Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Success, failure, goals and 24 with Jack Bauer

Today was a full and wonderful day, though not without its frustrations. Being Monday, I don't work, so I started off the day with my run up 'The Hill'. It was another great run. Every day I get closer and closer to the top by getting up one more switchback. It is such a great feeling when I get to the point where I stopped the time before and then keep going. Today was funny though because it was apparently the day for the entire Chilean Army to run up the same hill, so I was not alone at all the entire time I was running. That was kind of embarassing at one point because I was listening to my music as I ran and at one point I started singing along and then I got some funny looks from the two military guys that had been behind me as they ran past. ( I had no idea they were there...)

Being my day off, but wanting to use my time wisely, I went with Juanjo to try and take a tour of La Moneda to write my last paper for one of my classes. (Then I have 4 interviews to do for that class and I'm done, woop woop!) Well when we got there they said that it was going to be closed in the morning because of some protests that they anticipated, but to come back before noon and it should be open. So Juanjo and I went to pay a bill that he had to pay and then we went to this museum with a ton of Mapuche art and stuff which was pretty cool. Then we went back around noon and they said it was closed but that it should open up around two or three. So we went to lunch. When we came back it might open around four! So we decided to bag the whole idea and head home to play guitar and burn CD's. I was so frustrated! Oh well...

Tonight we went to an FHE with the senior missionaries. I can't even explain to you how much I love being around all of these wonderful faithful humble senior missionaries. Today the lesson was particularly wonderful. They talked about the things they could do as 'non-proselyting' missionaries to still proselyte and share the gospel. They talked about goal setting and one sister said 'A goal that is not written down, is just a dream.' which I thought was just such a great thought. Another thing that was read out of Preach My Gospel that called my attention was that our goals should reflect the desires of our hearts. One brother got up and shared his testimony of what they had been able to do in the ward where they were attending. They asked for a list of inactive endowed memebers and reactivated one family that is now going to be sealed in the temple, they taught some basic keyboarding classes, taught a class on leading music, the brother is teaching gospel doctrine and his wife has taught women how to crochett. I felt the spirit so strong as this Elder talked of the ways they were able to love and serve their ward. The closing song was Faith In Every Footstep, my mission song, so I just cried through the whole thing. And another random connection, the couple that taught the lesson, the Andlaines, are the parents of a friend of mine from last semester who married my relief society president! Small world!

After FHE we went to Todd's house and ate hamburgers and watched 24 with a couple other guys. It was fun and felt oddly normal!

No comments:

Post a Comment