Monday, November 22, 2010

Week 33 in El Salvador: Congrats Teresa

(His description of the baptism had me laughing til I cried! lol I should mention too that the Church has certain policies for how they decide on whether to send a missionary home. The Mission presidents know that if a missionary is sent home dishonorably, it can have a long term negative effect on the rest of their life. Of course, if a missionary insisted on going home, they wouldn't keep them from it, but if the decision is up to the mission president, he tries to keep them if at all possible. If they have done something that affects their church membership, then they get sent home. In the case of Joseph's companion, I think the mission president is hoping that he will learn from the other missionaries, and that he will change.)

Hello Everyone.

I'm gonna try and write my letter in parts.

El Área:
Well the area is allright for now...We baptised again this week. His name is Orlando Moralez, and he is 84 years old. He was one of the funnest investigators that I have had. We found him 2 weeks ago and challenged him to baptism the first lesson, and he accepted. He went to church twice, and got baptised. He had no rebellion in his heart, he openly accepted everything we taught him. He is pretty halarious though. He has no teeth really...but he loves to tell jokes and stuff haha. When we teach him, he has to act out every scene of what we teach him, we used an example of the great apostasy as a room with a burnt out lightbulb, and so that the world could be in the light again, God had to restore the truth like putting in a new lightbulb. But he was just acting it out, he said "If there is no light I would have to move around like a bat and I would trip all over stuff" Haha. He is pretty halarious. And in the baptism, He kept asking me how much time he would have to stay under water, and I told him only a second! only a second!, but he kept asking lol, and when I went to baptism him, when I put him under his foot came up, so I lifted him out....but I didnt just "lift him out" I really did lift him completely out of the water, because he stayed curled up like a ball hahahah. I had him in my arms like a child until he put his feet down and I told him we had to do it again lol. In the ned I had to put his feet together and stand on them so that he didnt put them up! but he is a great guy, the only challenege is getting him to church, because if someone doesn't help him, he can't get there. On the bad side, we only have one more investigator with a chance to get baptised, and its will be a fight to get him there. The area is pretty much burnt now, so I'm not sure what to do. I really hope they change me, but I know presidente Perez isn't that merciful.

Mis compañeros:
Well I would say that is is very hard being companions with the most rebelious misionary in the entire mission, Elder Peña. I try to love him, and I try to help him, but he just drains you, mentally, physiscally, emotionally, and spiritually. He is a convert of 2 years, and he has more time as a missionary than he had as a member before the mission. He is a soldier from chile and was in the army since he was 15. Basically he acts, talks and thinks like a rude soldier. But we are still working, barely. My other companion, Elder Bac, is a lot easier to work with, but ever since Peña has got here, he doesn't care as much. Nothing I do or say changes or will change either of them, but we still try to work through all of it.

Mom:
I hope you are feeling better, and that your blood isn't that black. (from iron) they are going to hunt you down for kraken's blood if you don't watch out. thanks for the emails. Those quotes apply directly to my companion, but it would just be a train wreck to tell him that. I don't dislike my mission, but the stress-level that I'm at right now definitely takes a toll on me and my mood. My only consolation is that God knows I'm working my hardest. Btw: all these things Brother Fowler tells you that you think are so amazing are in the manuals of the church. If you really want to teach cool stuff you should try to get your hands on the older institute manuals; the thick ones with tons of quotes and stuff. The stakes of Zion example with the tent is in the Gospel Doctrine Manual for Isaiah.

Teresa:
Congrats on getting to ching chong land safely. When I tell people here that my sister is in taiwan they all freak out. Its pretty funny. I wish I had the desire to do as many street contacts as you guys do there haha. We are supposed to talk to 10 people every day for each companion, but in my whole mission I've never been able to get the 140 a week that we are supposed to do. At least you have a bike, we have to walk everywhere, or talk a bus if we feel rich. But we only get 235 dollars a month for food, clothes washing, a little for pday and 15 for transport. Some months I run short, some months I'm good...Its sounds pretty crazy over there. The people here are a lot different, because absolutely everyone has a church allready, and get upset when you invite them to change. At least all those Chinos only believe in budah lol.

Oh and one of my converts got the melchezedic priesthood yesterday! woohoo, one of my reactivated families' sons too :)

Thats about it, keep sending pictures, a picture is worth a thousand words.
all the pictures are stuck on my comps camara, so I'll send you an older one of me trying to fly a kite.
Love elder D.





2 comments:

  1. If you can rely on the Spirit for guidance in dealing and interacting with Elder Pena, you will be blessed. Perhaps this trial is intended to teach you something that will strengthen you. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you. I thought that your story about the conversion and baptism of the 84 year old gentleman was very touching as well as funny. I wish you well and continued success in finding and teaching people in your challenging district.

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  2. Joseph doesn't read this blog, but I will pass on your comment to him. :)

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