

 

Speaking of areas, I'm serving in the city of Yakima too now! They call it the Palm Springs of Washington, and I'm dead serious about that too. It's my first area where I'm walking most of the time as it's smaller and more condensed and our ward meets at the Yakima Stake Center. All of the Senior Office Missionaries in my mission go to my ward, the Wide Hallow ward, and they're all really awesome and funny people. There's so much work to be done in my area as leadership, who's typically busier and unable to do as much missionary work, used to be serving in this area. We've had the most productive week that I've ever had as a missionary this last week and I'm really loving what I'm doing right now. I feel so blessed and watched for by my Heavenly Father.

 

 

Quick spiritual note, I absolutely love how in 3 Nephi 17 and 18 Jesus Christ takes the time to specifically partake of the sacrament, pray, and teach his true and important doctrine to the people gathered, listening to him. It's amazing that even he emphasized the importance of our "primary answers" that people often overlook nowadays. I think that they are always the things that we should put our time and energy into, as their importance should never be overlooked. Go to church, talk to your Heavenly Father, read the doings and teachings of our perfect example. It's already blessed me immeasurably in the now 4 months that I've been a missionary for the one and true Church of Jesus Christ. I love my life right now because of these primary answers, and everyone else can too.

 

 

Thanks for everything everyone. God loves every single one of you, and so do I.

 

 

With Love,

Elder Timothy

 

 

Pictures:

-Elder Allen's good hiding spot

-Tro of terror Christmas edition

-New profile pic???

-Cool hat

-Christmas day companionship selfie

-Winter wonderland

-Who let the dog's out