Week 24: Brevard, NC

May 15, 2023

Weekly planning goes CRAZY when you have like five friends to plan for. We got done super fast, went to Walmart, Tractor Supply, Goodwill, and Bojangles. Then we called the other Elders, and they were like "Uh yeah, we just started weekly planning, it's gonna be a good hour before we're done." So we were like alright, we'll pull up to a waterfall and we did. I don't know if I've said this yet, but Transylvania County is known as the Waterfall Capital of North Carolina, so we've got stuff to keep us busy. Elder Tubbs and I pretty much just do our own thing. 

Later we went to the church in Hendersonville and balled up for a bit. Turns out all of the Elders in our Zone pulled up because we have the temple trip tomorrow and they are sleeping over in Arden. Six stanky dudes sleeping in the same apartment... nasty. 

May 16, 2023

We went to the Colombia, South Carolina Temple today with the Kingsport and Asheville Zones. It was about 2 1/2 hours away, but we all packed into this huge bus with like 80 or so missionaries. They let us do sealings, initiatories, and endowments, which was so cool because I've never done sealings before. Something interesting one of the temple workers told us in regards to the changes with 'For the Strength of Youth' and other things in the church, is that the guidelines aren't getting looser or easier, but it's separating the true disciples of Christ from the rest. We are supposed to take these things to our Heavenly Father and the Lord and make a decision based on what Christ wants us to do. If we do that, "OUR" testimony and relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will grow so much more. Especially in the world today, it's important we have our own testimony of Jesus Christ. 

After the temple we gave a blessing to a less active member who wants to come back to church, along with her son. Her husband is actually against the church and you know homeboy was probably laughing and shaking his head, but especially after coming from the temple, bro has no clue the power and reality of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of His priesthood. 

May 17, 2023

We got a referral from a lady, named Stephanie. We were at District Council when it came in, and it was about 10 minutes away from Hendersonville, so we were like alright, we'll pull up. Stephanie answered and was like, dang that was quick. We taught her and her boyfriend, Eric, who was taught by the missionaries a while back. We shared the Book of Mormon with them and they were already marking it up as we read a few scriptures with them. In the evening we met Alyssa, Leland, and Roy, and Elder Greenhalgh and McClellan at the church for baptismal interviews. We played with a ball in the grass while we were waiting, I also probably gave Leland like 10 piggy back rides. The interviews went really well and everyone passed. 

May 18, 2023

We hit the Library to do some zillow work. We're going to start using this strat for a while because it helps us find spots we've never been before, and it helps us get a direction of where to go. We were in Rosman, which is south of Brevard, knocking on a bunch of homes when we ran into this sick dude named Buck. He was such a cool guy telling us all these stories about when he was in the military and some other stuff. This guy pretty much hates most religions because he thinks they are corrupt and he was telling us about these Scientology people who were trying to convert him and wouldn't leave him alone, so he was like, "Alight y'all wait here for a minute Ima go grab my gun," and when he actually came back with a gun they sprinted out of there fast. We talked to him about the Book of Mormon and he was interested in reading. Everything we taught him was what he believed and what he though all these Baptists had wrong. He also told us that if we had any troubles with anyone just come on back and we're safe there because he'll take care of them. As we were leaving from his house, some guy Louis pulled up next to us in his beefed out truck and told us that next time we were in the area we could swing by and talk to him too. That's all we did in Rosman besides good ol' finding. 

May 19, 2023

Highlights of today are Bread of Life and helping the Hart's with some heavy lifting. So first off, Bread of Life, which was cool, I guess. It's kind of getting lame already, but it's good to serve. At the end they always give us extra candy and ice cream and it's always expired in like, October of '22. 

After B of L we went to the Hart's to help them move some boxes with kitchen cabinets in them. They had the boxes delivered from a truck and the homeboy that unloaded them was an absolute wizard. The whole road on their street is about a 20 degree angle so the guy would lift the 1000lb pallet to let it slide off the truck and then drop the dolly forklift thing for brakes. It was nuts to watch, but that guy was something different. After that we helped them move all the boxes inside we got some cookies, yo. I'm not used to this literal rainforest jungle, so I was dripping like crazy. 

Later we met some other folks, one of them Renardo, who we testified to of the redeeming Power of Christ and how he needs to be an example for his kids. He has some substance abuse problems but I just told him how much of an impact my mom and dad have on my life and how his kids depend on him. We went to the Greene's today as well. 

May 20, 2023

We taught Nora today and it went well. She had some concerns with the church and said she loves Utah and would live there, except she saw a dude in a store with seven wives and was like, nahhh. So we cleared up some classic misconceptions and taught her about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration. She said she would read and pray, and if the Spirit testifies of truth, she would come to church. So we were like, cool cool cool. 

Then we pulled up to the Vispera's randomly and I think they were kind of weirded out or something, I don't know. We just don't understand Filipino culture. Then we went and knocked in this apartment complex and talked to this lady, I can't remember her name, but she was like, "I'm not interested, but I'll ask my boyfriend." Turns out homie had been taught before, so we had a super great lesson with him. The Spirit was strong and he said he would read the Book of Mormon. When we were trying to leave, he started talking about Overwatch and R6 Siege so I entertained him for a bit, and Elder Tubbs sat there suffering through the dweebs talking about nerdy stuff. 

May 21, 2023

We had a great sacrament meeting and some crazy smart speakers. First off was Elder Tubbs talking about "a living sacrifice," and then your boy Elder Huff on the mic with a 15 minute talk on the Celestial kingdom. This branch assigns you some wack topics. It's harder than you think to bear testimony of the Celestial kingdom. 

Then we figured out some stuff for the baptism next week and had lunch with Alyssa, Leland and Roy. We knocked on some houses next to a Baptist church and then talked to a less active member Thomas Ryan. He was an older dude but he said he's had every calling in the church besides Bishop, and is burned out and tired of it. He just talked like he'd done it all and was tired of and/or bored of the church. It's kind of sad how some guy in his late 70's or something can just be done with the Church. It makes me wonder how someone can live a whole life in the gospel and then some day flip a switch and quit. I really don't know.