Week 64

Hi Mom!

   This week has been pretty good. Lots of thinking and correction. Recently the mission hasn't been doing super well like I've said in the past emails. So the question all our leaders have been asking us is, "Why do you do the things you do?" So almost every time I do anything I'm basically doing it selfishly. It has been super eye opening, to see that here we are on a mission to serve the Lord and forget ourselves in the work and almost everything we do sometimes is for ourselves. It is super hard to make sure that you are focusing on other people and not yourself. It's like a constant battle in my mind, "why am I doing this?", "is it really for someone else or am I just justifying?". Also doing things in the correct priority. There is always a good, better and best situation and lots of times I want to do something good, but it's not the best thing that I could be doing.

      Elder Tomasi and I are doing really well, he is a super pure missionary and has a great heart. Something that I've noticed a lot in myself is how easy it is to talk about others. We have lots of.. different people down here and they do.. strange things. So it is fun to talk about the things that we have experienced in our missions and the interesting people we've met, but it often leads to joking and teasing. So I need to be more careful about what I say and from the start, what I think. Every action starts in the mind.

      Transfers are this upcoming week. Super fast! I think that transfers are only becoming shorter and shorter. I am expecting someone to leave because Elder Tomasi has only ever stayed with a companion for more than one transfer once. So the odds are that at least one of us will leave.

     I spoke with an older couple the other day at a baptism that the ward had, and they were from Guatemala. So I told them that I had a companion from Guatemala, Elder Juarez. I couldn't remember exactly where in Guatemala he is from though. It was pretty cool, and then she asked me where I learned to speak spanish, and I said here. And she said wow, and you speak so fast! I did a little celebration dance in my mind and thanked her. it was nice to hear, especially because it has been something I've been thinking about. Lots of missionaries here never really learn to speak fluent spanish, and people don't really like it when we speak poorly. It is interesting the amount of respect is lost when you can't communicate very well. 

    We had a really cool experience, we recieved a referral from the other elders that serve in the spanish ward, and so we went to go find it and the address was wrong. So we asked them for directions and what the house looked like and it didn't really make sense and so we just decided to knock the door we thought it'd be. Turned out to be the wrong door but we talked to a guy and he was really cool. He said he had been going through a hard time and he'd love to come to church with us the next day.(it being Saturday) So we gave him directions and when it started and he said he'd be there. Now I'm not sure about other missions, but lots of people say, "Oh yeah I'll be there for sure, you've got my word." and then they never show up. So I didn't really think much of it. Then yesterday in church, in sacrament meeting, none of our investigators had shown up that said they would, so we were kind of disappointed. Then my companion went with another missionary to go find something and another Elder and I were out in the foyer. Then while we were sitting out there, our investigator that we'd talked with at his door the previous day walked in with his daughter! He apologized for being late and promised he'd be on time the next week. So we took his daughter to her class and we went to Gospel Principles. We learned about the Atonement, perfect for a man with a repentant heart. He participated a lot and added to the lesson and read several pages from the book. Then in Priesthood we talked about Receiving Revelation through Modern Day Prophets. Which we explained, he accepted, and again participated a lot. It was mind blowing. He was completely comfortable and he knew nobody, and he had lots of people come up and introduce themselves after both classes. It was super great. I can see him in the baptismal font. I can just feel his joy that day when he comes closer to his Saviour. 

      Then today I needed a haircut and we were told about a place where college students get to practice cutting hair and they dont charge more than a few dollars. So I went with another elder and we got our hair cut. My barber had only cut hair for a few months and was pretty nervous about giving me a taper. It took about an hour and a half and the sides of my head are very short, like a 1 and the top is just as long, I look a little like a gangster. but it'll grow back. It was a good learning experience for both of us, will I go back? I'm not too sure..

     Thanks for keeping me updated with everything with the house and everybody. Glad you're all doing well. I love you muchisimo y ojala que tenga un buen dia!