Lots of changes this
week, good and bad, bitter and sweet. Winter has finally decided to come
to the Ohio and it has greeted us with a high temperature of about 18
today. It is supposed to go sub-zero this week and we may possibly need
to get the snow shovels out . . .hopefully. The winter has been very
mild until now.
Other than that the big news
of the week is . . . I have new companions. No transfers did not happen
but I was part of a "mid-transfer" cycle or "emergency transfer."
Essentially what happened was Elder Patch went home (worthiness issues).
It was totally unexpected for me and came as quite a surprise. I
learned from Elder Patch during the beginning of the week that he might
be going home and Friday we learned that he was going home. Saturday I
said goodbye to him as the assistants picked him up from Xenia. I am
currently serving with the Xenia 1 elders and our areas have been
combined, so I am in a trio again. As of right now I am a single zone
leader and have been told I "might" get another companion this transfer
(transfers are about 2.5 weeks away still). The other Xenia elders are
awesome though. Although they lack lots of skills, they have a sincere
desire to do what is right and that is all I need out of a companion.
Yesterday at church was an endless stream of questions about "where is
Elder Patch" and I got tired of the interrogating. Everyone should see
him on TV this winter as he plays for the BYU men's volleyball team.
They will also see him at Slab sometime this week.
I
hate it! When missionaries go home early! Elder Patch made the right
decision but he is missing out on so much. I know the blessings of this
mission and I so wish everyone could know it. It drives me crazy because
I have too many friends who have gone home, who have taken it for
granted, and who have thrown away "the gift" for that which is of no
worth. They have been endowed with power, made sacred covenants, and
witnessed miracles, so how can they let this happen. Yet, I take comfort
in the fact that people can change because of our Savior, and although
mistakes have been made they can always be brought back. His arms are
outstretched "all the day long." And another part of me is so happy
today to learn that my friends Brandon Gowans, Kayden Ashcraft, and
Weston Yardley will be returning home from their missions next month
after serving for 2 years.
So it has been a
bitter sweet week for me as well. Elder Patch was simply not well while
he was still here and our area did not produce much this week. I also
worry about my investigators because Elder Patch was a very charismatic
and likable guy, so they loved him. I hope they are investigating for
the right reasons or our teaching pool is about to get substantially
smaller.
As for Grandpa, I am going to miss
him too. I love him and he has been a good example to me. However
because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we can take comfort, in fact to a
degree I look forward for Grandpa to join the ranks of valiant
missionaries on the other side of the veil. Greater blessings and more
happiness than he has yet experienced await him still, even on the other
side of the veil, as he declares the gospel. He is graduating the
school of this mortal life to become what his Heavenly Father intends
for him to be. From this side of the veil and the other, our family will
bring others to the knowledge of the gospel. That makes me feel good.
I
love you all! Grandpa, God be with you till we meet again, for we shall
meet again, and until then we shall labor in the Lord's vineyard.
Elder Beutler
