Elder Wride in California: Week 4 - Indiana Jones and Master Oogway

Bonjour

The title is confusing, I am just going to use Indiana Jones and Master Oogway for analogies on the mission experience so far. But honestly, this week has been the wildest emotional roller coaster. Like some days I'm feeling sad, and then other days I'm happy.

1. First Days in the Field - Indiana Jones

2. California and Biking

3. General Conference - Master Oogway

4. Current Status and Temple Trip

1. So the morning after I arrived we went to a new Missionary training thing. It went for like 4 hours of basically just being nuked with information. And like I was already kind of sad, because it was like "What's going on? Can I go back to the MTC?" I just wanted to go back to bed and cry but I got through it fine.

The analogy I came up with for what the first 2-3 days were like is the scene from Indiana Jones. The scene where Indiana is being pulled from the truck on the dirt. So, I'm Indiana Jones, the MTC is the White Horse he was riding on -

- the dirt is just everything about Missionary life, and the truck is where all the other Missionaries and Mission leaders are. The truck represents where the ideal Missionary should be. So to the analogy, I was riding along on my horse, feeling good, but I needed to get on the truck. So, as I try to make an easy transition, I fall and end up on the ground. So I am being dragged along, just eating all this dirt. And I don't like it.

But while being dragged, President and Sister Giménez on the truck are shouting "You can do it! Be patient with yourself! Do your best!". But they won't slow down for me, or let me climb on. While this is happening, other trucks are pulling up with Friends and Family members inside. They're shouting "We're proud of you! You're doing great!" I don't feel great, I'm trying to limit the amount of dirt that is going into my mouth.

2. California is nice. We are in a little city called Poway that is North of San Diego. I haven't seen the beach at all, except for while I was on the plane. Not that it would really matter if I did. I kind of thought California would be more green, but it's more brown and more desert like. But the temperature has been really good. It got a little hotter this week, but only to like Mid-High 80s so not terrible. Most of the time the temperature is like 60s and I love it. Biking hasn't been as bad as I thought, we will have bikes for the whole transfer which isn't super exciting. And our area is pretty big, and we've been able to catch rides if where we're going is too far. But both of my companions have already broken their bikes. They didn't really do anything to them, their bikes were already kind of messed up, so they just made it worse by riding them. But biking reminds me a lot of riding around the neighborhood with siblings.

3. General Conference was amazing. We spent each session at a different member's house and they sometimes fed us. But I think what made this one better was it's the first time I've really brought a lot of questions to it, which made it more personal to me. But I had a lot of questions, so it was cool to see them all answered. There wasn't like one talk that would answer a question, I had to piece it together from a lot of the talks. I didn't want it to end because I still needed help and don't know what I'm doing. President Nelson was closing, and I just thought of that scene from Kung Fu Panda where Master Oogway ascends.

In the analogy, President Nelson is Master Oogway, and I am both Master Shifu and Po. Shifu represents the side of me that is trying, and Po is the natural man side of me that needs the most help. I need you to watch it for me right now. Like stop reading and go watch it. President Nelson is telling me to believe and have faith, but I don't really know how to. Then he just sort of leaves and I don't know how to do this. I got emotional just thinking about it like "President Nelson, you can't leave me, I need help". Go watch the scene, and that's basically how I felt. I don't really know who Tai Lung is, maybe like Bible Bashers or just the Hard parts of the Mission. So when Conference ended I was feeling kind of down. And that seemed like the perfect moment for my companions to talk about getting haircuts, so they were just beating a man while he's down.

4. I've been doing better since then, even though I still don't really know what's going on. I was able to piece together all of the things I pulled from each talk so that has helped, and I know what I need to do. Part of it is also that I have been more diligent in reading the Book of Mormon recently. Like not just reading, but studying and trying to make it more relevant and personal to me. I would encourage you all to do that because it does make a difference. Also, do the same thing with General Conference. Since the speakers are speaking to people all over the world, you need to work with the Spirit to make it personal to you and your needs. But yeah something else that also was great was going to the San Diego Temple this morning. The design of it was really good. Like the architect was into it. It was really good, probably my second favorite temple trip. When I got my Endowment is still number 1.

I feel like the analogies didn't make sense, but that's literally how it was for me so yeah. But other than that, things have been fine. I pieced it together and kind of know what to do, but at the same I also don't know what I'm doing still.

1. Picture with the Mission President

2. My cool little set up

3. Sunset picture

4. Jesus was a Ladies Man

5. Meme in Honor of the death of Priesthood and Women's session from Elder Ethan Wride

6. Lake Poway

7-8. Temple Pictures

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Olo

I'm gonna send 2 emails this week, because I tried to send this one last Tuesday, but it wasn't working for some reason. So this email covers from Saturday the 25th to the 28th so it's for half a week. And so when I wrote this I had just got to California.

1. End of MTC

2. To the Airport

3. San Diego

1. Right after sending my last email, my family went in front of the MTC and waved before going to the BYU game. It was so sweet to see them. My last couple days in Provo were kinda sad. The MTC was a good time and I miss it, and my District. On Sunday we had a District testimony meeting, which was really good. Seeing everyone's testimony grow throughout this experience has been really cool. And I know my testimony has grown a lot from them. Monday we just did packing, and other recreational stuff. It was sort of another P-day. And then the next morning was goodbye to the rest of the District. At 4 AM I said bye to my comp who is going to Las Vegas. It's funny, I actually miss him less than everyone else. I still love him and he's the best, but I have spent enough time with him. Saying bye was more like a "See ya, have fun!". Everyone else left throughout the morning. But I keep thinking about the scripture Jacob 7:26 "the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream". It really does feel like a dream and it's kind of weird. I do miss it.

2. And then around 10 AM, I was off to the airport. We took the train up to the airport and it took like an hour. But while I was on the train, my Mom kept messaging me asking me how I was getting to the airport and whatnot. I thought like "Yeah she's just being a protective Mom wondering where her son is". But then, I get off the train and she just appears out of nowhere. My parents just hunted me down and were able to catch me as I was switching between two different trains. I was really caught off guard, like what? My parents are crazy people. But it was really sweet, and I loved seeing them. We just talked for a bit while waiting for the next train. And then I was off again. The flight to San Diego was 1.5 hours, and I had to endure without being able to watch movies or being able to sleep, because the chairs are comfortable. I didn't like it.

3. (Remember this is the perspective from Day 1). Being in San Diego feels weird. I'm not quite here mentally, I've only been here for a couple hours, but so far it's been alright. It hasn't been bad, I just don't really know what's going on. Once we landed in California, I met My Mission President, President Giménez, who fun fact spoke in Conference April 2020. And then I just hopped in a car with my comps, (I'm in a trio) and got some food. Also, good news we are switching to bikes! We are in a car area, but will have bikes. One of the Elders in a biking area broke his arm, so they're getting our car. So we'll have fun with that.

Sorry if this email was confusing, I tried to rewrite it to make more sense. But basically just point 3 is from the perspective of day 1.

But I hope this week and a half has been a splendid time, I will send another email about my first week in California shortly.

1. Family from the MTC