Seventy Five Weeks

Hello Everyone!

Well this has been a pretty interesting week. We have been having Zone Conferences all week long as President and Hermana have gone saying goodbye to everyone, and we have had to help out a lot in the offices with that. It was an interesting experience with all their last advice to us and the stories that they shared and it was actually pretty touching. It is going to be interesting when here in 2 or 3 weeks we receive a new mission president. It will be interesting getting used to someone that isn't President or Hermana Robertson but it will be an awesome learning experience at the least. 

Another interesting thing that happened this week is that Elder Dosdall went home. :( He had to go back to the United States so that he could receive better treatment for his ingrown toenails and recover for a couple months and so he was released to do so, but here in a couple months he should be able to come right back to the mission. It was kind of a blessing for him though because his "mission clock" was ticking away how much time he had left as a missionary but he couldn't really get out to do that much prosyleting and so now when he comes back he should be able to finish all of what is left in the mission for him without losing any time just sitting around waiting to get better. All the same it was sad to see him go, but he is awesome and so he will be okay.

As far as our area goes, it has been a little difficult to get out to our area some of these las few days with all the zone conferences, however the days that we have been able to get out and teach have been awesome. We have had a few investigators that I really felt a connection to, as if I knew them from before or something like that. One is a man that is in his 30s that lost his job after being there for 7 years and the last couple of months hasn't really been doing anything with his life, but rather just looking for answers. Another is a youth that is 16 years old (maybe a little more) that bounces back and forth a lot between living with his sister in our area and his mom in a different neighborhood, changing every few weeks. He has kind of taken a step back and looked at all his friends and the villa that he lives in, and just kind of the world around him and realized that none of them really do him a lot of good and is starting to become a little distanced from it all as he tries not to makes bad choices in his life. It was awesome being able to help teach and share with both of them, and they were both really attentive listeners as well. I don't know if I had ever felt that same kind of deep connection before, but it was a really cool experience.

I have a couple other funny stories to share, but I am already out of time for today, so if I can grab some time I will share them next week. Just want to let you all know though that I love you and care for you all.

Love,

Elder McCollum

p.s. Have a great week!

photos: 

The office staff with President and Hermana

Elder Dosdall sitting on his suitcases the day that he went home, just waiting for the remis to arrive that was going to drive him to the airport.