No bake cookies?

March 12, 2014 I didn't know what to title this email as, so I decided to read Kylie's email to get some ideas. I think the oven/no bake cookies is a great analogy. I would like to add that sometimes brownies take longer than normal in the oven, sometimes different parts of the brownie cookie better than others, sometimes the brownie comes out of the oven and has to put back in the oven multiple times, sometimes you just have to toss a certain mix and start with a new one! (for reference see Kylie's email haha) Anyways, I've felt kind of like a really awkward mix of ingredients this week- this transfer actually, not really knowing if the brownie will turn out edible or not...training a new missionary is a very interesting experience. I've come to appreciate the patience that my parents had while raising me to get me on the right path. Elder P is doing great, it's just that sometimes as a trainer you feel the pressure and stress of not knowing when to train and when to let him train himself. Sometimes you don't know if he's well beyond where he's expected to be, or if he needs to be farther along the path. Sometimes you don't know where you yourself stand on the path! But it's definitely a learning experience, a nice pre-parenting experience. At least I don't have to feed him and change diapers haha ;) But this week has been one of learning and miracles, but also frustration and disappointment. When you come across people that you know need the gospel and who's lives would change for the better if they just took the step of faith to learn more, but they reject you in the end. Or people that promise the day before to come to church and bring their whole family, and don't show up! Frustrating! But we also were trying our best to get one particular guy named Paul to church, and he has been coming recently! Also when you see members start to really invite the people they care about to church, and they do come, it's really pretty miraculous! I think for some reason getting people to church is the hardest thing about this area. If you ever wake up and ask yourself: should I go to church this morning, or should I get a couple more hours of sleep? GO TO CHURCH! There something about giving Heavenly Father those few hours on Sunday to partake of the sacrament in remembrance of His Son, that makes a huge difference in your week. Every week, as we make mistakes, we create spiritual holes in our slates that were once wiped clean through repentance. We repent throughout the week and try to change, but it really is the Sacrament that truly seals the deal as far as repentance goes, and helps us truly remember Christ and what He did for us- He is the truth, and the truth shall make us free (John 8:32). We can be made free every Sunday by 'sealing the deal' and creating a new clean slate- almost like getting Baptized every week! But without the Sacrament, it's a lot harder to fill those spiritual gaps we create every week! That's my rant of the week. But it's true. We hear people say they can really tell a difference and something missing when they don't go to church on Sunday. So we were able to have a little cookout with a family from church- the S family. Brother S has been in a wheelchair without functioning legs since his birth. He's been handed a lot in this life, but although he's not like most of us, and he's on wayyy too many meds for his own good, he hasn't once failed to bear his testimony of our Heavenly Father's love for each and every one of us every time we see him. Even if we're helping him install an AC unit, he'll find a way to bear his testimony. I think it's a lesson for all of us to observe- what are we focusing on? Not just at church, but at all times- 1 Timothy 4:12 says it best! Alrighty, have a great week. I loved talking to all the family yesterday! Pretty surreal- I couldn't tell if I hadn't talked to you all in forever, or if it felt like the months had flown by since last time. Either way, I'll talk to you in 6 months (I wonder where I'll be!). You all look like superstars;) Love, Elder Hirschi