February 17, 2014

All,

 

Happy day. I pray that y'all enjoyed singles appreciation day (Valentines Day) as much as I did.

 

You asked about my companion. He's fun, he's from Arizona and goes home in 6 months. He's also my DL.

 

You asked: How is missionary work different working with a dl? Do u like being in a car?

Yes, yes I do like the car, as it's a bit nippy to ride on a bike, and the 8 mile bike ride 1-way to the church wasn't fun. My life is not any different yet, although I will be going on splits this week so that'll be fun.

You asked: What have u done today? Will u do anything with ur district? Do u get the members to go on discussions with u?

We went to the mission office, as Elder Egbert had an interview w/ pres. Afterward we will go and eat glorious food, campachos, w/ one of the members. We will do that w/ the ZL's. We see them almost every day actually. It's a bit odd to see them every day but enjoyable nontheless. I just hope I don't get promoted b/c of it.

 

For my part, I've been trying to apply the lessons of the zone conference we had last week. The gist of the conference was the same as that of the need to transition from a mission of missionaries to that of being a group of helpers that teach the lessons of PMG to help others to come unto Christ. The catch to doing so is that we need to concentrate on teaching specifically to needs and have no stock lessons that we draw from which allows us to tailor to needs. That is the whole point of PMG, to allow us to learn to teach specifically to needs as this is the time of hastening and we need to work effectively.

 

For example, it has become a de facto rule that the Spanish elders don't tract anymore. Instead, we put up ads for LAE (English language classes), as that fits the needs of the people better, and allows us to be helpers and then missionaries, fulfilling our purpose.

 

The catch is that in fulfilling our purpose, we need to take care not to further overburden the ward w/ the unconverted as this ward is overstressed w/ the number of people who are here and not actively participating in church, or at least not w/ the full ward. The problem is that the ward is effectively split in parts based on nation of origin. You have the guatemaltecos, los catachos, los chilagos, chapinas, ect. Except for a chosen few, Bishop, the assistant WML, and others, the others only care about those from their country so it's difficult to get anything done. But, it will get done, either by choice or by situation, it will get done.

The bigger question on my mind is when I'll get my bike back, as it's currently being borrowed by a noob, until he gets his bike.

But it'll work it always does.

 

But that's the joy of this work. It'll all work out. To quote a very wise man: "we must try not to sink beneath our anguish...but battle on".

 

That's what I'll be doing as I eat camachas tonight, my goal 10. They are so good. Like street tacos but better.

Be well all,

 

C

Elder Wilson
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.