Hey Family and loved ones,
This week was crazy, the week of transfers in
our mission! So practically the whole week we were occupied in this. Monday was
prep and Tuesday I had maybe one of the most packed days of my mission. We
woke up at like 5:30 and were at the Cédula office at 7:20am. We
actually got them super fast and headed to the medical place to get a check up.
I passed (luckily with my lack of health lately), and then we went to the
intendencia to get my driver's license. The guy hooked it up! Because I had my
motorcycle license from California, all they do is transfer the license to
Uruguay, so I now have a Uruguayan Driver's license for cars and motos! It was
awesome. Straight from there, we went to the airport and picked up the new
missionaries! After, we took them back to Carrasco, had meetings and trainings
and welcome to the mission kind of stuff, then I had my driving test with Elder
Wankier (it's a rule that the fleet manager has a test with each missionary)
and it was so fun to drive after almost a year and a half! The van is a nice,
new, clean, but gutless van haha. It was still very fun, we went to get
alfajores for the cultural presentation. We had dinner and then met with
President to assign Trainers to missionaries It was faster this time because
we talked about it a little before dinner and there were a lot less, so we got to
bed at a reasonable time.
So that was all Tuesday. Wednesday,
the trainers arrived, we did a presentation thing, then they met their new
comps, went to tres cruces. The missionaries ending their missions showed up
and we had lunch, then went to the offices so Elder Hayden could try to get an
airline ticket bought for an Elder who JUST received his medical release… It's
sad because he is so cool and I've wanted to be in his zone, but he might got
to BYU so maybe I'll see him again.
The next morning we had breakfast and took
those missionaries to the airport in the van with a trailer for their luggage.
It was funny driving with a trailer and a van full of people for my second time
driving, and although there were complications, Elder Hayden talked to SLC
people and got everyone onto planes to get them home!
Wednesday and Thursday, when we had
some hours in the afternoon and nighttime we had great lessons with our
investigators.
One came to church on Sunday like
always, and should be baptized on the 28th, but it depends on what his dad
says. He should be cool about it, but the boy who is 15 wants to talk to him
and make sure he'll never stop him from going to church because he doesn't want to make a promise with God, then have to break it. He is so legit and mature.
Another investigator that came to church came
for the first time and it was awesome! She cried during the class because of
some deaths in her family and everyone comforted her and answered her questions
about the plan of salvation. When we passed by on Wednesday, her
countenance was different, although stressed with her boys, she was happy and hopeful. Finally out of a depressive state which she'd been in! She said she
bought a long skirt to match the ladies she saw at church and that she is
excited to go this Sunday. We moved her baptismal date up to the 4th of
February. We have another lesson with her today. She said last time, I've felt
now that you two arrived in the time when I was most sad, most depressed, and
God sent you. I remember when it was, like weeks ago almost. We were just
walking by and paused to look at our agendas, her boy yelled at us and we
looked over and just went and talked to her… Not a coincidence.
We have more investigators, some that even
came to church, but we aren't in our area consistently enough during these
weeks to be able to help them keep their commitments more like reading and
praying.
So, pray for Michelle and Paula, that they can
continue feeling their testimonies grow... (And that the father of Michelle can
recognize the good of his son, he already has a strong testimony!)
Way to go Sister Sheridan Hoffman, if I were
in a trio, I'd probably be grumpy, but she's had such a good transfer in a
trio! It's always uplifting to read about a good exercise of faith!!
This coming week is LOCO! Like el pollo loco
haha. People think it's funny that that's a place in the states. It's crazy how
many cities and streets in La Jolla and San Diego are Spanish. Trips me out
when I hear like El Cajon and I'm like wait, the place by my house? Haha
Elder Stevenson is coming on Tuesday for
a conference! Our mission will be with the other mission with all of the DL's,
STL's, ZL, from the two missions! It's going to be so cool!
On Wednesday, we have the leadership council,
and then at 2pm we are watching the worldwide broadcast for
missionaries! It’s a busy couple days because we have to plan the buses and also
our presentation for the meeting on Wednesday!
So we had to give our mission van to the area
offices for Elder Stevenson, so we got our old one back for now nicknamed “La Chancha” and it's so sick! It's so beat up, but it's stick shift and has a tiny
motor with a turbo, so it's way more fun to drive. Here, to drive normally, you
like have to pass slow cars and it makes it so much better now. Elder Ford´s
brother drove it in the other mission like 4 or 5 years ago, then Elder Ford
drove it before we got the new one, how funny is that?
Well…. Esteeee ,esteee, cómo es… I forgot to make
a top ten again, sorry mom.
I love all of the Uruguayan sayings. They
differ in different parts but they just make me laugh…
I bet lots are the same in Argentina where
Travis is.
Well anyway, love you guys! Especially the
ones that send me photos of Jack! Haha JK. But I'm excited to babysit him when I
get home! Christie, I'll pay you to babysit him!
Love you family, shoutout to mom for
remembering Saturday p-day!!
Also! The sisters from my group went home! So crazy, it was
funny saying bye to them at the airport, like where are you going??!
Tambien, I had to call the Brazilian MTC to ask when the sister
was going to arrive so we could pick her up and it was so silly, trying to
speak in portuguese. The guy was nice and was like you speak well, and I know
that was a lie, but at least I was able to communicate enough to tell them what
we needed. My two favorite words in Port. are: A gente and o vôo..
The next day, a mom called from Brazil saying she hadn't gotten
an email from him yet and no one understood and I heard from far that she said
missionário and was like oh, portuguese, and told her it was because we didn't
have our p-day on Monday this week, so she'd get an email tomorrow and it was so
precious. Moms, always looking out for their kids!
Brandon says these first 7 pics are a mix of the end of last transfer and the beginning of this transfer
Florida Bridge
Finally!!!
