Week 12 in Loveland, CO

Hi Everyone!

I'm going to start with a fun & humbling story first before I share a more personal one. :) "Life is better at the Houghton Lake House."

This week we moved! And I am extremely humbled by the amazing accommodations we have right now. After asking 15+ couples in the ward if they could house the missionaries, nothing was working. Everyone was answering, "we would like to, but..." with whatever excuse they had. Ultimately someone had to step up. Bishop Houghton just finished building his second house on a lake about 3 weeks ago. Because he is a surgeon he can't live very far from where he is on call so his second house is still in our ward boundaries. No one has lived in this brand new house yet and he had us move in!! Moreover, his wife was out of town last week and he was going out of town too. We moved in to his house while neither of them were even there! It was such an incredible example to me of being consecrated. His wife wasn't even phased that we were living in this house she had spent the last couple years designing - a house that isn't even furnished yet. I can hardly believe they are letting us live there/here. I was expecting all these rules that we need to be terrified of messing anything up, yet she asked us this morning to let her know what else we need in the house to be effective! 

 

I had a really amazing experience this week. I was struggling a bit recently and felt that because of mistakes that I had made/were making that I couldn't make an impact or teach with the Spirit because I was not being as obedient as required. I ultimately messaged my mission president on Thursday and was able to meet with him yesterday - there are some great blessings of serving right next to him as his home ward is the one I am in! But before that in the afternoon on Thursday, I was not doing well and was mentally beating myself up. I didn't really realize it at the time, but I had a prayer in my heart for help from God somehow someway. And it came!! :)

Since I didn't have any lunch with me and I was super hungry, we stopped by Chick-fil-A. Immediately upon entering, we passed some teenage/middle-school girls and it sounded like they were talking about us. I turn around and they are waving to us across the restaurant. I talked to them shortly thereafter and found out they are Mormons from Oregon and visiting family here in Loveland. They were super excited to see us and waved to us about 7 different times (including 3 times from their car - as it was facing where we were eating). They couldn't see and didn't know about my inner turmoil, all they could see was my white shirt, tie, black pants, and name tag. What Heavenly Father showed me at that time was that even when I am at one of my weakest points, I can still be used as an instrument in His Almighty Hand. Moreover, another Mormon stopped by our table when we were eating to say hi. Minutes later after washing my hands in the bathroom, I was stopped again by two Mormons. Turns out the mother and son work at a business where one of my friends works! What I'm getting at is that sometimes Heavenly Father REALLY lets you know that He is there and listening and loves you. That really feels good to be reminded of. (After lunch we had a lesson with a member who recently has been coming back to church. She was super grateful to meet with us - which reminded me that I can't just mope around when I'm down, but I have to go out to serve others to feel better!).

Lastly, I had an opportunity to go on an exchange this week and be with my companion from last transfer, Elder Hendrix. It was good times! He is in a biking area; it was a lot more fun to be a biking missionary than I expected. I loved talking with him and working again with him. We had the opportunity to teach a lesson to a grandfather-age investigator. The Spirit was so powerful there. Though I barely knew him, I already loved him. I was struck by how much I REALLY cared about him. It was pretty awesome to testify about the restored Gospel, share part of my own conversion experience, and invite him to read the Book of Mormon.

I love being a missionary! There are so many opportunities to grow. Working with lots of people and seeing examples of different families is a blessing. I am definitely learning how to pattern my life in such a way to have a great one.

I hope you have an amazing week! And thank you to many of you who are writing me back! It is a blessing to hear from you. :)

Elder Jeff Campbell