2Lovellscalled2serve: Selwin Reports on Purvis

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Selwin Reports on Purvis

Selfie with Elder Rasmussen

My first week in Purvis has been a blast but I sense there will be some cold weather coming our way really soon. I'm bracing myself for it.

The area is huge. I'll leave it at that. It consists mostly of trees with a house here and a few there, but it's so awesome. We went door knocking this week since we don't have any investigators. We knocked on one door and the guy’s wife turns to him and says, “come tell them to leave” as if we couldn't see or hear her. So he gets up and tells us to go away. We leave and start heading over to the next house when he comes out and tells us to get off his road, using language not appropriate to be written here. So we turned and left but their dog kept following us. Yep, the dog knew we have the truth. We also met a pastor. He was all fired up and started to contend with us and after noticing he wasn't even scratching the surface of my very being, he turns to my companion and says, " You should stop following him.” This just made me laugh becauseI didn't know I had that much of a convincing power about me.

But the week was good. My new companion's name is Elder Rasmussen. He's from Maryland but he was born in - yes you guessed it – Utah; and, guess what? We share the same birthday. He's only been out a short time but he's got the desire to work and that's all that matters so it's going to be an awesome transfer.

Mosiah 23: 21-22 reads:

21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.

22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people."

As children of our Father in Heaven, He builds us all in different ways but His purpose is the same for us all and that is helping us return to Him. Trials are only here to build us and we are never alone in facing them so whether it's been a rough week at work or with the family or finding people to share His gospel with, He's got us and that's all He wants us to know. We are never alone.

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Funny, interesting or amazing things they say

May 15 - Selwin spoke twice today - once in the Southgate 3rd Ward and then at Brookdale's Sacrament meeting. After the meeting one sister approached him and whispered in his ear saying, "my sister always told me to 'never forget how important you are'."

The second sister told him, "you should always smile because your dimples are so adorable!"

April 3, 2016 - The Cannon's, who had returned home on Friday after 18-months managing missionary apartments in the Mississippi Jackson Mission, stopped by the house to deliver a package from Elder Selwin who they described as "an exceptional missionary and an outstanding young man."

March 16, 2015 - Hi, my name is Deborah Albert, and your son (Elder Selwin) is here serving in my town (Gulfport) right now. I just wanted to tell you that he is a pretty awesome missionary !! We like him a lot !!

May 7 - Almost every day someone asks about our missionary twins. Today it was my doctor. We chatted briefly about how they're doing and how well Simeon and Selwin were integrated into our ward / neighborhood. "It doesn't surprise me," he said, "because they are fine young men and so easy to like!"

May 5 – We were at a funeral and in the middle of the service my caller ID showed an incoming call from "Jackson, MS." Since I only know ONE person in Jackson, MS, I jumped up to take the call, my heart pounding fearing something might have happened to Elder Selwin since missionaries are only allowed to call home on Mothers' Day and Christmas. I answered to hear a familiar voice asking, "Hi, do you know who this is?” It seems they can still make me smile - even from a thousand miles away!

April 1 - Kenrick Benn writes: The time is just around the corner when “our” two sons will be out in the mission field. I believe those two can convert even the hardest heart. Sister Benn and I would like to thank you two wonderful people for all you have done for us and for the two young men I love as a father loves his sons.

March 24, 2014 - Upon our return from SoCal, Selwin sheepishly said, "if you left the car in the driveway and the keys on the hook as a test, you should know, I failed!"