Getting settled

Hey Guys!

Here’s the update. I’ve been here for less than a week but it has been fairly busy. My parents drove up with me and we spent most of Thursday getting food and stuff I’ll need for life in the Blue House. I went to Intervarsity at Weber State that night where I got to meet a few people and see what it’s all about. I was really impressed-this college Christian club goes on a spring break trip in which they spend 8 hours/day studying the book of Mark-every year! That’s an awesome love and dedication to the book I greatly desire to be attached to. Friday we went to Temple Square and got to explore the Mecca of the LDS Church and see its full glory. I think that is a main difference between LDS and Christianity. The first gives glory to the LDS Church and the latter to God. Saturday they left and I spent some time getting settled before heading to the Filer’s house for dinner. I really enjoy that family (and Joe’s cooking). It’s an awesome opportunity for me to get to know them this year. Seeing God’s character displayed in them is a great blessing and I look forward to it continuing.

Sunday I went to church with them. The church is called Washington Heights; it’s pretty large but it’s broken up into various services so it does not feel like a big church. A woman came up to Joe and he introduced me. She’s just finished chemotherapy and is regaining her strength. She let me know that she has been praying for me. I felt very honored and convicted to receive prayer from a woman in a much more trying position than I can imagine. The beauty of God’s church struck me at that moment. Please pray for her; her name is Sandy J

Afterwards I tried to go to the LDS ward across the street (I can actually see two separate ones from the Blue House), but when I got there everyone was piled into buses. I didn’t really know what to do so I went back to the house and did some reading. I had been bothered by my lack of time spent with God since I left home and I ended up having a really nice day with God followed by another dinner with the Filers. It was a really enjoyable day.

Today I met with Russ about a few things I’ll be doing with him. In case I haven’t said it already, Russ East is the missionary whose ministry owns the Blue House. His ministry is called Utah Partnership For Christ in which he brings out short term teams for intense weeks of service. His main ministry is a radio station that broadcasts over most of Utah sharing really solid sermons almost continuously. Joe Filer is the C&MA church-planter I’m interning for. He and his wife lived at the Blue House for a year but recently moved out. His ministry is called The Peak and he as part of that he is running ADI. I’m working primarily with ADI. There are also other ministries using the Blue House-in the next week or so Christian counselors are going to be setting up an office and a Christian dietician. It’s a cool place to live-a lot of great things going on and always people coming in and out. The official name for the house is The Open Door and not without cause.

Anyways, I met with Russ to talk about the ways I’ll be serving with him. I’ll be checking in on the radio station to fill out logs and make sure things are running smoothly each day. The station is a foot from my bedroom so that won’t be a large task. It was interesting to see how that all works and it will be cool to be involved with such a fascinating ministry. When I came out this summer I met a couple who had been converted from LDS to Christ through stumbling upon that radio station. I will also have a big part in the short term teams that come out. I’ll be living with them, for one thing. But I’ll also be taking them around to the different places they’ll be serving and showing them around Temple Square and anything else. That will be really cool-short term trips are very busy and very intense. This summer promises to be pretty incredible. I will also have a part in planning their trips. There is a guy coming from NYC in a little over a week for a short term trip and Russ and I brain-stormed on things he’ll do here. I’ll be putting in some of the planning as I’ll be the one going with him on each of the activities. I’m trying to get him connected to a Christian construction company out here so I’ll be arranging meetings and figuring meals and things like that. It’s not what I expected to be doing but I am really excited about it. I’ve emailed him and he is really excited to serve God. Please pray for him; as Russ reminded me bringing people out here is part of stewardship over their souls for the time they are out here. We want to make each trip a 10 but won’t settle for anything less than an 8. I’m excited for that week. Being super busy with ministry will hopefully stimulate the relationships I’d like to start building.

I spent the rest of the day (well most of it) working on some clerical stuff for Joe. It’s nice to have things to get done and to do them. I’m not a task-oriented person but I like it from time to time. I wanted to go what’s sort of an LDS college group tonight but I found out too late where it might be so instead I’m getting some more things done (like this). I am trying to register for a Book of Mormon class so pray that that works out. My sisters are visiting this weekend!!!!! I’m super excited for that.

I think that is it for now. I appreciate your prayers and encouragement a great deal. I am currently very content but know once things start getting more difficult, you’ll be my lifeline.