 |
| My companion and I attempting sophistication at Starbucks at DuPont circle today |
 |
| Mom's Caption: Great! 2 Missionaries drinking Starbucks!! I was told it was a carmel frappé and hot chocolate. |
Today was nicknamed "Sophistic P-Day" for my companion and I. Sister Cooke [the Mission President's wife] gave a workshop on seeing God's hand in everything and going and seeing D.C. to see God's hands. Today we biked down to DuPont Circle and went to a cool Starbucks that Sister Cooke recommended we go to. We had the best seats there looking out on the circle. We then went and looked at the upper loft it had and then went downtown. We started at the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial and then went to the Enid A. Haupt Garden behind the Smithsonian Castle. We then biked down to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial and walked the wall as well as passing by the Vietnam Women's Memorial. We then biked to the Albert Einstein Monument and then all the way up to the Watergate Complex. We then took a tour of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Let's just say it's a crazy huge place and it's Mom's kind of place. We saw the three main theaters: Concert Hall seating 2400 people, the Opera Theater (where musicals also are performed) seating 2300 people, and the Eisenhower Theater seating 1100 people. As well as the Terrace Theater that seats around 500. They also have a free concert available almost every day at 6pm. It was fun to go and see.
We then headed over and saw the Native American Museum which wasn't that impressive but still very nice to see. The. We headed over and did the bottom floor of the National Gallery of Art and went over to the new East Building for the National Gallery of Art. We then had lunch at Union Station and did a quick stop at the Postal Museum which has a ton of crazy stamps and mailboxes.
On Monday our Zone leaders challenged our district to get 500 contacts this week because the numbers are low for contacts as well as the teaching pool. My companion and I were working hard to do our part. Monday evening mostly consisted of us trying to talk to people. During the rest of the week we also continued to do a lot of contacting,
Tuesday we had 2 great lessons with an active member that we are helping work on family history with. Also with a less-active member who is very nice and we were able to share a message with her about enduring to the end.
Wednesday we had 4 lessons. We helped a recent convert begin their family history. She is excited to start and it's not something she knows a lot about. We shared a short message with a less-active member that afternoon and we also had a short lesson with one of our investigators on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We also had a great lesson with our Branch Mission Leader.
Last Thursday was September 11th and as a precaution (nothing happened that day) the Washington D.C. zone had to go to the Stake Center next to the temple without using any public transportation. It was a large Zone Comference and we had some great workshops from our leaders about never fearing, keep going, and remember who you are. Sister Cooke gave a workshop about seeing the hand of God here and gave us a huge list of the must sees while we are serving in the mission here. Luckily, I've done almost all of them that she mentioned as a must see. My companion and I came up with a list of some of other things she mentioned and things we know about that we'd like to see. We have plans to go and see most of them through this next transfer. Also an expert cyclist came in representing WABA (Washington Area Bicycling Association) to give us some bike safety and information about biking around here. It was very informational and helps a lot putting into practice here. It helped me out on Saturday especially. After the meeting ended (9am-5pm), we went back to our areas and my companion and I had a lesson with one of the members in the evening.
Friday we had five lessons, two of which were on Facebook. We tried to keep busy all day and really enjoyed all the people we were able to be with and share the gospel with.
Saturday was rainy and busy. We had to bike nearly all the way to the Capitol to drop off an ID for someone in Judiciary Square. Luckily, there was also a less-active down there too that we tried to visit with. We ended up seeing a less-active member that hasn't had the missionaries over in years and was very surprised to see us call to set up an appointment. She is very nice and I was glad to meet with her and share some of the gospel a gain with her. We also taught a investigator at the old chapel about the restoration to solidify their understanding of it and the importance of it. It was a great discussion and went very well.
Sunday my companion and I really pushed for completing our 20 lessons for the week. (I bribed him with something he really wants to do and Bam! I've never seen such a hard worker to get 6 lessons in a day.) We ended up getting 23 lessons that week and 174 persons contacted. It was an awesome week for us.
For transfers my companion and I are staying together here. Both elders from the north area are leaving and then one from the east area, so half of the district is leaving.
That's one of the ties you sent me. I wore it today to go see the place you'd die to see in D.C. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
I hope that you have a great week.
Love, Elder Braden Dahl
No comments:
Post a Comment