"Go ye therefore and teach all nations . . ." Matthew 28:19

"Go ye therefore and teach all nations . . ." Matthew 28:19

Monday, August 22, 2016

Weeks 43 - 50 (June 14 - August 2)

I am taking the liberty of summarizing Jordan's mission experience over the last 2 months.  To say that Ottawa (Fallowfield specifically) has been extremely difficult for him would be an understatement. 

Specifically he said, "I've gotten tired of writing long weekly emails. They take time and are exhausting to do and Fallowfield has been repetitive week to week anyways so they would not only bore me to write but bore everyone to read." 

Another excerpt from an email he sent during this time-frame reads as follows:

"A lot more service this week. Good news is that I'll have a refined skill set with experience by the time I get home. I also don't think I'll be grossed out by much anymore. I have done some seriously disgusting jobs. Not much else to report. Same old same old."  

He offered us the following advice as we prepared to depart on the Pioneer Trek, "Be ma and pa to them the way you are to us. Talk, joke, tease, love, make them feel special. Who knows who they are and what their story is. But you can help turn their story around."

In his July 18th email, he indicated that he and his companion were being transferred and he would be going to Shawinigan which is a city where French is primarily spoken. He seemed upbeat about his transfer out of Ottawa.

Jordan's emails for the most part during this period of time have been filled with frustration and disappointment.  He has expressed more than once that he feels "worthless, weak, and alone." Specifically, he said, "I feel it's my fault when people don't progress or turn us away and even though they have their agency I take it personally."


On August 1st we received the following email.  

"I'll write a short summary of this week. We walked. It was hard and I complained a lot in my head but halfway through Tuesday I had an epiphany. We didn't have anything scheduled so the day was devoted to contacting, knocking, passbys, etc. and for the most part we walked and it was hot. And then I realized I was walking with you guys. We both were walking in the heat doing hard work probably wishing we were somewhere else. That was a tender mercy that I loved. It was hard and it was a rough day, but it made me feel closer to you guys. Other than that not a lot to report. Talked to a lot of people, taught a new investigator who's progressing a lot even though he's going slowly checking for authenticity. I do miss home a lot more here though. We are by a big river so we will constantly see canoes and boats pulling people on wakeboards and tubes and I miss home. We will walk in the evening and smell camp fire and or barbecues and it makes me miss home. But oh well. Life goes on.  Love you guys."

All in all, Jordan seems to be on an upswing.  Each email has progressively improved since he transferred from Ottawa to Shawinigan.  




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