QUIET WEEK #16

QUIET WEEK #16

7/28/2014

THIS WAS A VERY QUIET WEEK AT THE INSTITUTE, BECAUSE WE CELEBRATED THE 24^TH OF JULY. THAT IS FUNNY BECAUSE MOST MORMON FLORIDANS DO NOT EVEN KNOW THAT IT IS A HOLIDAY.  OF COURSE THERE IS A FEW COMMUNITES THAT HAVE STRONG LDS TIES THAT HAVE SOMEKIND OF STAKE PARTY OR CELEBRATION OF SOME SORTS.   WE, ELDER JUDD AND I, DID GO OUT FOR LUNCH WITH THE ALL THE SENIOR COUPLE  IN OUR MISSION—NOT TO CELEBRATE THE 24^TH BUT JUST TO BE WITH THESE  GREAT SENIOR MISSIONARIES( WE ONLY HAVE 5 COUPLES AND 1 SISTER IN THIS AGE GROUP). WE DID WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY JULY 24^TH THOUGH.

ELDER JUDD HAS HAD SOME TIME TO GET SOME EXTRA WORK DONE ON HIS LESSONS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. HE SAYS: 1. IT HAS BEEN FUN PREPARING THIS SUBJECT (ON ISAIAH) TO TEACH. I AM AMAZED AT THE VOLUME OF PROPHETIC STATEMENTS ISAIAH MADE ABOUT THE LATTER DAY EVENTS CONCERNING THE RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL ET.AL. . 2. I SPENT THE TIME PREPARING TO TEACH BROTHER PATRICK’S CLASS ON THE LAST DAY OF THE SUMMER TERM BECAUSE HE WILL BE ON VACATION. I HAVE FELT STRONGLY THAT I NEEDED TO SPEND THE TIME IN HIS CLASS TEACHING THE TENTH ARTICLE OF FAITH IN AS MUCH AS THE TOPIC FOR THAT CLASS WAS THE ARTICLES OF FAITH. I HAVE PUT TOGETHER POWER POINT ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, ITS ORIGIN, RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE SCATTERING AND GATHERING.  I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE DIRECTION IT HAS TAKEN. HOPEFULLY, IT WILL BE A GREAT HELP TO THE YSA.

ELDER JUDD HAS BEEN PROCTORING EXAMS FOR STUDENTS.  IT TAKES AS LONG AS 2 HOURS A TIME FOR THE STUDENTS TO TAKE THE TEST SO HE HAS BEEN HAVING THEM COME IN AT A CERTAIN TIME ON CERTAIN DAY—THAT HELPS HIS SCHEDULE SO HE DOES NOT HAVE TO TIED UP EVERY DAY( WHILETHEY ARE TAKINGTHEIR TEST HE HAS TO STAY IN THE ROOM SO HE STUDIES WHATEVER HE LIKES.). HE HAS GIVEN A BOOK OF MORMON TO ONE YOUNG LADY AND DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND HAD THE SISTER MISSIONARIES TAKE HER ON A TOUR  OF THE CHURCH  AND ANOTHER YOUNG MAN-- A 15 YEAR OLD WHO IS LEARNING ARABIC WHICH IS HIS MOTHER’S NATIVE LANGUAGE --A PALESTINIAN FROM JORDAN. RAMMI IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN A LOT THINGS “MIDDLE-EAST.” WE TALKED FOR SOMETIME ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON AND ITS BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE. HE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THE FAMILY IS MUSLIM BUT NOT PRACTICING TOO MUCH. I PLAN ON GIVING THEM A BOOK OF MORMON IN ARABIC.   HE HAS TO DO SEVERAL MORE PROCTORING IN THE COMING WEEKS. HE DOES HAVE A GOOD TIME TALKING TO THEM AFTER THEIR TEST.

IHAVE HAD THE OPPORUNTY TO GO VISITING TEACHING WITH A YOUNG SISTER THAT HAS NEVER GONE BEFORE. SHE IS A SPECIAL YSA SISTER AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL INSTILL IN HER HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THESE VISITS.  WE  WILL VISIT WITH 3 SISTERS WHO ARE ALL OLDER THAN SHE IS BUT I THINK THAT WE BOTH WILL BE BLESSED BYTHIS EXPERIENCE.  

ELDER JUDD IS WORKING WITH THE ELDER’S QUORUM IN SHOWING THEM HOW TO GET GREAT HOME TEACHERS, HOW TO MAKE AN ELDER’S QUORUM MEETING PRODUCTIVE, AND HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR CLASS EXPERIENCE.  TOGETHER WE ARE SUPPORTING THE YSA WARD IN ALL THEIR ACTIVITIES AND EVEN THEIR ASSIGNMENT TO CLEAN THE CHURCH-- THIS MONTH.

AFTER CLEANING THE APARTMENT ON SATURDAY, WE DROVE INTO TAMPA PROPER TO LOOK AROUND THE CITY AND INTO THE OLD PART OF THE AREA CALLED YBOR CITY. THIS IS WHERE TAMPA WAS FIRST SETTLED.  THIS IS WHERE THE MAIN INDUSTRY WAS MAKING CIGARS.  THEY DO NOT DO THIS NOW THOUGH.   THE ROADS ALL AROUND THE MAIN PART OF TOWN IS COBBLESTONE. IT MAKES IT QUITE UNIQUE FOR A LITTLE DRIVE. IT IS A NICE LITTLE AREA BUT THEY SAY NOT TO GO THERE AT NIGHT. IN THE AFTERNOON WE ATTENDED A BAPTISM WHERE FOUR CONVERTS WERE BAPTIZED: SISTER CHRIS FELIX, SISTER THOMPSON, HER GRANDSON, AND RUSSELL CANTOR. THEY WERE ALL VERY EXCITED AND EXPRESSED THEIR TESTIMONIES IN A MOST TOUCHING WAY.