New Investigators, Magicians, Fasting

Dear friends and family,

this week has been another great one--we're 2 for 2 here in Arlington Heights with good weeks.

On Tuesday we had breakfast with one of the members from the ward and as we were talking, we found out that her son is a world-class magician. The story gets even better because her son was there at her house and after begging hermana to ask her son to show us some magic tricks, he came up and he literally is a world-class magician. He took Elder Yount's license and made it fly all over the place...and we were sitting outside!

On Friday we biked for about 15 miles--it wasn't too big of a deal--except we missed dinner that night and we had already committed to fast the next day. We got home exhausted and went to bed and when we woke up, we both were a little cranky. We have both been feeling a little under the weather lately which only made things worse and it was a battle just to get out the door and walk to the car. After a lesson with our new investigator Bernadita, we decided to walk around an apartment complex and talk to some people and we were both just not feeling it. I was nauseous and Elder Yount was super tired and so we made a goal to just talk to 5 people...and everybody that we talked to was super nice! I have such a testimony of the blessings we receive when we work hard on the hard days!

This last Sunday I was asked to play the piano again and it was a little better than last week but it was still pretty stressful. I was really hoping to have a good experience with the Sacrament, but the stress of blundering through a sacramental hymn became a lot of my focus. As the priests knelt to say the prayer I felt such a peace and comfort that all of my efforts were acceptable and that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. I am grateful for the testimony that I have gained throughout my mission of the power of the Sacrament.

I hope that you all have a good week and that you are able to focus on the Sacrament this week and enjoy the blessings of fasting this coming Sunday. Love you all!

Elder Arkoudas

Sorry, too busy to take pictures;)

This is breakfast...lunch...and dinner...

Transfers, Dungeons and Dragons, Blind Men

Dear friends and family,

I will be transferred this week to Arlington Heights, one of the biggest Spanish wards in the mission. I'M GOING SPANISH AGAIN BABAY!!!

It's kind of a bitter-sweet thing--transfers always are--because I have made such great friends here in the Woodridge ward and I will be sad to move on, but my new companion, Elder Yount and I are both brand new to the area so we get to start with a clean slate! I am beyond excited for that!

This week, to wrap everything up here in Woodridge, we did a lot of service! We found a family that was in very dire circumstances that were in desperate need of help. They had to move from their apartment to a house in the next town over, but because of health issues, the house was in very bad shape. We ended up spending 4 or 5 afternoons helping them move stuff, cleaning out rooms, and so on. At one point, we opened up a closet and found 3 mint condish Dungeons and Dragons board games and so the dad, Tommy, told us to take them home and sell them if we wanted. Heck, I'm going to play this sucker Tommy, who cares how nerdy it makes me!

One of the saddest parts of leaving the area is the fact that I have to leave my friend Brother Schwartz. He and I have formed a very good friendship and he has helped me out a lot in this area and I will miss him a lot! As we visited with him this last week, he invited us to read John 9 about the man born blind and so I would like to share a few of my notes from my reading of that.

The story in John 9 starts out with the disciples asking the Lord, "who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" To which the Master responds, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

Why do any of us need to suffer; for surely this man--now an adult--suffered much, with nearly half a lifetime of sightlesness. So it is with all of us: why must we suffer in this life? 2 Nephi chapter 2 teaches us that there must be opposition in all things so that both righteousness and happiness can be brought to pass, but the story of the blind man gives us an even deeper look into the reason "why".

In 2 Nephi 2:1, as Lehi begins his discourse to his son Jacob, he starts off with, "in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren" and so we see that Jacob too was a victim of circumstances outside of his control. However, Lehi continues, "and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain." Do you think that Jacob's experience in those early days of his life prepared him to be the mighty prophet who boldly condemned the love of riches and fornication on the temple steps? "But that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

Forget the emotional and probably even physical pain that these two men had to suffer through in the early stages of their lives: the Atonement of Christ is sufficient to heal and repair whatever scars were formed. The Lord decided, in his infinite wisdom, to allow these men to suffer--suffering which was more than compensated through the suffering of Christ--so that he could draw others unto Him, thus turning these two men into saviors of themselves.

In life, we may have occasion to ask, "Why is this happening to me at this time? Why am I in this situation? Why did the Lord make me this way?" Instead of tumbling into an endless abbys of self doubt and self degradation, think, "How is the Lord manifesting His works through me at this time?"   

I know that as we look to others in our afflictions, we will be able to see that the Lord is not punishing us, but he is making of us savior-type examples. Our suffering is not only for us, but it is to help uplift others and show them the way, just as Christ suffered and was lifted up for us.

Happy Mother's day to all of the mothers out there which I did not get to talk to yesterday. I love you all and hope that you have a fantastic week this week! 

Elder Arkoudas

The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning!

Friends and family,

I had the very special experience this last week to go to the Naperville Stake Conference, and it was probably one of the most spiritual meetings that I have ever had in my life. The current stake presidency was released and a new one was called and so there were two general authorities there to conduct the changes. 

After we had begun and after the first hour had passed, we stood up to sing the rest hymn and it was hymn number 2, "The Spirit of God". As we sung, I was overcome by such an intense spirit that brought me goosebumps and made me grin from ear to ear. There was really no reason for me to smile, but I could just not help it! It was a testimony to me of this wonderful latter-day work that I am apart of and provided me the added strength that I needed at the time. I had specifically asked for a spiritual experience that day because I would not be able to take the sacrament and the Lord more than compensated.

I know that God answers prayers and that He loves His children. He wants the absolute best for us and if we ask with real intent for the right reasons, He will answer. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Elder Arkoudas

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