Can you pray for my diabetes?

hi Dad, it's been a good week. we got a lot done, but we were sad to see our key indicators for the week, because they were not as good as they could be. we have not been able to teach the referrals from last week, so we did not really have any people to teach. our  teaching pool is still dry and so we are still working on finding. as for less actives, our bishop wanted us to start working the less active list. he has a list of people for us to teach regularly, so we did work that. 

a fun thing that happened was we won a bet with Pres.Welch, so he had to take us to lunch hahaha. he took us to Olive Garden on Tuesday, and it was exactly like going to lunch with your CEO hahaha. it was fun, and he gave us a lot of tips. that was awesome to be able to do that, so we have been implementing a lot of his tips that were specific to the area, and so far they are working. they really helped with a meeting we had this week. 

sorry to say, i don't have much else to really write about with the status of teaching, but hey, we will change that hahaha. it sounds like the Murdocks gave good talks. that is really cool about your home teachee, that is the best way to get involved with peoples' lives--service. one day in Noblesville we stopped and helped this elderly lady rake up her leaves, and she was so appreciative. she did not accept a message, but that is okay--we made a good impression for the church. i love getting to serve others. it is good you at least got to enjoy the visits being made. it also sounds like you got some more good service in with more snow removal. that is fun, i miss that! hahaha 

the weather here has been 60 degrees most of the week, but it's only an Indian summer--next week it gets cold again. that is crazy you have to get a passport, but it will be fun to see where you will get to travel to. you could go someplace crazy! just watch out, you might get fed lambs eyes! hahahaha 

i can't believe the Super Bowl is so close hahaha, that is crazy. and it's even crazier the deal that guy got on those Corvettes. that's insane! yep, i can't believe it actually happened, but Trump is now president hahaha. i have not heard about the protests, but i am sure there were some mad people in Cincy, they don't like him out here. 

it is so true, we too often get in a rote set of prayers, which i know how guilty of that i was before my mission. i make a conscious effort to make my prayers a real conversation with God. it is so much more fulfilling, and you can feel the spirit so much stronger. prayer is such an amazing tool we have from our Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants to bless us, but just as much, He wants to hear from us. i know that prayer is a legitimate conversation with God, and as we choose to make it that way, he will always listen to us. we just have to listen to Him. i am so grateful to be serving a mission. thank you for supporting me Dad! you're the best! i love you Dad! have a great week!

-Elder Sedlacek

hi Mom! it has been a good week. i am glad you got the pics from the members. can you send me those? please? i love Springboro, it's a really nice place. we don't have much of a teaching pool right now, but that's ok, it will grow. 

my comp is awesome, we get along so well. we have been working with a bunch of less actives lately to help the ward and ourselves find new people to teach. so about that story of how we came to be helping those people move: we are painting our apartment for our landlord, he is an eternigator so we are serving him, and we had planned to do it Saturday morning, but my comp felt really badly about it for some reason, so we decided to call a sister in the ward and ask if she knew anyone we could do some service for, since it was our social media split (i.e. the pictures get posted online). she directed us to a family who she had just visited a few moments before and they needed help to move cause no one was available to help that day. we volunteered our help and they had been paying a company to move their stuff, so we greatly sped up the process. it was a cool experience. 

we did not get anyone to church. i don't really need anything right now, but if you could send a Snickers that would be super cool. it's for my comp hahaha. i also do want to find a blue and white skinny tie, Sarah knows what i mean hahaha. if you find one that would be cool! 

the most challenging thing was probably not having anyone let us in, even the less actives were pretty ornery this week. we pretty much went less active hunting for the bishop and a lot of them cursed us hahaha. my comp took it pretty hard, i felt bad for him. a tender mercy that happened was as my comp was having a really hard day, a member that fed us really said a lot of nice things about the job we are doing and really reassured Elder Payne, so that was really nice. i was really thankful for that. 

the best thing that happened was a good bishop's meeting we had. he gave us an assignment as a companionship to come up with a forty day fast for the ward, and we completed it really fast, so we gained a lot of trust through that. we also got to give a bunch of blessings this week. it is really interesting how my p-blessing says i will be able to give blessings often, and to see that come to life is amazing. people always tend to ask me to do it too, it's crazy hahaha. 

sounds like you had a fun time tubing and stuff hahaha, i am glad the truck did well in the snow and got you home safe. we have been in the 50-60 degree range for like 2 weeks now. it's funny, isn't it? just when i get to a car area, the weather turns beautiful hahaha! that is a crazy story from Pres. Murdock, that is so cool. STLs are awesome! hahahaha. it is so true, that even the hardest of hearts can be receptive to the Spirit, and it will soften them. F was a stubborn man, and it was an amazing experience to see his heart be softened as he made an effort to follow the Savior. i am so glad i have the opportunity to serve the Savior and witness such miracles each and every day. i am so happy to be serving the Savior, and i am learning a lot. thank you for keeping me out here!

i might go get my eyes checked, my far sight is getting a bit worse, is that okay on our insurance? and also can you pray for my diabetes? my blood sugars have been running high, and i can't seem to get them to come down, even with basal adjustments. i am usually in the high 100's and 200's, and i don't really know what to do for it. 

well, got to go now, thanks Mom! i love you so much! i hope you have a great day! talk to you later!

Elder Sedlacek

Beating the odds

hi Dad, it has been a really good week. it was long though as most first weeks in a new area are haha. Springboro is affluent, and is a lot like West Chester and Englewood, in fact it's right next to Mason, in West Chester, so it feels like home hahaha. i love it! 

Elder Payne is a boss, he has been out for 4 1/2 months and knows a lot and teaches really well. he loves giving gospel lectures in comp study, so those are on point hahaha he is really funny too, and i am pretty sure he had fulfilled part of my setting apart blessing with the part about new missionaries. we have a full time car, a really nice Malibu, so that is nice. 

they just baptized the most solid kid ever, so we have to get a new teaching pool, which might take some time, but we have been getting some really good referrals this week. one for a guy named C, he is cool. we have a return appointment with him this evening. another referral we got was for a lady who was supposedly 39, so we show up to give her the Book of Mormon and she turns out to be 13! so i said "oh, are you _____?" and she was like, "yes", i was all "okay then..." hahaha she is pretty intent on finding the right church, although she is scared of us i think, or intimidated, so she seemed nervous about a return appointment. so we will follow up by phone soon. this ward focuses on the less actives, so we have a lot of those to work with. 

that is good you are staying busy and working hard at work and at the gym hahaha, that will really help you a lot. 

it is true, we think we can sometimes know God better by "head" knowledge, and not turn it into heart knowledge. we have to earnestly seek him through study and apply the teachings we learn to make it heart knowledge. i mean, if it's spiritual it has to deal with how we feel things, so naturally if we want to understand and know God, we have to feel him. we have to establish a prayerful relationship with Him and apply the atonement. 

Bro. A really does love the air museum! hahaha Dayton stake is the best! sounds like some good games are going on, i also heard about the Raiders pending move. that would be super cool hahaha. speaking of cars, we have a Ford dealer outside our apartment with the coolest lifted and modded F150s! i go crazy thinking about driving them hahaha. 

i think of D&C 93 with that conference talk, we have to receive our understanding and knowledge line upon line, grace for grace, just as Christ did. i know that as we seek through study, prayer, and action, we will continue to grow our knowledge of the gospel. thank you Dad! i love you Dad! i hope you have a great week! talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom! it has been such a great week! Springboro is the best! i wrote some about the area to Dad, but it is a rich area, and has some country in it too--i really like that. the ward is super awesome and supportive, they feed us a ton! Elder Payne is from Gilbert Arizona and is a boss! this is his second area, and he had a rough time with his past companion, so he has thanked me up and down for how i am. we do work well together, and teach equally so that is really nice. 

i saw Bro Gilbert and Bro Pawlik at transfers, so that was super nice. another perk of the area is that Elder Nielsen from Cincy is my District Leader. he is awesome, so that is cool. one tender mercy was getting permission to go to the Columbus temple with another set of Elders. i learned so much and got to spend time in the Celestial room, and it put me on a spiritual high for the rest of the day! it was great! 

one cool experience, we were trying to contact a less active, and decided to "225" and so i said a prayer just silently, "i know there is someone here, and so tell me where to go," and i felt inspired to knock a certain door and a teenage kid answered the door and invited us back, so that was awesome. 

a funny story--so on Wednesday after district meeting we went out with our DL and his greenie to eat at Steak n Shake, i don't know if you have heard of the 7x7, but it's huge and i lost in "what are the odds" to eat it {meaning Elder Sed's "odds" to eat it all were "not good"}, and man that thing was hefty hahahaha. but i did eat the whole thing, and it didn't destroy me haha! 

hahaha poor Dad, got shopped to death with all the girls....did he pass out? hahahaha i will save him soon hahahaha. i do not remember J.T., but that is a really cool story.  that is a cool story from you, too. it really is when we lose ourselves in the service of others that we find ourselves and that is where the miracles are. 

one thing i am really focusing on this transfer is to not let the things i can't control that make me stress out, not bother me in the least. it has really helped me to stay positive, since i was told to when President Stuart set me apart as a missionary. i really do feel that is my example that i am supposed to set, it has helped me to really understand the purpose that God has for me a lot more. i may not be a District Leader or anything like that, and that's ok, i don't need to be. but i am sure as heck trying my best and doing everything in my power to grow my own testimony and the testimonies of the people we are teaching. this is God's work, and He will make it all possible. i know this will be a good transfer, we are gonna baptize all of Springboro! hahahaha. 

thank you Mom for all you do! i have to go now, it was great emailing as usual! i love you all so much! have a great week! love you Mom! keep being such an awesome Madre!

-Elder Sedlacek

The two-week shaft!

Mom, i am getting transferred! this is what you call a 2-week shaft, unknown to missionaries before this date! hahahaha when you only spend one transfer in an area it's a shaft, but yeah, i've been here two weeks hahaha. i am going back to the Dayton stake, in another nice area, Springboro Ohio, with a guy who just finished greenie breaking, Elder Payne.

hey Dad, it has been a good week. first off, i am getting transferred, and i am going back to "Ahia," to Springboro. it was super funny, our bishop said to me, "you just got here," and he told one of the members to stay close to me, cause he thought i would finish my mission here. hahahaha guess not! still a chance though, i guess. 

this week we had an investigator, T, who was going to come to church but he bailed on us i guess. he did not show, although he seemed really solid. he has been taught in the past, and seems to have a strong desire to change. we had a really good lesson with him and helped him get back into the "swing" of where he left off, and helped him understand the importance of the Book of Mormon and the priesthood. 

we did not see G at all, he was never home. we did not find anyone new other than T and an old guy who does not seem too interested, but Elder Nelson was fond of him, and sees potential in him. he told us he did not want to commit to any religion, because he is set in his ways. that is why i was doubtful, but i guess we will see if they continue to meet with him after i am gone. we had some good lessons with R. his family has disowned him, and so he struggles. we have been helping him with some of that stuff. he is doing better and getting more motivated to grow his testimony. 

that topic of always having spiritual experiences is something President Porter really instilled in me. everyone in the gospel needs at least one spiritual experience each and every day, and most of the time it's up to us to create those by reading the scriptures and studying. when we do that, we are a lot better off spiritually and will be able to be much more in tune with the Spirit. that will increase our ability to live the Doctrine of Christ to help make us truly repentant.  

President Welch rebuked me in my interview on Friday, for being frustrated with how things were going. he explained to me that it's not about the work when we are frustrated, it's about ourselves not wanting to change. i realized that as he was talking to me. as we focus on others and improving ourselves, and what we can do better, rather than on the things we can't control, we lose ourselves in the work of the Lord and unlock our potential. i thought that was a good thought hahaha. 

that is really good with how you have been feeling healthier, i love the benefits of exercise! that is cool Jake is getting into it too hahaha.  that is super cool the Utah teams played well. for hunting next year, i think deer and maybe elk or something like that. whatever you want to put me in for is good with me, just get me out hunting hahahaha! just kidding, if nothing else duck hunting will be perfect. 

thank you for the affirmation of your answer to your prayers, i try to always ask if i am doing what is pleasing, i always feel at least good about it, you affirmed it though, thanks Dad! thank you for the article too, i will print it out to read, thanks for all you do Dad! i love you Dad! have a great week! talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom, it has been a good week. we did not have any of our 'gators show up to church, and neither any of the less actives we have been working with. we have found some new less actives to work with, so that was really good. 

it has been cold, but it's better than having the cold rain, which we get tomorrow, yay! {not!} i have been staying warm, the only part of me that does get cold is my face and my hands and feet. i am discovering more and more that diabetics do have poor circulation hahaha! but those hand warmers do the trick. we still bike i think, even if it's negative temps. there are not many guidelines about it, so we just do it any way. it was -6 the other day, that was fun hahaha. 

we did not see many 'gators unfortunately, we are still having trouble finding new people. we started trying to find off of less actives more, so that might bring us more luck. we are also trying to get the ward more involved and bring in more referrals. 

that is a good idea about those zip ties on my tires. i might have to try that, since i have road tires on hahaha. that is crazy about the Utah weather. it's good for me, hopefully it's not so dry this summer when i come home, so it's nice and wet, what i am used to now hahaha.  

i will miss Marion, it's a fun little town. that is good you are getting back into the swing of things again, back to real life hahaha. sounds like Libby and Mia can ball up better than me, hahaha i am terrible at basketball! is Bryant gonna leave this summer? it also sounds like you had a good lesson at church. 

they almost had me give a talk in church, but i scraped by hahaha, i was scheduled to speak on the 15th. nevertheless, i still studied for my talk, which was on goals and planning. it really applied to my situation, because we can always improve our goal setting. goals and effort combined with vision, is the driving force for us to try our best and receive God's help to make those goals a success. the better our planning, the better our ability to involve God in the work and in our lives. i know that Christ is always there watching out for us and helping us to succeed. when we have faith, anything is possible, because He is always on our side in our righteous actions. thank you for always supporting me, it gives me the drive to keep pushing on, thanks Mom!

R gave me a temple book about the Indianapolis temple. they came out with these limited edition for the dedication, they are way cool and have a lot about Indiana. 

well i have to go now Mom, thanks for everything! i love you so much! have a great week! talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

By our own choices, we choose not to know God

hi Dad! it's been a weird but a good week. we had a good New Years. it was like Christmas, so we could not go proselyting, and could only stop by appointments. on New Year's Eve we had to be in by 6 pm, so i studied and that's about it hahaha. 

as for the teaching pool, it is not very good looking unfortunately. most of the people on our lists have moved away and had no contact for new addresses, so we pretty much have to start all over again. we do have one guy named G, we pretty much need to start over with him, cause its been 3-4 months since he was taught. we do have a few less actives to work with, but other than that, the 'gators that live in our area want to be taught by the Sisters. 

we did not have any appointments, so we had dinner at ____ house, a teen recent convert who struggles in his everyday life 'cause his family disowned him for being baptized. he is so gung-ho about the work, that he wants to come biking with us every day, and he is super funny. i definitely prayed about it and feel like that is why i am here. 

we have pretty much just been trying to work the lists and see who is still around, and try to find new people while doing it. we always knock the neighbors cause that is the best way to contact people, since they hang out inside and don't come out when it's so cold. this ward is struggling, they are few in number. it really needs some help because it's mostly converts and so they don't have a lot of experience. they kinda just figured out how to do stuff their own way. i agree with your statement--this is the most productive time--but it's tough to see it when you have to start over haha.

it's true, by our own choices we choose to not know God. He is always there waiting for us to turn back to him, but we can make our selves be "lost". that is such a cool story about the Buddhist monk, that is so cool. it's amazing to be able to see conversions like that on a mission. i have met so many amazing people with such cool experiences.  

that is awesome Utah won the bowl game, and it sounds like it's a pretty fun NFL season to watch. so it sounds like your Cowgirls squeaked it out then hahahaha. well, sorry i don't have more to write about. thank you for all the updates and for emailing me! i love you Dad! have a great week!

Elder Sedlacek

hi Mom, its been a pretty good holiday week. i wrote about all that in Dad's email, and same with the investigators. it is so crazy 2017 is already here {the year Elder Sed returns home!} i can't believe it, but i can at the same time hahaha. 

i got all the test strips and everything, thanks so much! the week in Marion was good, but kinda weird, because we are struggling to get people to accept our message. it is just as much as it was in Noblesville, which is frustrating. the ward is kinda struggling too, there's some drama, and struggles to home teach, with lots of people who are less active. but, there's a lot of good to do here.

the best part of the week was probably Wednesday, and that was a good day. we had our district meeting, and i got some good revelation about my specific purpose, not just in this area, but why i am the way i am i guess. it was as if the whole meeting was tailored to me, and it was awesome, gave me a lot of answers to my questions. 

the biggest struggle is finding new people to teach. i am trying everything i can think of. the experience though at district meeting really helped me increase my testimony and i understand my patriarchal blessing more, which is awesome. 

that sounds like you had a good holiday week, that is awesome, i'm glad you enjoyed it. it sounds like you had a good meeting. that is interesting thought about all the information that bombards us every single day, and we have the small amount that can 100% be counted on. then we have our Heavenly Father, who will go to great measures to answer our deepest questions, like he did for me this week. i know that Heavenly Father truly is our one source of help that we can count on no matter what, we just have to listen. i know this gospel is true and i am so grateful to share it with others.  thank you for all you do Mom! it means a lot!

wow, that sounds like a pretty crazy snow storm, i am glad everyone is doing well. as for my purpose, i found out why i look so young hahaha ;) it's for a specific purpose i guess. my new District Leader called me up to the front of the room--he said he just felt inspired to--and then explained how young i look, but that he sees lots of humility from it, and especially cause i am obedient. so in other words, i guess i am an example to people because of my young looks and obedient attitude, it's like having a humble 12 year old near by hahahaha. 

well, i have to go now Mom, thanks for all you do for me! i am doing my best! i love you guys so much! have a great week! talk to you later! have fun in the snow!

-Elder Sedlacek

PS i did get to give a cool blessing this week. that was an awesome experience. i got a complement on my blessings, and i have given a lot lately hahaha. love you!