Cool Rule

Wed, Aug 26, 2015

Heya, 

We had zone conference this week. So many good things were talked about. My favorite was when President Smith talked about the difference between doctrine and principles. Doctrine is eternal, unchanging, simple truths of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Principles are doctrinally based guidelines for what we ought to do. He talked to us about how all the rules that we have been given as missionaries are to help us live the doctrine more fully. 

"Rules" clicked with me in a way that I have never looked at it before. Because honestly there are some rules as missionaries that I'm not the most fond of. I don't necessarily think they are "cool" and "swaggy". However because missionaries are held to a higher standard because we represent Christ and His church it is actually a blessing we have so many specific rules to help us live The Doctrine of Christ in a way that others will be able to recognize Him through us. 

Then President Smith went on to talk about the fact that just because we don't have a specific rule or commandment on every little thing doesn't mean we should do stupid things. We still have to rely on the Spirit to help us. He shared a story about this idea: "At a conference full of just bishops and stake presidents in Texas. Dallin H. Oaks came to address. There was a question and answer session and one of the bishops asked the question,"When are they going to update the word of wisdom? There are countries around the world that have certain drinks such as kava and maté that aren't mentioned in the word of wisdom, but probably should be." Dallin H. Oaks response to that was, "drinking gasoline is stupid. Do we need to add that to the word of wisdom?" Haaaaa LOLZ #GotHim

I was on a companion exchange and I was able to be with my Argentine roommate Elder Michia. In the morning we had planned to meet with a member named Arlene, and her husband who is working towards baptism. We went by and nobody answered. We gave them a call but nobody answered the phone either. We continued to go on our day as usual, spreading the good word and stuff. 

Elder Michia and I were the only ones on the train car,
so we decided to get a pic to prove it

And then I was like, "Quick Elder Michia! Look tough!!"
haha something like that #StraightOuttaArgentina

Later that evening we had planned a lesson with some other investigators but they ended up not being home. That appointment fell through. It had been a long day, so I decided that I would take my foreign companion for the day Elder Michia out to eat at McDonald's, his all time favorite restaurant. 

As we were walking by the same street that Arlene lives on the only thing I could think about was Arlene. We walked past the street and the name Arlene kept going off in my head. I kept trying to rationalize the feeling I was getting thinking, "We already stopped by today and we called. They will get back to us when they can." But that didn't work. At this point of walking I kept thinking back to times throughout my life when I have had a good thought, acted on it, and then later realized that it was the Spirit. I decided that it must be The Spirit so I asked Elder Michia if we could postpone the Mcnuggets for a bit and go swing by Arlene's again. He consented. 

We knocked on Arlene's door a couple times and nobody answered. I was confused as to why I would feel a prompting to come back to her house if she wasn't there, so being a little stubborn I sat down on her front steps and decided I wouldn't leave until something happened. Sitting on the uncomfortable stone steps I whipped out our trusty dinosaur. By dinosaur I mean cell phone. I began to call her when she came out to the door. Arlene has been home alone with her kids and she has recently been diagnosed with whooping cough. She was at a very dark time and we were able to talk with her and reassure her that God is aware of her. I know for a fact that was a spiritual prompting. The Holy Ghost is real. 

K. Bye. 

Elder Tyler Johanson

Will sumbudy prety plz bai me those jean shoritz wit 2Pacs fayce on dem?