We Got the Keys to Hotel California

On Monday, December 7, 2015 12:51 PM, Dustin Thelander <dustin.thelander@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Week one of the transfer is in the books, and it was a great start for sure. I know it will be a great transfer overall, and this was confirmed when I stumbled upon an Audi R8 at lunch. That made my day for sure! Tuesday was a great day to have after a great Monday. We had a District meeting where the new District leader, Elder Carson, made his first go at a meeting. He did a fine job, and I know he will be a good DL. We also had the chance to help out at a blood drive at the church. I was super bummed out because we, as missionaries, aren't allowed to give blood. I love doing that especially in honor of my grandfather, but mission rules are mission rules, so I just had to be ok with helping the people that did give blood. So, will someone out there donate blood for me please?! Then we had a great dinner over at Juan's house, and they made us some legit Mexican food. It has been amazing this week to be able to share the new video "A Savior is Born" with people. It shares such a great message about Christ and the reason he came here to earth. It simply asks for you to discover why for yourself. You can see it for yourself at mormon.org/christmas.

Wednesday, we spent a great majority of the day assisting the Halls move. They needed to be out of their home by 6 am Friday, so it was very critical we help them out. We got there early, got things loaded on a trailer, waited for a while, then got more things on another trailer, then finally got them moved down to the storage unit. Brother Hall has a very unique way of thinking, and sometimes has his ideas are a little crossed up. We enjoy listening to him for a while and then disproving his every comment. That at least made the move move along a little bit. It was a long day. They have done a lot for us though, and we were happy we were able to help. That night we had a great lesson with the "three kids" and got Paul the oldest ready to receive the priesthood on Sunday.

Thursday was full of some more service. We helped out at Squash for Friends and were there this day about an hour longer than normal. Jim, the leader, just kind of left and was gone for a while. We had to wait for him because he feeds us at the end- can't turn down free food. Then the afternoon was full of some great lessons. We taught Tony, and what we did was pretty cool, I thought. We watched seven or eight Mormon messages, and then after they were over we related Christlike attribute seen in the video to our own lives. We decided whether or not we are good at it or if we need some improvement. Even for me it opened my eyes to some things that I do well, and others that I could use some work on. Then we finally were able to teach Pam again. If you remember, she had a surgery and has been recovering. She is up and moving around now, but she is still in a good deal of pain. We taught her the 10 commandments, and she really loved us being in her home again. She said she felt something missing during our absence. The amazing thing, and my favorite part of the week, was when she expressed that she really missed coming to church. Especially missing the sacrament. She says that she just feels a peace during that part of the meeting that she gets no where else. It really built my testimony of the importance of the sacrament and that chance we have to communicate with our Father in Heaven during that time. We also had the opportunity to teach Letty again, and her son Arturo joined us as well. He, on his own, had read a pamphlet we gave to his mom. He has been to church two times already as well. A very recent return missionary, Skyler Gallagher, joined us at the lesson. His testimony and teaching ability really helped out during the lesson, and the spirit was so strong there.

Friday was a day of mixed emotions for me. It started out really well with a great lesson with Bill and his son Liam. Liam is just a little Bill. They are literally the same people. He is so deep for a 7 year old, it is stunning. We went over the plan of salvation. Bill loves us so much and loved our wanting to teach Liam, it prompted him to leave us, in a secret hiding place, the keys to his house. He took me aside and said, "hey if you ever need anything, the bathroom, water, a place to lounge around, anything just walk right in". That is extreme trust as Bill has some sensitive documents in his home. He told us that that we now have "the keys to Hotel California". The sad part of the day came later. We were over at the kids house, and we got to talking with Paul. Just a short version of the background here- his mother is a drug addict, there is no father in the picture, and the grandma he stays with is a bit crazy herself. His two younger siblings are 12 and 9. He literally feels that he needs to be the parent to these kids. This is a good thing to understand for him because he knows that if he parties, they will think it is ok and so on. But, he is feeling the burden, and it is getting to be a bit much for him. I feel so bad for him as he has no father figure and has no idea how to raise two younger people. We are getting some good role models in the ward for him and getting help where we can, but I just wish I could do more for him. I left there basically in tears. None of you out there take your families for granted in any situation you are in. IT COULD BE WORSE. This time of year take the time to give thanks for your families and tell them that you love them, tell them that you appreciate them, and tell them that you will do anything for them. I know that I have an amazing family that I probably didn't tell them those things enough. But I do love them, I do appreciate everything that they do, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will do anything for them. The amazing thing is that Paul got the priesthood this Sunday, the same day my little brother Braden passed the sacrament for the first time.

I love you all so much, and I miss you all very much. Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Thelander

My scripture this week is Moroni 10:4-5 "4. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost 5. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Photos are me and Elder Boltz on a hike and the other is the beautiful Audi I saw (my future car).