To start my post this week, Elder Holmes is, by now, enjoying the wonderful feeling of walking around in shorts and a t-shirt, swimming, and watching movies. He has returned home having served faithfully from August 4th, 2010, until he left the Sacramento Mission on August 9th, 2012. He has been released, and he will be missed. Taking his place in our apartment is Elder "Cowboy" Christensen from Moroni, UT. He is the same size as me (except for the legs, where he is skinny and I am broad), wears a cowboy hat to every service project he does, and has a half dozen lassos. He has three pairs of boots, and the same number of Wranglers. He has a thick drawl, as well. It is so much fun.
Getting to the goings on in my mission, I was in the YSA (Young Single Adults) class this past Sunday. We had been teaching it since I arrived, but this day, the teacher asked one of the YSAs to teach it. So the lesson was on charity, and it was great. We were learning, participating, having fun... great time! A little more than half way through the lesson, the instructor asked us how being charitable and helping others makes us feel, so I threw both my thumbs in the air and said "Like Siskel and Ebert!!!" You could have heard a pin drop in there, so I continued somewhat tentatively "Two thumbs way up?" Again, no one responded positively, although one kid did cock his head to the side at me. I said, in a mockingly angry tone, "You guys are way too young!" A few of the returned missionaries tried to tell me that they were older than me, but I refuted those claims pretty easily when I showed them my Drivers License. It is now less than a fortnight to my 23rd birthday (not that I am obviously excited for it). Thing is, everyone thinks I'm 19 cause I'm a greenie. If it weren't for the fact that I was on a mission, they would all think that I was 15 judging by my maturity. It was a moment that made me feel like a thirty year old (not that there is anything wrong with being thirty!).
Well, this week has been... hot. The temperature was over 100 every day this week, and even got as high as 108 according to one person we taught and did service for. We did sooooooo much service this week (anything to get out of our white shirts and ties!). We did some hedging, trimmed some bushes, mowed and edged, painted, pruned, carried furniture and lifted equipment up and down stairs, emptied a storage unit, rearranged an apartment, hung up a mirror, clocks, and bulletin boards, did some electrical work, and finished the week off doing 2 Eagle Scout Projects. Cowboy lassoed my companion at one of them while he was hiding behind a pillar. We dug up a bunch of bushes that people would allegedly violate laws behind (illicit substances, illicit acts, building nuclear bombs, peddling pokemon cards... heinous crimes!!!), and replaced them with smaller and much more prickly bushes. I have planted these bushes back home, and I HATE them. I have cuts and tears all over my hands. It was still a ton of fun though.
We have also been teaching a lot. Our work was slowed because Buss didn't have a bike this week, but we were still successful in our efforts to get baptismal dates for 5 of our investigators. We are so excited. There had been little progress in our area for quite some time, and we have seen true miracles in our lives recently. The families and individuals that we are getting to know, growing to love, are so wonderful and eager to learn and change for the better.
A strange occurrence that took place this past week was that Busselberg and I agreed to not buy a car unless it was American or German in make. I do not know why exactly this happened, but we determined that if we did this, and convinced 5 friends each who would then convince their friends, etc., that we could save the American car industry (or supercharge the German car industry). We were talking with a woman this week, and she was adamantly upset at how many of the things in her garage were from China. She was shaking with anger about it. I think that inspired us a little.
I have tried to learn a few more songs on piano. I thought I had one down, when I moved my fingers up to the black keys, and it just sounded so much better, but the problem is I'm not good enough to play black keys consistently, so I just made it a different song, kinda.
Also, I have taken up roping. Not anything big, yet. Just a small, foot long wood and plastic model bull. I'm pretty decent at it. In addition, there are a few country songs I like now (Dang you, Christensen!!!). We have been running almost every night, and a route that took Elder Leavitt and me 17:03 to run last Tuesday night took Christensen and me 13:53 to run (without a kick, and trying not to speed up at all as we got to the end). I do not know the exact distance it is, but it seems to be about 2 miles. I take this to be good news, because I haven't been in racing shape for a while, so it is good to know that I can still do a 13:23 (with a kick at the end) without feeling too drained at all. What I really want to do is get on the track and time my two mile, because I need some set distance. Our Zone might also begin doing zone sports again, where 20 missionaries come together and we play football or frisbee or basketball or soccer. I am really looking forward to it! Additionally, we now have a bench press bench in our apartment, so we went to town on it Saturday morning after the Service Project (the bushes). I did 5 reps of 185 on the bench, then 16 of 185, then 3 of 235, then 12 of 185, then I did skull crushers, curls, triceps extensions, squats, and pushups, then did 8 more reps of 185. I felt so good!!! D&C 89, baby!
Well, to conclude, I recommend that EVERYONE read the Book of Mormon. The more I read it, the more I learn. I am more able to read for longer stretches of time than I was before. I love the teachings of King Benjamin, the stories told by Mormon, the writings of Nephi and his brother Jacob, the testimonies of these great individuals who humbled themselves before God that they would be able to help others come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end (all you returned missionaries better have been able to stop reading and still known what I had written!!!). It is so wonderful to see happiness grow inside others as they learn the things that I have learned. It is also so humbling to see them grow beyond what I can teach them.
My personal testimony continues to grow daily. I love the scriptures and the teachings of our modern prophets. I love the guidance I can obtain through my patriarchal blessing (I never should have waited to get it. It is SO powerful!). I love that through prayer I can have secrets revealed to me and my mind can be opened to the truths that I would not otherwise be able to know. My heart is filled for the people of California. I love it out here.
Elder Gavin Strawn
8267 Deseret Ave
Fair Oaks, CA, 95628
Ah, the joys of being an older-than-usual missionary. Sounds like you're doing great, Elder. Keep up the good work.
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