Monday, November 24, 2014

Tongue, Cheek and Head

Family!

Lots happened this week as usual.  We focused a lot this week on getting members out to lessons with us and involving them in the work.  We set a goal of how many lessons we would have with a member present, and we worked all week long to hit that goal.  We called basically every member that lives in our area and even a few in the other area, and basically no one was available to come out or they just didn't answer.  We asked a few less-actives who hadn't been to church in months if they would help us, and we were able to get a few lessons with members present with their help.  We did all we could all week, but when Sunday arrived we were still short by 3.  We had no clue how we would get 3 more by the end of the day with nothing set up.  We talked to all the members at church and were able to set up 1 for Sunday evening.  We had a lesson after church with V-------- and a member of the primary presidency.  We still needed 1 more.  We decided we would just go try less actives and hopefully find an opportunity to teach with a member.  The first less-active we tried opened the door and invited us right in.  She led us into the living room where her non-member husband was talking with one of the members of the branch!  We had walked right into the perfect situation to teach with a member!  We ended up hitting our goal!  That experience helped build my testimony that the Lord's grace really will make up all the difference if we do all that we can and ask for His help.

This week I had a super intense lesson with some Dominicans.  I think I already mentioned how they speak super fast and I have a hard time understanding them.  Well, the guy we were teaching spoke faster than anyone I've ever met.  And he shouted when he spoke.  At first I thought he was mad, but after a bit I realized that he just spoke like that.  There were some other people in the lesson, and for a while they talked amongst themselves and I just tried to follow along.  I felt like I was teaching my very first lesson again.  I could only pick out a few words here and there, so the majority of the time I had to guess what was being said.  When they asked me a question I would just respond to what I thought they were saying, and every now and again my response wouldn't even answer their question because I hadn't understood.  It was crazy!  It's a super humbling experience to work to master a language for a year and a half, then just when you think you've got it, have an experience like that where you can't understand hardly anything.  It definitely helped me turn to the Lord and ask Him for help to understand and to be able to speak.  That brings to mind Ether 12:27
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness . I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

The Lord doesn't immediately make us perfect at something because He wants us to learn to rely on Him.  He doesn't take away our weaknesses in the moment we pray for relief because He wants us to develop the habit of looking unto Him in "every thought".  I've definitely learned a lot about this principle on my mission.

As far as the subject line is concerned, those are the types of tacos I had this week.  Cow tongue, cow cheek, and cow head.  I also had some with venison.  I can just imagine your face Mom... =)

Sounds like all is well out there.  Maybe a little busy and crazy with the broken oven, but still good.  Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Foote
Elder Foote Eating a Head Taco
Elder Foote Enjoying a Tongue Taco
Elder Foote's Deer Soup
Elder Foote's Tongue Taco