Monday, August 25, 2014

Good Morning



Good morning! I am stoked to be a live and I hope that you are all as
well. I have learned a lot over the past 7 days, as you might expect
from a missionary, and I will share a little bit of it with you. I
have really learned to love to learn on my mission and I am so
grateful for that. It is a gift that will serve me for the rest of my
life. Before my mission I liked learning the things I liked to learn
about. I now have a deeper appreciation and love for all knowledge,
wherever it come from

Stuff that happened this week
-We moved this week. Cleaning up after years of gross missionaries is a big job.

-After a whole day of not really finding anyone interested, people
canceling and bailing on appointments I got a little flustered and
just started calling a list of contacts. We talked to a drunk guy,
another drunk guy, some fake numbers, a not interested guy, some no
answers and then out of the blue we spoke with Abbey, who said that
she would  be happy for us to come over that very night and we could
talk outside her apartment complex. We had a great conversation and
she invited us to come back another day. I love people who want to
learn.

-We taught the Spaniards again. I am not sure if I have told you about
them but they are the cousins of some members in our ward who are
visiting to learn english. They are two girls, Elizabeth and Melissa,
22 and 18 respectively and they want to learn! So we love to teach
them. Every time we go in and teach them they have so so so many
things cleared up. Lights just turn on in their heads when they read
the Book of Mormon and hear what we have to say. The coolest part
about it all is that at the beginning  Elizabeth was ultra skeptical
and closed , yet could not ward off her curiosity. Our goal is to help
them be baptized before the go back to Spain in September.

-We had a spirit rocking third our in church taught by our dearest
Dany Matos who is always a firecracker. He told a story about his
mission and the powerful change he saw in himself and in others. He
read many of those classic verses in Alma 5 that make you shake in
your boots and re think your life a little. "Have ye spiritually been
born of God? Have you received his image in  your countenances?...if
he have experienced a change of heart...can you feel so now?"That
experience motivated a lot of the following thoughts.

I have decided I want the last 6 months of my mission to be a lot more
eventful that the time I now have behind me. I feel like I have not
been really prepared or worthy for all the miracles I desire up until
this point of my mission. That does not mean that I think I am perfect
or that I think that I am now the best missionary this world has even
seen and deserve every miracle between here and the moon but I finally
understand how to truly access the grace of Christ and receive divine
help OFTEN.

I want so badly to forget about everything that ties me down and just
make miracles happen. To be a part of them, to change the lives of
everyone I see. Of course I know there are still going to be TONS of
people who don't care at all what i have to share and what I have to
say but I still want them to understand. This week through diligent
efforts, combined with faith I will do my very best to access the
grace of Christ to change the lives of those we teach and every one
else that just "happens" upon us.

 I love you all lots-

Love//

Elder Bigelow

my address is now 4400 4th st. N apt 149, Arlington VA--we moved---this
is our new apt in shambles that we have been trying to find time to
put together over the past 4 days



Wassup

This week was a breakthrough, it was great. I loved it. I really
really like being a missionary. I learn lots of stuff all the time.

-We are teaching some pretty cool girls form Barcelona right now, they
are visiting family and learning english. The good news is that their
family are members of our ward and these girls have TONS of really
good questions. They actually want to learn and come closer to God.
They now like and respect us and really love to learn. That really is
what I have been praying for and wishing for, someone who WANTS to
learn. Often people just let us over because of "la palabra de
Dios"(the word of God) and they cant turn that away. Anyway, that was
naturally a highlight of my week. I also like their accent. I am
probably going to go to Spain some day.

-Remember how I have been studying patience this week? I have finally
figured it out, well, better at least. I am finally comfortable with
the Lord's time frame as a missionary at least. I will bust my butt
no-matter what happens, it is worth it.

-WE ARE MOVING THIS NEXT WEEK. Just the prospective fact was a
highlight of my week. We have been living in a decent apartment but it
has just been run down by gross missionaries for so long. I am excited
to be some where clean that I can keep clean.

-We also had a Zone Conference in which our mission president came and
taught us in a small setting. I pretty much always love listening to
him. He has got it.


The overall theme of my week and the most gratifying thing that has
been going on is i think I finally properly know how to follow the
spirit. It was kind of a sad epiphany moment because I was like,
shoot, I have missed so many miracles in my life. But, the good news
is that from here forward I will be much more conscious and desiring
to follow the spirit. I feel like I have finally come to a functional
realization of Moroni 10:5...."and by the spirit you may know the
truth of all things." I think I have finally been able to
contextualize the functioning of the spirit in all parts of my life.
It most often comes to me in a thought I feel good about. Things that
just lead me to good. It just feels like intuition. I don't know how
many times I have been taught that nor how many times I myself have
taught that, probably a million. I now, however, understand its
direction. There are all sorts of other details about how the spirit
works for me but I wont bore you with those. I just know that it is
real. I have chosen daily to follow it now and life is better that
way.

I still have so much to work on and so much to change, but I feel much
more secure in my progression because I can find a daily guide. I love
the feeling of progression, it is exhilarating. I am excited to feel
the spirit help me to learn the truth of all things when I get home.
All things.

I love you all and hope that all is well. Send my love and thanks to all.

Love//

Elder Bigelow

ps. I got the package! it blew mind! I have so much chocolate! I will
not have to buy chocolate the rest of my mission (I shouldn't at
least...)

Hump Week

Good morning!

Thank you for the package!

It sounds like lots is going on over in Provo Utah. It is interesting
how many things happen which it seems we have absolutely no control
over. I guess what it comes down to is how we react to those things,
because that, we do have control over. We have been spending a decent
amount of time with a guy here in our ward named Eric who is awesome.
He has a rough background of "the minority life", divorced parents,
and pretty much fending for himself since 14ish. He is 22 years old
but finally figured it out. When I was in this ward a few months a go
he was still an awesome guy but he had deflated goals and low
expectations for himself. He didn't think he could go anywhere or
really be anything life. When I came back he was totally different.
When we went over to his apartment there was a light that was so
unexplainable and distinct if you don't know what he has been doing
recently--he has been reading conference talk after conference talk.
He has been doing it as part of an online BYU-Idaho program called
Pathways, you may have heard of it. It was another testimony of the
immense power of the things that we are taught by the prophets and
apostles who we have as our guides. They are inspired.

High----lights of this week
-We bought some dark chocolate fudge brownie mix, that was exciting. I
still love brownies
-I went back to my first ward in Reston and got to visit with a lot of
old members investigators. That was a great time with a lot of
powerful lessons. It is interesting the bonds you make as a
missionary, the get strong quick.
-We met a guy named Elder Hernandez. No, he is not a missionary. He is
a cool little dude from Guatemala and we hope to be teaching his
entire family soon.
-We had a HUGE Argentinian Asado on Friday. It was GOOD. I ate a lot.
It was such a good time with such good food and such good people. We
were sat at a big home made wooden table made for events like this and
sat and served family style. Cooking like our friend Jimet did would
be a talent I would love to get. I think the main part is just buying
a lot of good meat.

This week is our third week of the transfer, out of six. That means
miracles have to and will happen for us to achieve our goals we have
set, most specifically our goal to baptize 5 people this transfer. So,
we need your prayers!

I have picked up the habit of studying an attribute of Christ weekly,
for a weeks period of time and I always start on Monday. I just
finished studying the theme of knowledge which was fantastic and
humbling and this morning while studying patience I got rocked. I AM
NOT PATIENT ENOUGH. That is a big flaw I have found I have. I can
support lots of stuff...but I get frustrated when things don't go my
way and in my time. In other words I have a lot to work on. I will let
you know how things after this next week.

I love you all, thanks for the news and the love. I appreciate it always.

Love//

Elder Bigelow

Monday, August 4, 2014

Saturday Night Lights

 I dont have a whole ton of time today, so getting down to the
nitty gritty..

Highlights of the week:
On Saturday night our mission again went to a Nationals baseball game, that
was a great time. There were something like 500 missionaries at the
game because both our mission and the D.C. North Mission were both
there. I have learned that I actually love baseball, when I am at the
game. There are just a great environment to have a good time. Get me
some coke, seeds and a brat and I will be happy as a clam. I plan on
going to many more games when I get home.




-I was able to see even more old friends from this ward this week and
it was wonderful to touch base again and see how people have changed.
-We had about a million meetings this week which robbed so much of our
time and two were extra zone leader responsibilities. We pretty much
only had the night to work this entire week, and then saturday night
was stolen by the game. In other words, I am very excited to work this
week.

On that note, I work really hard, or I try to at least. I do my very
best to be up on time if not early and that same attitude continues in
everything I do throughout the day. I want to give my all or more in
everything I do. That has led me to a lesson in humility this week.
The odds were stacked against us to have a lot of success this week.
We knew that going in, because of how little time we were going to
have to work. So, we tried to work really really diligently every
moment we had. To make a long story short we worked really hard.
Everything WE did hardly seemed to move the mountain of peoples
stubbornness and preconceptions. At the end of multiple days this week
we found prepared people, put into our path. The two tired, on their
way home, less than charismatic missionaries that hoped for a miracle
were more successful than the fired up, ready to go and show the world
what's what missionaries nearly every time.

It is not me that drives this boat. I believe that God works through
us and all we can do is choose to be a better tool in the hands of
"the creator" as one of our new friends this week so often referred to
God. I am small, puny even, in this big world. I, however, can let
great works be done through me.

I hope some day to be strong enough and committed enough to let God
work through me always.

Love// Elder Bigelow

Back in Arlington

 I have moved, I now live on Glebe Rd in Arlington VA in the Ballston
area. My new address is...something I don't know yet...I will tell you
soon.




I am back in the Bella Vista ward with Bishop Magleby, but am now
serving as a Zone Leader in the Arlington Area. I am so excited to be
back in this ward, and especially in this area. It is an awesome place
to be and I have wanted to serve here since I came to the mission. Our
area ends at the Potomac River.

Highlights of this week
-I love my new companion, His name is Elder Kirkham: he is from
Shelley Idaho, he has been a missionary longer than I have and has
also served in Bella Vista before. He is a really kind guy who wants
to work hard and he told me he has a huge coin collection at home. (I
loved my old companion too, don't worry)
-I was pretty sure I was coming back to Bella Vista but it was so
great to see everyone in church again. To put a cherry on top they
called us Sunday morning because they needed another talk. So, I gave
it!

I have been thinking a lot about the power of love and service
recently. I have recognized small or large acts of service from people
who I don't know who love me for one reason or another leave a huge
mark on me. I never forget them, and they motivate me to do the same.
I guess what we do every day is just that. We go up to people we have
never met before that we love for one reason or another and then we
just try and serve them in any way we can. We try and give them the
gospel and if they won't accept that then we try and serve them in any
other way we can. I think when I really work hard I will be extending
the love of Christ to all I see. That is why I can be successful
regardless of whether or not people accept the message of the restored
gospel. I will leave a mark on their lives as I share with them truths
with roots to their divine nature and potential, as I act through a
love that does not originate from me or them but from Christ, and as I
let the power of the spirit lead my actions. As I let that happen by
my own consecration I will find those God has prepared for me. Because
of that I will continue to work hard to become the best missionary I
can be come to change little old Arlington Virginia little by little.

You can all do that in your own way whoever you are. Change peoples
lives because of who you are. It is always someone else's choice to
accept the light you have, but that shouldn't stop you from bombarding
them with as much as you can.

I love you all, share my love with everyone else.

Love//
Elder Bigeloooooow
Regardless of what this picture looks like I am pumped to be here.