A.N.T.S. and Three Transfers

Dear family and friends,

 

        Tomorrow marks 20 months for me! Wow! It's mind-blowing to think that I've been out that long! I have three transfers and four months left. I'm not trunky. My line of philosophy is "It is what it is". We all knew this would eventually happen. I always thought it was silly how missionaries lied about how long they've been out. We all knew it would be 2 years even before we got our calls. Besides the important part is serving honorably. I feel like I've got a long way to go even though everybody else says I don't.  

 

         I haven't heard transfer news yet. Elder Wood's been in this area for about 6 months going on 7 so he could be transferred today. I'm ready to take over if he does. This week was really slow regarding missionary work. My hope and prayer is that now that Elder Wood's medical woes are over we can get back to work. It's been a little frustrating but I've learned a thing or two about patience from this experience.

 

         We had exchanges this week. I went into my Spanish speaking district leader's area, but not with the district leader. My district leader and his companion live in an apartment with two other missionaries who are absolutely awesome! Elder Bartlett and Elder Burrows. Both of them are goofy guys and both of them have always been fun to be around. While I was on exchanges with Elder Lemon I worked out in the gym that's a part of their apartment complex. I haven't worked out in a gym since I was in Surprise about a year ago. I was sore. We also helped a part member family move. Despite the fact that I was sore aferward I felt really good doing service. 

 

         Last p-day after I e-mailed you all was a zone activity at a bowling alley. I stink at real bowling and got last place every time! After we bowled we played on the arcades and I won 4/7 air hockey games. Elder Bartlett and also one of my zone leaders called me an "air hockey champ". This past Wednesday was zone meeting where we learned about "becoming master teachers" and "how to involve members better in our teaching". Sister Taylor gave a wonderful presentation on positive thinking and about how to identify and eliminate "A.N.T.S." (Automatic Negative Thoughts. Of course we wouldn't learn about pest control on our mission) 

 

          I love you all and appreciate your prayers, love and support.

Love,

Elder Boothe

Feeling Better

 Dear family and friends,

         I'm all better now! I'm not sick anymore and I'm back to eating solid foods. I even had 8 pieces of pizza at a member's home and it didn't affect me. I have consistently solid stools (sorry if I'm grossing you out. I consider this to be a major sign of joy) and I can eat like a normal person again! I've been very thankful to my Heavenly Father for helping me get through this. I feel like I've become more patient as a result of this and it's built my testimony that God answers prayers. I never thought I'd be grateful for eating regular food and having solid poop but there's a first time for everything. My squeamishness about poop and these sorts of things vanished and I'm no longer grossed out by bathroom related talk and so forth. I think that'll come in handy once I have kids. Thank you all for your love and your support of me as I've been through this trial. 

 

           Our work unfortunately continues to decrease because Elder Wood's had a massive ear infection which causes him severe pain so a good chunk of our time's being spent indoors while he recuperates. He's supposed to be getting a doctor's appointment either today or tomorrow. He's being suffering a lot this past week. 

 

           This week is the last week of the transfer. Next week the e-mail will be coming on Tuesday instead of Monday. I love you all and I pray for you everyday. 

 

        Love,

 

       Elder Boothe

Stomach Problems and the B.R.A.T. Diet

Dear family and friends,

          This week was an incredibly slow week. The reason why is because I've been sick since last Wednesday. I stayed home basically from Wednesday till yesterday. I got the worst case of diarrhea that I've ever had in my life! Wednesday through Friday were pure agony and then on Saturday I thought I was all better and then NOPE I get really bad, if not worse. I almost had to see the doctor I got so bad! I've never missed so many days of work before in my life! Elder Wood was cooped up inside our place all day long. I thank Heavenly Father that Sister Archuleta's a nurse. She gave me a bunch of stuff like Imodium and "Hemorrhoidal Suppositories" (those things are extremely weird but they help when there's excessive pain in your rectum which I had). I've also been hydrating like crazy and drinking LOTS of gatorade. Yesterday I didn't even eat any food, I just drank water and Gatorade the whole day. I got through five hours of church really well though. I'm almost completely better right now! I'm not having bowel movements so no diarrhea and as long as I'm in an air conditioned room I'll be okay i.e. I can teach and work. I can't ride a bike or do morning exercises and if I'm in the heat too long I'll melt so our back-up plans have been "recoup time" for the past few days. I'm on the B.R.A.T. diet along with eating lots of yogurt and mashed potatoes. I am SO THANKFUL that Mom taught me the B.R.A.T diet and everything that goes with it! Who knew it'd come in handy? I'm not sure how I got this severe a case of diarrhea. Sister Taylor and Archuleta, along with myself, think that it was a bacterial infection. I knew eventually I'd get better it was just a question of when, not if. The light at the end of the tunnel is within reach. The big focus of this week is to regain my strength so that we're not completely reliant on the car. We can't tract so our finding's been cut off which means once I get better we have to pound the pavement HARD! 

         I begged and pleaded with the Lord for help and relief and even got a priesthood blessing and there were seriously scary moments throughout this whole experience. I read an article in the Ensign by Elder Bednar on "the enabling power of the Atonement" and how through Christ's Atonement we can be strengthened to bear our burdens and to meet our challenges head-on. He gave several examples throughout the scriptures: Nephi receiving strength to "burst the bands with which he was bound" when Laman and Lemuel tied him up, he gave Alma the older and his people strength to meet their burdens when Amulon and his followers enslaved them (Mosiah 24:15), He gave Alma and Amulek strength to break the bands with which they were bound and then even provided a way for their escape by causing the prison doors to tumble. Elder Bednar even gave the example of Dan Jones praying for the Lord to strengthen his stomach so that he could handle buffalo hide while the pioneers were stranded in the wilderness with nothing else to eat. I feel right now like that's what's happening to me. My sickness hasn't been wholly cured yet but I'm getting better little-by-little and now that the worst of it is over it's onward and upward towards a steady recovery. 

         I also felt like the Lord answered my prayers at church yesterday. There were literally several testimonies that point-blank stated "I know the Lord answers prayers". Wow! What an answer! I felt like Heavenly Father was saying "I answer prayers Elder Boothe. You will recover from this and you will serve an honorable full-time mission". If that wasn't enough in Gospel Principles one of the members related how he has cromes and kidney stones and that he takes a lot of "annoying pain meds" just so he doesn't crawl up in a ball from severe pain and agony. The teacher, Brother Tuggle, (who is hands down the best Gospel principles teacher I've ever come across) pointed out that when we're going through trials our view is "too myopic" meaning it's too short-sighted. We think about how the trial affects us while the Lord is aware of how us handling a trial with patience and perserverance can be an inspiration to another. Brother Tuggle mentioned that maybe the brother with kidney stones and cromes (spelling?) has that particular trial so that he can be an inspiration and example to someone else about how to endure faithfully through hard times. Well the brother inspired me for sure. I only have to put up with diarrhea for a few days, he has to worry about his infirmities FOR LIFE. If I thought my problems were bad he sure showed me. 

         Right now I could really use your prayers for my recovery. The main key is not to push myself too hard. Since we're reliant on the car due to my current condition Sister Taylor said we could have additional "medical miles" for a couple of days. Please don't be too shocked or worried. I didn't post this to cause alarm. I'm just telling you how my week went. I love you all very much and I am glad to hear from you all. I am grateful for your care, your concern, your support and you love. It really means a lot to me. I testify that the Lord watches over us and strengthens in times of trials.

        It is my testimony that trials are NOT a sign of God not loving us. He knows us. He knows us individually and EVERYTHING He does is for our benefit and our gain. (2 Nephi 26:24) I testify that our Savior died for us so that we might live again in the presence of our Father. His Atonement is real and when we access that precious gift our lives change and our desires harmonize to match His will. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

A Better Week

Dear family and friends,

       Your prayers concerning me and Elder Wood getting along have been answered. We're getting along fine. I followed President Taylor's and Elder Grasley's advice and it seems to be working out alright. Here's what I was told:

•   Don't demand change out of him. Just quietly try to mentor him
•   Love life the way it is, not the way you want it to be
•   Be humble.
•   Be flexible. My way or the highway doesn't work. Try doing things differently.

            So far it's been working. I look at the things I didn't like about him and they're very small or inconsequential things that don't matter. It's hard finding things to talk about on our way to different appointments but at least we're not fighting so we're moving along in the right direction.

            Speaking of Elder Grasley I went on exchanges with him last Friday. He's my district leader and I love the guy! He sang in the BYU Men's chorus so he's a phenomenal singer, he loves Broadway musicals like I do and we both served in the Phoenix stake so we knew a lot of the same missionaries. We had a lot to talk about and we busted out with "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "The Phantom of the Opera", "Wicked" etc.

           We didn't get a lot of work done that way mostly because the addresses of the referrals we received either didn't exist or weren't home but that day flew by super fast! Grasley and I had a blast and I think something that stuck out to me during that exchange is that I didn't get down or discouraged the whole day! I finally learned not to get discouraged when appointments cancel or when you don't have a lot of work going on! That's been a HUGE help to me and Grasley even pointed that out. Grasley said he was impressed with me. I have his trust. Those were his words. I couldn't believe it but apparently I struck him as being a very good missionary. That means a lot to me.

           So here's a couple of funny things about our area that I keep forgetting to mention:

1) The Archuleta's (the member family that we live with) don't have a whole lot of dishes or cook. We use paper plates and paper cups. They have plastic utensils but I don't use those a whole lot. They also don't cook either. They put things in the microwave or in the toaster oven but they don't cook. I've only seen two instances of the Archuleta's cooking also. I point this out only because it's very unusual to what I've normally observed. I respect their line of thinking though behind it.

2)  There's a restaurant in our area that gives us free food! It's a place called Pete's Fish & Chips. Pretty self explanatory but they also have burgers. If only it could be a pizza place. Sigh. It's still amazing that we actually can order whatever we want and not have to pay for it! It took me a little bit to wrap my head around it.

We had stake conference this past week. President Taylor spoke at the adult session. I was impressed and I loved the spirit that was present at that meeting. There were also a lot of recent converts who spoke on that. Well before I close I just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN!

Love,

Elder Boothe

Elders Boothe and Grasley

 

I think it's cool how people in Arizona carry tortoises around. They're fun to watch sometimes. 

 One of the referrals given to us was a family called (drum roll please) The Booth's! I hope I get to baptize them.

A Few Pictures from May 2012