Blog of Elder Hamish Macpherson

Hola! It’s Elder Macpherson here again for yet another week. Yup, I maded it through another one alive. Must be all these beautiful palm trees and warm weather!

Last Tuesday we had a Zone Conference. That’s where all the missionaries in several of the zones (in our case, the northern zones) meet up at one place and listen to the president and other elders speak and teach. It was great! I was able to meet my “Grandpa”, i.e., my current companion’s first trainer. His name is Elder Garret and he’s a pretty cool guy! Overall Zone Conference was a really great experience, and it took up most of our day. This one was held at the Mormon Center right next to the Sacramento Temple. Zone Conferences, if I’m not mistaken, happen not long after a transfer period ends.

The rest of the week went pretty well. It’s been getting warmer and warmer lately. Yesterday we were apparently in the low 90s. It was HOT! Fortunately with that car they gave us we’ve been spared the brunt of it, so far.

Last Friday was — to say the least — bad. Elder Groshong got the stomach flu and we basically spent ALL day at home (since you have to stay with your companion at all times). Of course he spent most of the day in the bathroom, and in bed. It was NOT pleasant. Fortunately our District Leader, Elder Webber, came over and left his companion, Elder Hord, at the house while I went with him to some appointments that me and Elder Groshong had previously arranged. It’s a good thing we can do exchanges! As for my health, I’ve felt perfectly fine the whole week. For which I’m very grateful!

I’m starting to feel more acclamated to missionary life now. Last week was the beginning… and now this week I feel even more so. Missionaries often joke about feeling “trunky”, that is, basically any thought or yearning to be “back home.” I think it has reference to packing your bags, or “trunk.” Regardless, It’s a feeling you need to avoid since it’s easy to become distracted and even discouraged. I’ll admit I have those “trunky” thoughts sometimes, but they’ve become easy to put aside as I focus on my purpose.

Exact obediance to mission rules is something our mission president has been emphasizing lately. I know I’ve been doing my best to follow his counsel, and it really does help in the work. At the last Zone Conference President Jardine mentioned some of the new Elders coming in we’re seeing a discrepancy between the rules they read in their call packets, and what was *actually* being followed in the field. In this particluar case it was with the sort of music we could listen to. In consequence, the mission is no longer listening to music that “merely entertains” — in other words, no more “I’ll make a man out of you” from Mulan every morning. Haha! (I mean come on, it’s Disney!) — but in all honesty, as I said before, obediance brings blessings, and WILL help us in the end, so it’s been a sacrifice, but one that I feel good about making. But seriously, listen to that song from Mulan, it’s great.

As of now we have two young women that we’re working with who are preparing for baptism in May. They’re the roomates that I think I mentioned last week. Anyway, we’ve been teaching them a lot, and they’re doing great! I’m so excited for them. The members of our ward are doing a really good job in fellowshipping and getting to know them.

I feel like I should mention a sweet elderly sister in our ward who is just SO funny. Her name is Sister Morse, and she manages our dinner calendar. So during Sunday school and other meetings she passes the calendar around and let’s members sign up to feed us. Pretty straightforward, right? Well it would be, but she takes it to the next level! We like to affectionately call her the “Dinner Natzi.” You see, she will do almost ANYTHING to get us a dinner on every day. She’ll literally run around the chapel to find people! She’s a force to be reckoned with. But of course, we’re grateful. *rubs tummy*

That’s really all I can think of now! I’ve got a whole preparation day ahead, and photos that I recently developed to pick up a little later. And of course letters to write to all you awesome people. Thanks as always for the emails and letters you’ve sent me. It means a lot.

I shall return and report next week, but until then, stay safe, stay warm, and read Alma 36. It’s a good one.

Love,
Elder Macpherson