Keep on Keeping on!
Hello all,
It's my turn(Elder Folland) to write the blog this week. I am finding it hard to come up with something to write about. I guess we have "hit the wall" so to speak. When we first arrived in the mission, everything was new and we experienced sensory overload, so to speak. New foods, new stores, new customs, new people to get to know, new driving laws, new weather, new landscapes and new jobs and tasks to learn. At times it was almost overwhelming. We felt we couldn't work fast enough to keep pace and couldn't learn our jobs fast enough to avoid having disasters occur, although no disasters ever happened.
Over the past few weeks, things have changed. I noticed I can drive almost everywhere in Hamilton without GPS as well as many areas outside of Hamilton. I have gone from feeling totally lost and thinking "I don't know where I am in this world" to being confident with my situation. Sister Folland recently asked me if she could do some of my assigned tasks because she had everything done and was looking for something to do. We never would have imagined that could happen 6 months ago when we were in the "I don't think I will ever get this" phase. There were days we would come home from the office feeling like our brains hurt. That seldom happens now. Don't get me wrong, I still have plenty of work to keep me busy, but now when a problem crops up, I generally know what to do.
There were times ealier in the mission when I would think "I am a smart guy. I used to run a busy veterinary clinic. Why am I having such a hard time learning these new tasks? Why can't I remember things? Will I ever get this? What disaster is going to happen because I don't know what I am doing?" It has been a long time since I have experienced those kind of feelings of total inadequacy. Granted, I have had some church callings where I felt that way, but at least the rest of my life remained pretty much under control. But, the past several months were quite the upheavel. As I look back, I realize the feelings were intensified because everything about my life was new and foreign.
Now that we have passed through that exhilerating, as well as somewhat painful and uncomfortable experience, I would like to reflect on what I have learned. 1. No matter what the circumstance we can do hard things. 2. When we persist at hard tasks, they eventually get easier. 3. Don't get too down on yourself or your abilites-persistence and time have a way of correcting your inadequacies. 4. Telling yourself you are dumb or slow or too old doesn't help the situation, it just makes you feel discouraged. 5. Heavenly Father will hold you up when everything seems to be going down. 6. Take and keep control of the small things while the bigger things are working their way out. Keep a schedule. Do little things that relieve your stress, like exercize or enjoying a sunset. Don't forget to nurture your relationships. Keep your environment tidy. 7. What President Gordon B Hinkley used to say really is true: "Things will work out." 8. These kind of experiences, as much as we might want to avoid them, are good for us in the long run. They stretch us and make us better.
Ok enough philosophizing and rambling. Two weeks ago we had our largest new group of missionaries come into the mission since we have been here-20. It was a crazy week but everything went well. Last week, we had 2 zone conferences, South Auckland and Tauranga/Gisborne. On the way home from Tauranga, we found a u-pick blueberry farm and picked over 5#-yummy. Yesterday, after finishing our chores, we drove out to Raglan and watched the surfers and then had a wonderful seafood dinner on the wharf. Next week we have 2 more zone conferences and then the next week we have a visit from our little grandson, Rune.(and his parents Lucy and Dave).
We are grateful to be serving a mission in this beautiful land. The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings us much joy and peace in this evermore-turbulent world.
Much love!
Elder and Sister Folland
It's my turn(Elder Folland) to write the blog this week. I am finding it hard to come up with something to write about. I guess we have "hit the wall" so to speak. When we first arrived in the mission, everything was new and we experienced sensory overload, so to speak. New foods, new stores, new customs, new people to get to know, new driving laws, new weather, new landscapes and new jobs and tasks to learn. At times it was almost overwhelming. We felt we couldn't work fast enough to keep pace and couldn't learn our jobs fast enough to avoid having disasters occur, although no disasters ever happened.
Over the past few weeks, things have changed. I noticed I can drive almost everywhere in Hamilton without GPS as well as many areas outside of Hamilton. I have gone from feeling totally lost and thinking "I don't know where I am in this world" to being confident with my situation. Sister Folland recently asked me if she could do some of my assigned tasks because she had everything done and was looking for something to do. We never would have imagined that could happen 6 months ago when we were in the "I don't think I will ever get this" phase. There were days we would come home from the office feeling like our brains hurt. That seldom happens now. Don't get me wrong, I still have plenty of work to keep me busy, but now when a problem crops up, I generally know what to do.
There were times ealier in the mission when I would think "I am a smart guy. I used to run a busy veterinary clinic. Why am I having such a hard time learning these new tasks? Why can't I remember things? Will I ever get this? What disaster is going to happen because I don't know what I am doing?" It has been a long time since I have experienced those kind of feelings of total inadequacy. Granted, I have had some church callings where I felt that way, but at least the rest of my life remained pretty much under control. But, the past several months were quite the upheavel. As I look back, I realize the feelings were intensified because everything about my life was new and foreign.
Now that we have passed through that exhilerating, as well as somewhat painful and uncomfortable experience, I would like to reflect on what I have learned. 1. No matter what the circumstance we can do hard things. 2. When we persist at hard tasks, they eventually get easier. 3. Don't get too down on yourself or your abilites-persistence and time have a way of correcting your inadequacies. 4. Telling yourself you are dumb or slow or too old doesn't help the situation, it just makes you feel discouraged. 5. Heavenly Father will hold you up when everything seems to be going down. 6. Take and keep control of the small things while the bigger things are working their way out. Keep a schedule. Do little things that relieve your stress, like exercize or enjoying a sunset. Don't forget to nurture your relationships. Keep your environment tidy. 7. What President Gordon B Hinkley used to say really is true: "Things will work out." 8. These kind of experiences, as much as we might want to avoid them, are good for us in the long run. They stretch us and make us better.
Ok enough philosophizing and rambling. Two weeks ago we had our largest new group of missionaries come into the mission since we have been here-20. It was a crazy week but everything went well. Last week, we had 2 zone conferences, South Auckland and Tauranga/Gisborne. On the way home from Tauranga, we found a u-pick blueberry farm and picked over 5#-yummy. Yesterday, after finishing our chores, we drove out to Raglan and watched the surfers and then had a wonderful seafood dinner on the wharf. Next week we have 2 more zone conferences and then the next week we have a visit from our little grandson, Rune.(and his parents Lucy and Dave).
We are grateful to be serving a mission in this beautiful land. The Gospel of Jesus Christ brings us much joy and peace in this evermore-turbulent world.
Much love!
Elder and Sister Folland
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