It's Been An Even Longer Minute

Long Time, No See Everybody!

Ah finally, I'm writing an email. This past month and a half have been insane, here's what's happened:

I'm not in Yakima anymore! Once again I got transferred to Stevenson, the land of my inheritance. This means that I've had 7 companions in 5 areas during 4 transfers, which is absolutely crazy. Stevenson is a small town bordering the Columbia River and is about an hour and a half down the river from Portland. My new area doesn't just cover Stevenson however. It also covers the surrounding towns, those being Carson, North Bonneville, Skamania, and Cascade Locks. In total, my whole area has a population of less than 5000 people, which is by far the smallest place that I've served. I've been loving it though, it's so green and wet here, there's thousands of trees and mountains in every direction. And there's been so much rain, the humidity is mega high and on most days you'll never even catch a glimpse of the sun as typically it's pouring rain, though right now it's dumping inches of snow. The past 4 and a half weeks that I've been here have been epic though, I really have been enjoying missionary work this transfer so far.

My companion this transfer is Elder Benjamin Brown. He's been out for 10 months more than I have and he's super funny and kind. Both of us are really lax and non-judgemental, but in slightly different ways that complement each other very well. We get along super well, which is really important when you're in "banishment," or a part of the mission where you're nowhere near anyone else. We're super isolated, as we're in the bottom left corner of our mission, 30ish minutes away from the nearest companionship in White Salmon. But we still have had a bunch of fun with each other and I genuinely hope to be companions with him for another transfer as transfer calls are coming up pretty soon, which is when we find out where we'll be doing missionary work for the next 6 weeks.

Throughout these 5 weeks in the Stevenson ward we really had to do missionary work in new and different ways. We've spent more time with members than I ever have in my missionary life and I've learned a lot because of it. Smaller, spread outwards, or local congregations, work completely different than a traditional ward with everyone in a super close 10-15 minute proximity instead of ours which is almost an hour. The members however, despite being so far and inaccessible, do everything they can to keep track of and help each other, and they have a deep rooted love. I strive to be the same way, they are self-sustaining people that always put others first and I love it. I want to be like them.

I've continued to grow as a missionary, and it's been exponential ever since the last third of last transfer. My perspective has changed more and more and my desire to be here and love for my calling has exploded. The first few months I constantly struggled with thoughts of giving up, and that these 2 years could be catastrophic, just too hard for me to be able to learn and grow. And I've erased that thought, now I literally dream of my mission, and returning home not now, but after my full two years is up. Sometimes we are called to take on impossible, terrifying tasks but I've learned to know and embrace these. Because I know that as long as I take on these feats righteously, through the power of God I'll overcome any obstacle in my way. 

I can see how my love for others has led to my exponential growth too, as I've worried less and less about growing quickly to be a missionary good enough to never make mistakes, I've grown my heart and it's capacity for honestly everyone. I've learned to teach others through the spirit of love, and that spirit has taught me at the same time. I've grown more as I've focused on myself less. God truly will always make sure to give us all the strength and spiritual power in the world as long as we know how to use it to bless and help others. I strive to use this power to help more and more, I never want to feel like I could have helped someone. And I always want to feel like I'm using my priesthood power to its fullest capabilities.

That's my spiritual message this time as well. God grows us, we don't grow ourselves without him. Our strength is purely a blessing, and we only really receive true strength to do good. Erasing the selfishness that plagues so many of us is crucial for every single one of us. Because as more of us become lights in the dark, no matter how hard it may be, it's that much easier for the next individual to follow suit. Make you be the one to start change, no matter how alone, weak, or awkward you feel. Because it doesn't matter how you feel. It only matters where we end up. And the path to the top of the mountain is always harder, but leagues are more rewarding than just going halfway up despite how much harder it felt. With love if you change your heart, and you can change anything.

Finally writing this email felt honestly really good. I hope to make it a habit again to write these more and more. But until next time I wish you all the best, I really love every single one of you. I hope that you all can continue to grow as children of God, because that's our real purpose here. Thank you all for the prayers and love sent this way, it helps me to keep going. I'm so so grateful for all of you. Deuces!

With Gratitude,

Elder Stephen Timothy

Pictures:

-My Feminine Comp

-Rare Footage of Me In the Sun

-Mount Hood(ft Me Whipping)

-Waterfall that I Hiked .1 Miles To See

-North Bonneville Sunset That Makes me Wanna Live There

-View on Bridge of The Gods(Wrong name there's only one God but repentance is a thing I guess)

-I Love My Job

-Horror Movie Monster