Hi everyone!
It's sort of funny -- I'm passing all of my
"firsts." My first Easter, New Years, Christmas,
and Thanksgiving are all done with! And I'm half way done with all of my
Conferences, and soon I'll be halfway done with all of my phone calls! Crazy,
huh? Time has been moving so quickly. It's hard to believe that this transfer is
winding down. This week and next week, and then we'll be getting phone calls
about transfer moves. Crazy!
Well, I told you about the contacting challenge/promise
that was extended by President W... and it's been an interesting
experience here in Versailles. It's just not a giant place. And we already feel
kinda creepy since we walk around all day and contact people, but to get to the
30 people we are supposed to contact we sometimes have to go really far out of
the way when we see someone on a porch down the street or someone walking ahead
of us. We try super hard not to make it any weirder than it already is, but
sometimes you just can't make the situation seem normal. But what we do isn't
very normal anyway, so I guess it's just time I embrace the awkward. Haha.
Anyway, the contacting challenge has actually been kinda cool, because we've
interacted with a lot of people that we probably wouldn't have otherwise. We
can't really tell that there has been more success, but at least people have
seen our smiling faces and understand what we do a little better, and they at
least have a card in their hands. Lately we've been going down to the soccer
field, because Hispanics love soccer, and that is the ONLY
thing that seems to motivate them to keep commitments. They're always there to
play for their team or practice. So we go down there and try and ask who is
winning and who is playing and if they're any good, and then work our way in
with some gospel stuff. They always give us funny looks -- three white guys coming
down the sidewalk, splitting up and talking, and then getting back together
after 10 minutes or so and are on their way. But hey, we do what we can to talk
to people. Haha. And it's super super fun when people ask, "Where did you
learn Spanish? You speak well!" so that's been a fun thing about
contacting everyone we pass.
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| Us and Agustin. He's super cool. :) |
Church was good yesterday, although no investigators made
it. We were hoping Gustavo would make it, but for whatever reason he didn't. We
went on an exchange yesterday because we double booked ourselves on accident. I
was with Brother E (law student, served Spanish speaking in Omaha,
Nebraska), and my companions went to our other appointment. Brother E and I
knocked on Gustavo's door, just to say hello and wish him a happy Easter.
Well... his girlfriend came to the door and said he was next door with his
cousin, drinking his brains out. She made it sound like he's a complete drunk,
which is news to us. And we haven't taught him the Word of Wisdom yet, so that
sounds like our next challenge... but he's been reading in the Book of Mormon
(all the way to 1 Nephi 11!!!) so we really feel like there is sincere desire
with him, we're just going to face some more obstacles than we originally
imagined. Fingers crossed all goes well with our next few lessons.
We hand out lots of cards that have a phone number on the
back to get a free DVD about Jesus Christ. When the person calls and submits
their info, we get a text with their info and what they want, and we go deliver
it. With all of the cards I have handed out on my mission, only one person has
called it, and it was last week! (And it was Elder S that contacted her,
but still exciting!). Her name is Yesenia, and we went by her place to give her
the DVD. She had us in and we watched it with her. We've already had a second
visit with her, and she seems so great. She's way quiet, but very kind. And
it's really exciting when we explain the importance of priesthood authority and
someone seems to get it. That does not happen all the time. Haha. But
anyway, we're excited for her and hope it all goes well from here on out.
We've been meeting with a less active named Pam for a
while. She is so nice. A little off-beat, but super fun. Guess what... she came
to church yesterday! Yay! So we hope we've helped her start a pattern where she
can keep this up a little bit. It'd be so fun to see someone really start
coming back after lots of visits and encouragement. :)
As for us, we're doing well. A companionship of three is
still weird, but we've made it work. I'm not going to be upset when I go back
to a companionship of two, but we really do make it through all of our lessons
and things pretty well.
Easter is over, but just be mindful of Christ and all
that he has done for us. That gigantic article in this month's Ensign
on the atonement is pretty cool if y'all have the chance to read it. It really
made me think a lot about how all-encompassing the atonement is, which made me
think about the chance we have to all be resurrected after this life. The
gospel is just too good. Too perfect. I'm glad I'm here (trying) to share it
with other people.
Thanks for all you do for me!
Love,
Zac
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