Monday, November 13, 2017

Ninety Seven Weeks

Hello Everyone!

This has been a really busy (read fun) week.

First of all on Tuesday we had transfers - It was a pretty fun experience. I was there waiting with Elder Mooneyham for our new companions and he was pretty nervous because he was going to be living in an apartment with 4 missionaries, but where he was going to be the only yankee. All the rest were latinos (and one from Brasil at that). Someone told him though that his companion - despite being from Ecuador - spoke really good English and he seemed to relax a little. A few minutes later his companion showed up and the first exchange between them went something like this (all in spanish of course):
Elder Ruiz: "Elder Mooneyham! So you're my new companion! How's your spanish going?"
Elder Mooneyham: "Not so good - I understand more or less, but still have a lot to learn." (Though his spanish was already excellent for the time he had).
Elder Ruiz: "Well that's okay, I don't know a single thing about English, so we'll be able to learn a lot together."
I had to bit my lip hard and turn away to keep from laughing out loud. (It seems like he is doing well with it though).

The following days then were really good. On Wendesday we were able to visit an investigator that I have not been able to visit in a while, but that is really great (Antonela), and brought a member with us to the lesson. We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and invited her to be baptized and she accepted to do so on December 2nd. I was really excited, because she too was really  happy about the decision and seemed pretty firm in it. The next few weeks then we're just going to really have to help her out so that she can make it.

Friday then we spent almost the entire afternoon writing the script for the radio program that we are starting this week. In the end, we are going to be sharing the missionary lessons over the air (about the Restoration, the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel of Christ, etc.) at least to start, but we are going to be putting a big focus on using the scriptures to do so as well. It ought to be fun - it's just a couple days away. (I also found out that that was part of the reason we had changes - so that I could have a Latino companion that speaks well to be part of the radio program with me).

On Saturday then, we got to help a member of the ward mix cement by hand (with rock mixed in) to be able to lay a walkway to the entrance of his house. (Up until now it has been dirt with wood pallets). That was a lot of fun (and some good physical exercise). I end up doing more of the shovel work, and my comp ended up doing most of the work smoothing it out, but it turned out nice.

Lunchtime on Saturday too then (just before we had the service project) our bishop called and asked one of us to give a talk on Sunday of about 15 minutes long. I offered that I could, and he thanked us and that was that. I prepared it Saturday night, and then in church on Sunday morning the bishop pulled us out of the class we were in and asked my comp to also give a talk, of 15 minutes. I was thankful I had accepted the day before (since I had more time to prepare haha) but we both ended up giving 15 minute talks, with the only other speaker being a 5 minute talk by a member. It was fun haha.

Other than that, there isn't all that much else new. I was made district leader again this transfer, and so I am going to attach a picture of the district - three of the people changed from last transfer. We are now myself, Elder Tuncar (from Peru), Elder Wasson (Hawaii), his new new missionary (Elder Carrizo from Santa Fe, Argentina), Hermana Johnson (Moab, Utah), and Hermana Carvalho (Brasil). It ought to be a fun group to be with these next few weeks.

I hope that you all are doing good though, and hope that you have a great week!

Love,
Elder McCollum

Photos:
2451 - Bye to Elder Mooneyham
2463 - Elder Tuncar, my new companion (on our way to service)
2465 - We replaced all the dirt here with cement
2471 - Mixing the cement. Just a patch of driveway, sand, cement, water, and a shovel.
2472 - Doing work
2476 - Elder Tuncar levelling it all out
2478 - An hour or so of work later
2480 - The finished concrete mix
2484 - Sunset over the railroad tracks
2487 - The district











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