April 7, 2014

Aww snap! We were completely thrown off our schedule this week with all the stuff that went on. We did no tracting the whole week and met just enough people to somehow teach 9 lessons (I'm not sure how we accomplished that) It felt like we didn’t do any missionary work this whole week. Do you want to know why? Here's why:

Monday: P-day, we played basketball, did laundry, emailed, ate dinner at a member’s home and concluded our day.

Tuesday: We had a zone training meeting that took up half our day. When we got home we did a short study session, taught a scheduled lesson, attempted to visit a few people and eventually went home and ate dinner.

Wednesday: We had a District Meeting along with Mission President interviews. Because I'm District Leader I had to be interviewed last (so that President and I can gossip about the district, teehee, not really though) These interviews took up more time than we thought, so we had to forgo some plans, eventually did service at the Sun Prairie Museum and then ate dinner at a members home. Again, we visited with a few people but nothing planned, and then went home.

Thursday: We did our weekly planning session, met with one investigator, ate dinner, and then had a lesson with another investigator who should have already accepted the invitation to be baptized... come on man, just get dunked already!!! He's been meeting with the missionaries since 2009. Gotta love him though :)

Friday: Was our only normal day of missionary work. We had a few lessons, met with some potential investigators, did service at the Museum again, and then ate dinner on our own.

Saturday: We lived at the church building, watched all three Saturday sessions and had a back flip awesome BBQ with the Sun Prairie Ward Priesthood holders!!! Like a Boss, we ate meat, and no salads or green things were present. Just beautiful meat!

Sunday, we lived at the Church building some more, ate lunch with the ward. After the afternoon session we ate dinner with another member family and got fed more delicious meat. Needless to say, I have slept well these past two days :)

We really did do missionary work, and we didn't waste any time. But with General Conference and so many meetings we were just thrown off our rocker. We also had four lessons cancel on us throughout the week, two were because Wisconsin made it to the final four for the NCAA tournament (and lost by one point, that's what they get for not meeting with the Elders and coming to conference.)

General Conference was spectacular!!! I enjoyed the testimonies shared and was especially touched by the testimonies shared during the Saturday Morning Session. I loved Elder Stevenson's talk about the Winter Olympics and how this life is already the race. In so many ways our life like a...hurdle race (you know I was going there) we take off and before your know it, the first hurdle is already in front of us. If we trust our skills developed in practice, if we trust the Lord and his gospel, than we will defeat our hurdles of life. Each hurdle race has multiple hurdles set up specifically for us (our assigned lane). So too in life we find challenges set up just for us, but the Lord has provided a way for all of us to make it over the barrier. Gotta Love It!

Scripture for the week: Mosiah 15:7-9

7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

 8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

 9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

Thank you all for your prayers, love, and faith.

Elder Luymes


"My name is Juan, I like the view from the Sun Prairie Museum, the Elders think they are funny by putting me in a high chair"

The mega-blister on the bottom of Elder Pounds' foot
because I've been working him so hard.

Proof that Spring has Sprung.  Mom says these are called Crocus
and they are the first flowers to bloom when snow melts.

Celebratory Mexican Coke (mission contraband) after
meeting with our eternal investigator aka "eterna-gator".

It probably doesn't come across, but this is my
favorite Sun Prairie sunset thus far on my mission.