Monday, July 16, 2012

Week 25 - April 30, 2012


Hey everyone --

That's right, I am no longer in Kentucky. I'm serving across the river from Louisville in Clarksville, Indiana. It's so weird to be here, because it's super super urban in comparison to Versailles/Frankfort. There we drove by big gorgeous hills and awesome horses. Here we drive by Targets and Walmarts and Sam's Club, not to mention lots of car dealerships. Why do we have to live next to car dealerships? I keep seeing stuff that has come out since I left home and I just want to go look at them all!

So I rode in with Elder L and Elder W, the Frankfort Elders, to the transfer meeting. Elder L went home and Elder W picked up a new companion. I chatted a little bit with some other Spanish elders, got the details on who was going where to be a zone leader, who was called to train a new elder, etc. Clarksville, IN seemed like the only place for me to go, but I wasn't positive still, because the elder staying in Clarskville had only been out one transfer. That means there is still a whole transfer left of the training program left to do. Sure enough, during the meeting President announced, "And Elder Baker is going to follow-up train Elder St. M in Clarksville Spanish." WHAT? Pretty much my worst fear -- being put as senior companion in an area I don't know. And we're both gringos. So after a few minutes of panic I told myself that it would all be okay. The meeting was over. Met Elder St. M. Went outside to our car. We drive a 6 week old Subaru Legacy. An early sign that everything would be okay. Hahaha. The car isn't the most important part, but I don't know if there are any other Legacys in the whole mission so that's kinda fun.

It's been a whirlwind of a week, trying to meet people and figure out the streets. We cover Clarksville, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Charlestown, and a several super tiny towns that neither of us have ever been to. So it's hard to coordinate where we're going, how best to use the miles, etc. The work is kind of nonexistent here right now. Like, Versailles is more happenin' than this place, and everyone was stalling out when I left there. So it's kind of cool to start from square one. We can tract all of the Hispanic hot-spots because they haven't been hit in a while, but it's also super lame when you look at your planner and have no firm appointments. But we'll get there. I know that it's possible.

One cool thing we do here is teach English on Tuesdays in New Albany and Wednesdays in Charlestown. But they were smart when they started it -- they have a short scripture for reading and pronunciation practice, and a pretty big spiritual thought attached to the beginning and end of each lesson. And the two times we did it the people really liked the scriptures and thoughts, so that was cool. And a member named Mandy came with us in New Albany. She's super cool.

My favorite experience of the week: After the class in Charlestown was over, one of the students, Armando, was trying to calm his kid down while we were chatting with the other people that come. Because of Easter, there are tons of pictures of Jesus everywhere, and he was showing them to his daughter. Well, he came over to me and said, "Hey, I have a question." He was looking at the picture of when Christ comes to the Americas. He said, "Those temples in the background are from my ancestors in Mexico." And then he said that there is some legend of his people that a white man with a beard came to them. So I explained the Book of Mormon to him, and that it comes from his ancestors. And that Christ did come to his people, and taught them. I told him about how the gospel has been restored, and that that's how we have it! It was so cool, and everyone had moved into the hallway at that point, so it was really really quiet while I told him all of these things. It was SO cool. We still need to follow up a little with him, but he is seriously awesome. I think he has great potential.

Also, Elder St. M made an appointment with another member of the English class that had come to a Spanish fireside at the mission home. We went by yesterday and Armando and his wife where there, and a few other people we had never met. We taught a pretty strong Restoration lesson, so we think there is good to come from this! There is work to be done here! There are lots of reasons why it will be hard -- there isn't much of a Spanish foundation here. But I know that God sent me here because I can help build stuff. And maybe it'll take many years, but if I can properly build the forms for the concrete, it will be strong when the elders in the future get to poring the foundation and building on it!

I can't tell you everything -- it's been a crazy week. But we're here working hard. Doing good. Trying to share the gospel.

Y'all are the coolest! Keep it up!

I love you!

--Elder Zac

No comments:

Post a Comment