Conference Rocks!

Email dated 10/6/2014

Elder Penman, P-Day Picture from a few weeks ago

Well, my week was pretty slow. I went on exchanges to Greenock area. It is a beautiful area. We got to take a ferry across the River Clyde. It was really cool. The ocean here tastes just as salty as the ocean in California, Hawaii and Florida. Don’t ask me how I know.... I just do... The water is cold here. There are no waves, so for morning exercise we skipped rocks. They skip forever.

River Clyde on the way to Greenock

River Clyde, Return trip

When we were out teaching we taught a man that wants to be baptized but is having trouble giving up smoking. I asked him when he tries to stop his addiction does he look back and think about how smoking made him feel and how much he craved it. He answered by saying, “yes, I always focus on what I’m giving up.” As he said these words, a scripture story came into my mind. In 1 Nephi 7, Nephi and his brothers are going back to Jerusalem to get wives. After they find the family they are supposed to wed into, they convert them and start heading back to the wilderness to where their father and prophet is. On the way out there Laman and Lemuel are looking back and desire to go back.... I remind you that they have already started this hard journey they are pretty far along.... Then this desire turns into a want and they start putting the idea in their minds that it is better for them to return even though that city is going to be destroyed and it will hurt them... Just like smoking or any other addictions... They have themselves so convinced that it is what is right.  They start talking like they are going to go back , this does not only affect them it affects those around them and those people become desirous to return. Nephi stands up and says (these are my own words), I am younger than you and I know that we should not go back or even have the want to return or to even think about returning.  Nephi’s brothers tie him up and Nephi eventually breaks the band because he had strength, because he had not even thought about returning. Nephi was able to break the things that tied him down because he was strong and avoided all things that would make him weak to go back into old habits and be somewhere he knew he shouldn’t be.  Well, too bad that wasn’t in my area because I believe that man is going to be baptized and he is a good guy.

Brothers Try to Slay Nephi, Gary E. Smith

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Well, conference was awesome. A lot of warnings and a lot of things to improve on but I know it is all for the good. One of my favorite talks was Elder Oaks. He stressed on loving every one NO MATTER WHAT! That is something I have been trying to do for a long time and I love that it confirms that that is the right thing to do. Something else he said is to help those who are in need, loving them is not enough.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Jeffrey R Holland’s talk was beast. He talked about how we need to serve people not only in physical way like money and yard work and all that good stuff, but to help them spiritually also. This really hit me deep and made me think do I spiritually serve people? The answer I received is I did not serve people as spiritually enough as is required. 

I love how it points out that missionaries should look for their eternal companion when they get home also we should be praying for an amazing companion to come into our lives... I gave Elder Andrews a hard time with that because he goes home in 30 days. I keep telling him to start getting referrals and finding potential investigators. He thinks it’s funny... sometimes.

Well I have 30 days and then I’ll be out of Paisley most likely... Because I’ll be done being trained and also there is no way I’m becoming a zone leader.... That would BITE.

I love all of you so much. Thanks for everything.

Love Elder Penman

 Look forward to the things that will be, not at things that used to be.