Wow this week has been absolutely crazy! So much happened but it has felt like the looooooongest week I’ve had in awhile. But Monday night we had a quick lesson with Austin and then went to FHE at President Yeager’s house. Wow their house is insane. It was build in like 1920 and is a historical site in Tyler. Their backyard has this massive garden and greenhouse and it’s so cool! The garden is literally registered by the Smithsonian. Like what? It’s called “Holly cottage garden” if you wanna look it up. I’ll include a few pictures below. These pictures are just from online by the previous owner, but it has been furnished differently by the Yeagers with all antique stuff and it looks soooo cool!! They also have tons of art by really famous artists. It was built during prohibition time so their is a little bar with a copper sink and everything but there is a secret door you can close to hide it. It’s so cool!! Their home is just beautiful I could talk about it for forever. President yeager gave us a house tour and explained all the different parts of the house it was awesome.
Because of the storm, there were trees and broken branches all over. The Legacy Trails Elders are teaching this woman named Denise. She has a niece that has fallen branches ALL over her yard and Denise said we could help! So we went over with the Hunts (senior couple) us 4 Elders and the STLs. It started POURING rain but that didn’t stop us. We kept on dragging branch after branch into a pile in the road. It was crazy but it was so fun! We were all drenched afterwards.
Institute!! Institute was definitely one of the best ones I’ve had. We talked about the Abrahamic covenant and the new and everlasting covenant. Brother Richins talked about the sacrament and its’ misconceptioins. He explained that he wants people to stop saying that covenants are “a 2 way promise” and when we partake of the sacrament we “renew” our covenants. The phrase ‘a 2 way promise’ indicates a transactional relationship. If you do ‘this’ then Heavenly Father will do ‘that’. Covenants aren’t promises dependent on our choices or what we give. When we make covenants we are entering into a special relationship with God. Everytime we partake of the sacrament we aren’t just remembering our covenants we made when we were 8. We are using the atonement to change and become somone new. Then when we partake of the sacrament we are making new covenants between God and who we are now, not who we were last week or 10 years ago. We also aren’t just reflecting on baptismal covenants, but all other covenants we have made with Heavenly Father. Covenants aren’t transactional promises but a transformational relationship between ourselves and our Father in Heaven. Another thing I learned actually answered some questions I had that haven’t really been answered before. I’ve thought a lot about a couple that have been sealed together in the temple, but one of them breaks their covenants. Obviously that would be devastating when you are doing all you can to stay loyal and true to your covenants and then your spouse completely disregards them. But in the Plan of Salvation, in the millenium, the spouse that kept their covenants will be able to find someone else that keeps their covenants as well. And together they can live in the celestial kingdom in exaltation. That just brought me peace because I know there are a lot of people that stay true to their covenants but their spouse doesn’t and I hated thinking about how heavily that effected them eternally. If there is anything I continue to learn, it’s that God’s plan is perfect. Even when we don’t quite understand everything or are even witheld from things and information in this life, God will work everything out for our good.
Wednesday we had Zone Conference!! It’s always a blast to see other missionaries from other zones and reconnect. Sister Seitz mentioned a few things that I really liked that I want to share. She talked about how true freedom comes from obedience and following Jesus Christ. She shared the quote, “Christianity is comforting but not comfortable”. I love that! If you are comfortable, you are not progressing spiritually. We are constantly tried and tested and like Elder Holland said, “Untested faith isn’t much faith at all… Real faith, life changing faith is always in crisis.” We aren’t going to have all the answers, but that’s part of life and having faith. There are so many religions of “candy”. Life is good just believe in Christ. Christ died for us don’t worry! Everything is perfect and dandy all the time! Just beleive in Christ and you’re saved! That’s not how it is. Life isn’t this easy vacation to accept Christ and do whatever we want. We have to be tested and grow our faith. We have to learn how to use the atonement and build our relationship with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Sister Seitz talked about the gray area with obedience. “God isn’t in the gray area, he is in the light! Stay away from the edge. Stay close to God and Christ”.
After Zone conference we street contacted at Austin’s old apartment complex. There was one dude outside smoking and we went over and asked to share a scripture. He said he was muslim but said some other people inside might want to hear one. He hollered inside and one chick said no lol but he let us in. I was like, “just one verse. that’s it!”. She still said no but her sister was in the kitchen cooking and said we could come in and share a verse with her. We shared Helaman 5:12 and talked about our founation of Jesus Christ and it was cool! She said they had just moved to Tyler and said they were just talking about finding a church to go to. Side note: I found it so ironic how SOOO many people tell us “We were looking for a church” or “we were talking about finding a church to go to” but then when CHURCH PEOPLE literally come to their house to share ONE SCRIPTURE they don’t wanna hear it. WHAT?! Makes no sense to me haha. But anyways, her name was Brettnee and she said she just got out of federal prison and that’s why they were in Tyler. She seemed sick though and I’m excited to visit them again. They also had 2 dogs that were 7 weeks old and were SOOOOOOOOO CUUUUUUUTE!!!! Ahhh I love dogs so much!!
On Thursday we biked like 45 minutes to downtown to have a lesson with Austin at the Homeless shelter. (He is very open about his circumstances and knows I’m sharing these things) But we had a lesson with him and talked about fasting and how to pay tithing. He is so humble and charitable. It amazes me to see him in such humble circumstances but still is so giving. When he moved out of his apartment he gave his xbox and TV to his neighbor who is an older man with no family. Austin said he doesn’t have a lot of money and is really lonely and wanted to give him his xbox so he had something else to do. It just amazes me how he is literally losing his apartment but is still giving away the few possessions he does have. When we talked about tithing he said he will get his taxes back in a few days and wanted to pay tithing on those. It is just so amazing how much faith and trust he has in God. He knows that he will be blessed by making these sacrifices to Heavenly Father and doesn’t even hesitate. He has for sure taught me a lot and hopefully one day I can be as charitable as he is.
On our way home biking from downtown, Elder Bullock popped his rear tire and didn’t have a spare. So we started walking home which took us 45 on bikes… nobody else was in the area and the other Elders were in a lesson. Eventually they got out of their lesson and came to pick us up. They didn’t have the bike rack so we had to put the seats down and shove the bikes in. The problem was, we no longer could fit in the car haha. But I realized that we were literally less than a block away from President Yeager’s house! So we walked on over there and asked if he could take us home. Our prayers were answered and not only did we get a ride home, but he took us in his brand new BMW M4 comp. Wow. I can’t even explain. It was sooooooo fun! He just casually hits 80 on the highway like it’s nothing. When he dropped us off I asked him if I could take a video of him peeling out. He said there was launch control on the car so he couldn’t really do a burnout or anything but he hit the gas and FLEW. I’ve got a video of it and I’ll include it below. It was so sick though.
Saturday was so hectic. We had service in the morning and then straight into planning our zone call, 5 minutes of lunch, Zone call, then straight to the church to fill up the font for Austin’s baptism! We got to the church and the font was all dirty and had bugs in it. So we had to clean it all out before we filled it and basically didn’t give us enough time to fill it… The water was super low and it took a few tries lol but Austin was baptized!! He was so ecxited it was so awesome!! The spirit was so strong.
Sunday I had the opportunity to speak! I spoke on personal revelation & I had to say the word peanut butter haha I got it in there! Austin got confirmed! It was super cool and Austin asked Michael to confirm him who is going to Uganda on his mission in April. BUUUUUUUT Sunday was so awesome!! i gave a talk on personal revelation and only 2 people were nodding off!! So thats a dub. But it was actually pretty fun. I enjoy speaking but I get stressed out having to write them. But if anyone wants to fall asleep I did record it… So I can send it to you if ya want. But cheifs won so that was sick! I wish I could’ve seen the game tho fr fr. But that was my week. I hope everyone has an amazing Valentines Day tomorrow! If you ever need anything please let me know!! I love you all so much!! Let me know if there is anybody I can add to my prayers! Muchos besos!! And remember, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good
All my love
Elder Grubbs
