Sweater Weather –Austin Nov 17th 2014

Austin and the Stripling Warriors

The weather here changed drastically! Last week still felt like the beginning of autumn, but suddenly this week there has been frost every morning! Not to mention the freezing rain warnings and temperatures below 30 degrees. Throw in wind and rain and you’ve got a frozen Rush-sicle! So I now get to throw on my long-sleeve shirts, sweaters, and big jackets!

Besides biking through the cold, wind, and rain, Springfield decided to take a holiday this week, and we had a hard time meeting with anyone. It was a rough thing, but we survived! We did have one really significant experience, though, that I think is worth sharing. We had to help a single, older less-active woman we work with get some food assistance. We mentioned her need in ward council, and calls had been made by other members to the relief society, but nothing, still, had happened. So we brought it to ward council again this week. She’s been going to church in the 2nd ward to help her son’s family become reactivated; she talked to bishop about it, and has never asked for assistance before, so we thought it’d be a pretty simple matter of getting it done. But they told us that she had to start coming to 1^st ward before she could get assistance. We knew that wasn’t necessarily true, but we rehearsed the information to her and that really was an awful experience. She started getting pretty emotional, and I felt terrible to have caused that. I wasn’t sure what to tell her to help her. I started praying silently that I would be able to help her somehow. The answer was not an easy one to swallow, but I couldn’t deny the truth of it. I felt keenly aware, suddenly, that I had not done nearly enough for her. It really was MY fault, and MY problem. So I told her that, and apologized, and reassured her that I would make absolutely sure she got the help she needed. That didn’t fix everything, but it did invite the Spirit back, and she said before we left, “Everything will be okay. If I need the help, God will make sure I get it, and if not, then I guess I didn’t need it.” I couldn’t believe the faith in those words, and I reassured her that God would take care of her. Immediately afterward, we formulated a game plan, and by Sunday night we had her sitting down with the Assistant Ward Clerk over membership to get her records straightened out, as well as the High Priest Group Leader to plot out her finances and get started on her receiving assistance. We were able to be there when they came to her house, and it went really well. It’s amazing what can happen when two people sit down together and just talk. It’s interesting how the other becomes a real person to them rather than just a name on a paper, and it changes how the situation is handled entirely. They got a feel for her situation, and by the end they reassured her that things would be alright as well. As we were leaving, she thanked me for sticking with her and not giving up. The Ward Clerk, who we had come with, also thanked us as he drove us home for bringing him to that visit, and admitted it was a learning experience for him as well. It all left a good feeling inside of me, like God was giving me a thumbs up.

I know with absolute certainty that God is mindful of us, and knows our situations personally. There is no reason for me to believe otherwise. He gives us each what we need at all times and in all things. Occasionally, that is some chastening to humble us and get us moving in the right direction, but it is always what we need.

Not too much else to share this week. We lost Elder King to be a District Leader over in Santa Clara, but we will be getting an elder in 1st Ward I’ve known from the start of my mission–Elder Ayre—so that will be neat. Also, Elder Zachary Bassett, my good friend from high school, is now in my district as a zone leader! PG represent! Actually, in my district this transfer are two Sister Training Leaders, the zone leaders, Elder Ayre–a former zone leader–and Elder Fetzer, and myself and my companion, Elder Scott. With such a leader-heavy district, I’m going to really have some work to do to make district meetings great! It’ll be fun, though, and I’m excited. Thanks everyone for reading! Have a great week! Elder Rushton – Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints