Email noventa y ocho

July 2, 2018 

Well it appears my abilities in the Spanish language have still not enabled me to know how to count. I sent last weeks email out as number 77 instead of 97. Hopefully I can get this whole numbers in

Spanish thing down in my last transfer. The only trouble is I don’t have a Hispanic companion anymore.

That’s right, Elder Cepeda is gone. President Hansen decided to make him the new Assistant to the President. I don’t think President realizes how much of a goofball this kid is. President Hansen really likes Elder Cepeda because his dad is a mission President in the Mexico Tijuana Mission (Joel’s mission). I love the kid to death, but it’s going to be weird seeing him in AP mode knowing him like I know him.

My new companion will be Elder Paopao (pronounced pow pow). He’s from California, not sure what part, and is Samoan. I’ve seen him around the mission a lot and talked to him a few times. He seems like a really cool guy and a great missionary, I know a lot of missionaries really like him, so I’m excited to work with him. He gets here tomorrow from Benton, Arkansas, a Zone Leader Area just outside of Little Rock. He’s been a Zone Leader since November or December, so he has a lot of experience. I’m ready to work my tail off this last transfer and go out strong.

On Tuesday we went down to Oxford again for District Meeting. Elder Evans instructed on Teaching
in unity as a companionship, and Elder Cepeda and I were in charge of the role play. The Elder Evans then came back to Southaven with me on exchanges. By the time we planned our day, we had only 2 hours to work, so we hit the streets of Horn Lake and talked to everyone. Elder Evans is an awesome missionary, and really good at talking to people. He’s from the Las Vegas area, and is Fijian and Tongan. He almost looks African American, so black people are super down to talk to him. We really had a good time on exchanges, he’s a super funny kid. He just got called to be a Zone Leader in Jonesboro, and his companion Elder Sagel is going home, so they are actually closing the Oxford Elder area, there will only be sisters there now.

Then on Friday we did exchanges with the other Southaven Elders, and I went with Elder Garn. We were on bikes because once again we were OUT of miles at the end of the month. We talked to everyone, and really had a good experience. I love being bold and opening my mouth. Prefect love casteth out all fear, and fear is the opposite of faith. There’s a quote I like, and I don’t really know who says it, but I’ll attribute it Shakespeare: “If it is to be, it is up to me.” Nothing happens in missionary work in till we do something about it. We have to be proactive and open our mouths. We can’t let fear or laziness keep us from giving and doing all we can. I’m determined to give and do all I can in the next 6 weeks.

Love y’all! Have a wonderful week!
Pics:
Saying goodbye to Elder Sagel, he’s squatting down in the picture with him and I haha
Elder Sagel’s funeral
2. District Meeting featuring the Fijian flag
1. Before and after photos of biking again
3. Last pic with the new, current, and old APs
My new trio companionship