The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up
From: Seth Gifford
Date: Mon, Aug 10, 2020 11:16 AM
Subject: The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up
Buenos días, mis amigos! ¿Cómo están?
I hope everyone is doing swell (so + well = swell 🤯)!
Welcome to another episode of…”Elder Gifford Tells You About His Week“!! In this episode, join Elder Gifford as he…you guessed it…tells you about his week!
If you read my emails you already know the drill; you are welcome to read my whole email, or you can skip to any of the sections that sound interesting to you, because I know my emails can get pretty long…Good luck! (Also, I recommend the section with this emoji 🙏)
⛰️ Moving Mountains: A Service Project
In last weeks email, I told you about our last service project and how I chopped down a forest. It was really hot and I got super sweaty. Pretty intense. But it was nothing compared to this week’s project. On Friday, me, Elder Raymond, & our zone leaders went to help a member clear the dirt out from her basement. I’m not quite sure why her basement was full of dirt, but there was a LOT (I’m pretty sure it fills up over time from storms, so it has to be cleared out frequently)! But if that doesn’t sound all that bad, you can’t stand upright in her basement. It was too short for that, so you had to crouch. Not to mention, we had to wear masks the whole time in the heat and humidity. There was a lot to do, but luckily a lot of people from the elders quorum came to help. They brought 3 wheelbarrows, 4 shovels and a ton of buckets. So we got right to work. On the first round, I was wheeling dirt away from the house with a wheelbarrow and all the people from the branch were in the basement carving away at the dirt pile and sending buckets our way. Not too bad. But after a while we took a break and everyone came out of the basement looking like zombies that hadn’t seen the sun in ages. I could hardly believe how sweaty they were. Well then it was my turn to work down below and that’s when I found out just how hot and humid it was down there. I’m not gonna lie, it was kind of cool because the whole time it felt like I was working in a mine, and for some reason, that made it more enjoyable even though it did a number on all of our backs. Us Elders stayed below the rest of the time because our backs are a lot better than the older folks, and by the end I could literally see steam coming off of me even in the dim lighting! When we came outside it really did feel like I hadn’t seen the sun for a very long time. I was also caked in dirt and mud. It was some good work that’s for sure. (Don’t worry Mom, I drank lots of water!)
🌊 Flooding & An Earthquake!
We had a crazy storm this week that was probably a remnant of the hurricane/tropical storm on the coast. We picked up a dinner from some members and were eating with our zone leaders at their apartment when suddenly it started POURING outside! There was some crazy loud thunder as well. After eating, me and Elder Raymond had to dip out because we had a lesson we had to prepare for. When we opened the door, there was water gushing past it, almost entering their apartment. We had to make a run for the car, dodging some huge puddles on the way, and as I was backing up Elder Raymond, I got soaked. On the ride back, the road looked like a river! It was crazy, but luckily we live at the top of a hill on the second floor, but the other Elders aren’t so lucky. They live at the bottom of the hill in the basement apartments aaand their apartment flooded right after we left. So that night they slept at our apartment. But everything is fine now! On Sunday morning, there was an earthquake in good ole’ North Carolina! I never thought an earthquake would happen here but it did! I’m going to be super honest, I had no idea there was an earthquake until much later in the day when I heard about it. After hearing what time it happened at, I concluded that it happened while I was in the shower, and I realized that there was a point during my shower when I lost my balance for just a second thinking it was just a normal occurrence, but unbeknownst to me at the time, it was an earthquake, so that was fun.
🍩Fun Facts About North Carolina
I thought it’d be fun to give you some fun facts about North Carolina this week! But don’t quote me on any of them because as a missionary, I have no way to fact check anything I hear.
- Krispy Kreme was started here and their headquarters are close to where I’m at! (Another Elder told me that)
- North Carolina was the first place to achieve flight! I’m pretty sure the Wright Brothers flew first in North Carolina? All I know, is that all the license plates say “First in Flight” on them.
- Okay this one is something I know for sure…Rhett and Link are from North Carolina! Although the place where they are from is in the Raleigh mission 😑 Still pretty cool though.
🙏 Let’s Get Real
I want all of you to know that the things I share in my emails are highlights of events that happened, or some of the more “exciting” things to occur throughout the week. I do this so one, it is more fun to read my emails, and two, so I don’t have to write everything in my journal. I don’t want my journal to turn into the large plates of Nephi (writing events only). I prefer my journal to be more like the small plates of Nephi, writing the things of my heart and soul. Keep in mind that my mission experience is not always filled with crazy stories and experiences. In fact, most of the time it is not. What you may not be aware of is how much time we spend everyday contacting people and getting no answer, or just straight up getting rejected. The work here is very slow. Me and Elder Raymond have been working like crazy and it seems that no one wants to talk to us. We are struggling to find people to teach even though we are working hard to find them. It’s hard work, but it is so worth it! Especially when we do find someone.
(If you read anything in my email, read this!)
Before my mission I was not the man I want to be in life, and I thought that the mission would make me into that man, but I was wrong. Going on a mission does not just magically change you or make you into a better person. But it does give you an opportunity to change and become better everyday. It gives you an opportunity to step outside of yourself and focus on helping other people. It is in the stepping outside of yourself that I have found to bring the most change into my life. It still takes hard work, it still takes effort, in fact it takes more so than before, but this experience has given me the opportunity to grow and change and become better, rather than just making me suddenly better. Obviously I’m still not perfect but it’s good to remember that if you ask God to help you become better, He is not going to just make you better. But He is going to give you the opportunity to exercise your agency to become better! And here’s the great thing: you don’t need a mission to become a better person! All you need is Jesus Christ! If none of that really made sense, here’s the takeaway: if you want change in your life, if you want to become a better person, then focus on others. Turn outward rather than inward. If you pray for help to become better, look for the next opportunity to exercise your agency to be better! If you mess up, that’s okay, because with Jesus Christ, you can get back up again! You can move forward and keep going. That’s why Christ came to earth in the first place, so we can get back up and so we can become better! It is through Him that we can change, learn and grow. In fact, it is only in and through Christ that we can reach our true potential. So why not turn to Him? Why not use His free gift to all of us–His Atonement? Why not turn to the One who understands you and loves you above all others? Why not turn the the source of all light? Why not turn to the One who is always and unfailingly there for you? Where else are you going to go? Where else can you find such peace? Where else can you find such love? Where else can you be made whole? The answer is nowhere. Only in and through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior can you find those things. Only in Him, can you find lasting change, and lasting joy. So there is my invitation to you! Go, turn to the Savior, then turn outward and bring His love into the lives of those around you and I promise you with all my heart that you will find the changes you are seeking for!
I know that Jesus Christ lives! He is as real and as present as you and me. He LOVES you so very much, and so does your Father in Heaven! I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true! I love it with all of my heart. I hope and pray that you too can feel the same way.
With lots of love,
-Elder Gifford
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