July 13, 2009

The past week has been good, but also super crazy! As you know it was transfers last week. The Tuesday before transfers I thought for sure that I was going to KC3! I thought Elder Caceres was going to stay and I was going to go. Well, Tuesday at around 2:00 we got a call from President Van Komen. He first asked to talk to Elder Caceres. He called him to be a district leader in Salina, KS. I think he will do very good there. He is an excellent missionary and a super hard worker! 

Anyway, after President talked to him he asked to talk to me. I was pretty nervous, because I didn't know what he was going to say. Then he asked me to be a trainer. I was assigned to train Elder Edgar Higareda. He was born in Cancun, Mexico then moved to Indiana at age 11. He's completely fluent in English and Spanish. He's a pretty cool guy. He's definitely  going through some "growing pains" as he adjusts to mission life. That's normal though. It makes me realize how accustomed to this form of life I am. Everything is just habit for me. A phrase I've been saying a lot the past week is, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Haha! "What? We can't eat in the car?" ... "Don't worry you'll get used to it." "What? We have to stay in our nasty sweaty proselyting clothes while we plan at night?" "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Haha! It's great! Hahaha! 

So yeah, I was super nervous to train a spanish Elder in a spanish area. I mean, my spanish still isn't spectacular, but he was going to be coming in speaking perfect spanish and probably able to teach in spanish better than me, but I was supposed to teach him things. The Lord definitely always knows how to humble me to new depths! It was one of the few times on my mission that I doubted (somewhat) that I could do something. I know that I know this language. I know grammar. I know vocabulary (fairly well). I can read spanish better than many people I teach. But God knows that for some reason I still have a fear of speaking this language. I don't know why, but I do. And that fear has hindered me a lot. This past week has been very interesting though! We teach a lot of spanish people, and before this week I would teach small parts of the lesson the look at Elder Caceres for him to take over the rest. Well, suddenly I'm the one teaching most of the lesson with my companion looking at me to take over for him. It's amazing how fast the Lord can force fear right out of you! Haha! The thing is . . . I can't afford to be afraid to speak this language anymore. I have to speak because if I don't then there is no one else to pick up my weakness. My companion is a good missionary, but he's still very green and he is looking to me to teach. So yeah. I've realized that I can speak a lot more than I thought I could. 

I've been super tired all week! That has really sucked! We've also been walking everywhere this week because Elder Higareda doesn't have a bike yet. Blah! I hate the heat and humidity here! Haha! Something that was very funny was Elder Higareda's first street contact. It was a guy BBQing in his driveway. A beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other! One of the first things he said was (looking straight at my comp) "In 20 words or less tell me when you believe." My comp was pretty taken back by that but he did a great job! I thought it was pretty funny that he put him so on the spot on his first day. Haha!

Well, Sunday was great! We had 5 investigators at church! Diego is still doing great as well! Still set for July 25th! I'm really excited for that! Well, that's about it for my week. 

I love this country, also! Actually the other day we were walking down a street and we came up to an office building and in the parking lot was laying an American Flag. It had fallen off it's holder on the building and it looked like it had been there at least a few days. It made me really sad. I'm sure other people must have seen it there before me. I love everything that flag stands for. I picked it up and put it back in place. For some people  that wouldn't mean much, but for some reason it meant a lot to me at that time that our flag was waving in the air rather than laying on the dirty ground.

July 4, 2009

Happy 4th of July!

Last Friday we helped out with the Stake Youth Conference. They were doing an "Amazing Race" kind of thing in a giant park in Shawnee. Elder Caceres and I manned one of the stations. We were at the Archery range. No, we didn't get to shoot bows and arrows. That would've been awesome if we did, though! Haha! It was kind of like a pictionary type of deal but with clay. One person from their team had to sculpt a principle and the rest guessed. We were given a quick little lesson to share, but Elder Caceres and I didn't really get it, so we just made one up. Haha! I based it off of a scripture in Jeremiah (18:1-6) saying that we are clay in the Lord's hands. It was pretty hot outside, but we mostly stayed in the shade, so it wasn't too bad.

We had interviews on Tuesday. I told President Van Komen that I want to serve in KC3 again. It's the only area that I haven't baptized in, the area that I got along best with the members, and the area I felt like I was supposed to do more in. But we'll see what happens. I'll find out on Tuesday. Isn't it crazy that transfers are already here!?! July 9th is transfers! I also had district meeting and talked about Obedience. It was a pretty good meeting! 

Wednesday I went on exchanges with one of the zone leaders, Elder Briscoe, in his area. It was really good! We committed a lady named Cindy to live the Word of Wisdom and be baptized on July 18th! She very enthusiastically accepted! The zone leaders live in a very rich member's house. In the morning I accidently set off the security alarm while Elder Briscoe was in the shower and I disarmed it just a few seconds before it was going to call the police! Haha! It was pretty intense! Haha! Well, that's about it for my week. 

June 29, 2009

It has been a pretty crazy week or so. I'm sorry this letter is late. I simply just didn't have time before now. Thank you so much for all of your patience with me! :) So let me get on to updating you on the past week and a half. It has been a pretty crazy time.

First of all, I would like to comment that it has be SO HOT and HUMID here!! Haha! Wednesday the 17th we helped our across the street neighbors paint the outside of their house. They picked a pretty hot and sunny day to do it but it wasn't too bad. It was a great service opportunity! Haha! We got a pretty cool new investigator that day. Diego. He's about 19 or 20. His mom is a member in Mexico. So far he is looking pretty promising! Thursday morning was district meeting. I talked about how to get investigators to church. (It's a lot tougher than you would think!) Haha! After that I went on exchanges with Elder Wiggins in his area. My goodness! Was it hot! We walked around most of the day in 95 degrees and 80% humidity! I just about died! Haha! We didn't really get much done either. Haha! I was soaked in sweat. I really don't like the summers out here. 

Saturday the 20th there was a baptism of an old investigator from Hickory Hills. Lily Reeds was baptized and I was able to go up there for that! It was great to see a few people from up there again! On the way back we stopped at the Capener's house for dinner! That was awesome to see them again!

Thursday the 25th we went to the MO-TAB concert in Kansas City. That was way sweet! We went with Anahy (a recent convert) and her non-member husband, Aldo. I saw SO many people I knew from past areas! I saw so many that I couldn't even stop to talk to many of them because we had to keep going. I saw people from Lee's Summit, KC3, Hickory Hills, Overland Park, Olathe, and even a few from Marshall! There were tons of missionaries there as well that I hadn't seen in a while. It was great to see so many people! And the performance was excellent! 

This past week I also got a few chigger bites up my legs. That's not fun! They were really itchy for a few days. Oh well! That's part of the Kansas experience! Haha! Well, I really want to get this letter out today because you've waited long enough for this one. I'm sorry! It was a crazy and tiring week! I'm going to start your next letter right now. I just want this one out today. I still have things to tell you. 

"After a long day in the sun, and with a beat-up and hole-y shirt. I finished off the shirt. Don't worry. I have another white shirt under the ripped one. I'm not exposing my "G's". Sweet relaxation!"

"Baptism of Lily Reeds. L to R: Me, Sister Reeds, Elder Bevans and Zaugg"