This has been one of the most exciting weeks on my mission to date. It feels so good to have my full time mission call and to start getting ready for that. Of chorus, I’ve already prepared myself spiritually, but now I have to re-prepare temporally.
I didn’t really guess where I was going to go but for some reason I didn’t rule out California as I know you went there also.
Everybody here has been super supportive of me. I’ve received numerous congratulatory cards and people have been very generous in offering me help to buy new clothing. I am so grateful for all of this.
It’s another busy time to be on the Tabernacle Choir stage crew. President Jarrett wasn’t kidding when he said they’d keep me busy until I leave. I wish I could have gone to the temple or even go out with the missionaries yesterday, but we had to set up risers for the Temple Square Chorale. This process took well over 5 hours.
This week at the Conference Center has been slower. The past few weeks were busy with Conference and Women’s Session. I’ve even started to not even ask guests what they know about the Book of Mormon. I used to; if they knew nothing, I’d explain, if they did, I’d just let them look at the pictures. Now I just want as much practice as I can get, so I’m explaining the Book of Mormon paintings to everyone regardless of whether or not they are members.
I really enjoyed conference this past weekend. It is such a great blessing we have to be able to listen to a living prophet, even from the comfort of our living rooms! I enjoyed the messages shared, and for the first time I felt good when the speakers commanded the young men to go on missions or for us to treat our bodies as temples.
I’m grateful for all the learning experiences I’ve had on this mission and am ready to gain even more from full time service.
This morning I bought groceries and went suit shopping. It’s an amazing difference between what I was wearing vs what I will be wearing. After that I went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. I was hoping to do more, but I was running out of time to do so. I even baptized somebody. I was quite nervous about the prospect of doing so, but I’m not sure why, I did just fine. I guess it’s just from never doing it before.
Love,
Elder Blodgett
