WEEK 54 - ONE GOOSE

Howdy everyone I hope y'all are doing well! I am having a great time serving the Lord! "Do I really have to forgive everyone?! What if they did something bad?!" - Joanna My wonderful friend Joanna hit me with this overly profound question this week, and it has left me thinking. When she asked it I answered her with this scripture: "I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men" In my mind there are two definitions of the word forgiveness. The majority of us define forgiveness and just kinda moving on with whatever happened and calling it a day. That is part of it but I like the second definition more. I like to call this one the Joanna definition of forgiveness. Joanna is one of the most purely good souls I have ever met in my whole life, that is why she was so dismayed with this question. Forgiveness to Joanna is an act of pure mercy and grace being done out of love to someone who has intentionally or unintentionally done something wrong to you. I think Joanna and the Savior have pretty similar definitions of the word forgiveness. I've really been trying hard to go by the Joanna definition of forgiveness recently and it has been amazing to see how much it has healed inside of me. So my invitation to you, whoever is reading this, is to live by that definition of forgiveness. Next time someone intentionally leaves you out of something, or they don't comment "queen" on your dang instagram post, or the swig employees get your order wrong, or idk, I don't remember what happens back home, but that sounded familiar to me, my invitation is to give that pure Joanna style forgiveness, and watch you and them heal. Alright, anyways here are some small highlights of the week: - My pretty much brother Lance Andrewsen got to interact with Chu Yang and Peter Chen over facetime (shoutout Brianna thank you) - I was at a hotpot and the member cooked the pork for probably like 2 seconds in total, they hand it to me and idk why but I just ate it. Anyways we go to visit my favorite inactive members after and I just LIGHT UP their bathroom. There is nothing that you can do to make walking out of a members bathroom after 45 minutes not awkward - Peter Chen was thoroughly impressed with Captain Moroni this Sunday - One of our friends moms told me I was the most handsome person she has seen in Texas (she's been here like 3 days) and then she points at her son and whispers to me "I wish he was more handsome, but he's just fat" and I was like "oh alright." "Can't take the heat get outta the kitchen" (shoutout jrob) - We had so many friends at church and it was so much fun Oh my heavens, I so wish I could tell you the other things but I can't aghhhh, anyways this next story was for sure the best part of the week: - BILLY. Our friend Billy who got baptized last Saturday is so elite it's insane. Elder Cox left us this Wednesday so Billy wanted to take us out to eat on Tuesday night. We get there and he starts by letting us know how absolutely appalled he was that Elder Campbell left without letting him take him out to dinner, he let us know that if any of us attempted to pull a move like that there would be consequences. Then he called Elder Campbell and it was so wonderful to see his blessed smile once again. He then let us know that he was arguably as sad or more sad then Elder Cox's parents were when Elder Cox left them. We went to go fill up our bowls (we were having dry pot (slaps)) and the owner of the shop did the classic "oh you're too strong, you need to get more" Billy instantaneously fell for that and made us get more. We start to eat and Elder Cox decided to get a spicy level 5 bowl so he was taking his sweet time, and Elder Christensen eats so unreasonably slow, so to Billy it looked like I just slammed my food and I was still hungry. Billy was like "Elder Horsley you need to get more" and I was so stuffed so I was like "oh haha it's ok Billy I am full" and let me off that time. Then Elder Cox was really having trouble finishing his food so I started to help the man out a little and that is when Billy was like "you must get more" and I was like "oh please no Billy I promise I'm fine" and he looks at me in the eyes, and then glances at a nearby vendor in the store and he is like "ONE GOOSE" and he ordered it for me, I was like "oh Billy please I'm begging you, I'll get more dry pot!" And I did and I was so insanely full at the end. I love Billy. Oh I love my mission, it gets me so hyped to see everyone who is just going out, you're gonna love it. The Lord has blessed me so much and I am forever grateful for Him. I miss everyone reading this and know that I love you! See you next week! my google photos is back, if you think you're in it you're not so rejoin if you want: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qwGY1QhS99ne5wGy8 Pics: 1. Braum's with the district 2. Billy chatting with Elder Campbell 3. Elder Cox's final moments 4. Oh I miss Elder Tullis 5. Me and Alex after a game of basketball 6. The tie Elder Cox gave me 7. Exchange with Elder Strohfus 8. What Alex sent the Sisters