Elder Evan Baer: Canada Calgary Mission: "This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

[Title refers to this scene in The Fellowship of the Ring.]

25 November 2024

大家好！Hey Everyone!

Yup . . . we got slapped in the face by winter. It dropped about 10 inches of snow on Saturday, and as we were on our way to dinner on Sunday, we saw the temperatures were -18 Celsius which is about -3 Fahrenheit. Needless to say, there was a lot of shoveling and a lot of time in the car.

This week did bring a few funny moments:

We had a lovely dinner with a family of unusual names including Porsha, Rope, and Chevy.

During a visit on the reserve, two kids came running in front of our car as we parked, and by the time they reached the house, one of them had a severe wardrobe malfunction when their pants suddenly dropped to the ground.

Had a funny conversation with Elder Kim about Ammon & Spiritual Gaslighting (See Alma 18:21-23)

There were actually a lot of interesting conversations this week! The Zone Leaders came to Cardston and did a sort of exchange with us on Friday, and discussion topics included the eternal destiny of Mars, the malicious plotting of McDonald’s, and more silliness. However, Elder Kim still wins this week for the most thoughtful ideas! Here’s the gist:

An egg hardens under the same pressure that makes a potato soften. People are similar under pressure: it can weaken us or strengthen us. The mission has increasingly appeared to me like a giant pressure cooker—there is so much pressure physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. This kind of pressure can bring out character in someone that is extremely difficult to see in normal circumstances. I’ve seen missionaries who were really nice, neat, good kids at home, but when the pressure mounted they started disregarding all sorts of guidelines that would have helped them be happier. I’ve seen missionaries who wasted lots of time and opportunities making dumb decisions in the past, but when the pressure mounted they stepped up and became great examples and people influence. It’s important to realize how we will react to pressure.

If you feel under a lot of pressure, I’d suggest you think about receiving a priesthood blessing! One of the great gifts of the restored gospel is the authority of God through the priesthood that blesses all men and women on the earth! And if you have received a Patriarchal blessing, I’d encourage you to look at that! Elder Kim said he has started to study his blessing every fast Sunday, and I think I’m going to join him in that! Those are just two things you can think about this week. I promise as you frequently study your patriarchal blessing, you’ll make better decisions in your life, and as you seek blessings in time of need, you will feel more of God’s enabling power and strength.

Stay warm everyone! Don’t let the snow come in as early as we did! Love you all!

Elder Baer 熊长老

照片：

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yBaTy1Mc3BcoogrG6

goofy deer