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| At the Martin Harris Pageant with Elder Coronado! |
I can't believe that next week I will be emailing you with
transfer news. Time is flying by so quickly. Especially this past transfer; it
has been the fastest one of my mission. This week there have been a couple
tough changes in our area that made things kind of discouraging. First thing
was we went by to see Lenny and Neri, and they said they were moving the next
day to North Logan. So they moved, and we sent the referral up and haven't
heard from them since then. Then we talked to Hernan, and he said he won't be
coming back from Wyoming for at least another month. Then last night Ana called
and said she doesn't want to meet with us anymore. So that kind of happened all
at once, ha-ha, but we are still working. I must be calloused or something,
because it wasn't nearly as devastating as Ana and Angel. By the way, an update
on them. It turns out that Ana had been lying to us, and she was the one
convincing Angel not to get baptized. In fact, Elder Plowman has one of Ana's
friends getting baptized this weekend. When Ana found out, she called her and
said she wouldn't be her friend anymore. So I guess Ana had been lying that
whole time and been the one trying to stop the whole thing, but Angel just
didn't want to blame it on her. That was pretty disappointing, but Elder Plowman
is more patient than me, so it's probably better that he handles it rather than
me.
We did start talking to one new guy named Ceasar. He is 18
and is dating one of the seventeen year olds. He got here from Mexico recently
and doesn't speak any English. So a couple weeks ago, he had come to church
with his girlfriend, and we went to talk to him in English. He just laughed at
us and walked away. So we thought he was just a punk, BUT it turns out he
doesn't speak English so he just kind of laughed and walked away, because he
didn't know what we were saying. So that was kind of funny to realize, but we
talked to him, and he said he works and plays soccer all the time but would be
interested. He actually came with his girlfriend to a family night on this past
Sunday. It was mostly adults so I think they were kind of uncomfortable, but I
am still glad that they went. Every Sunday night there are about three families
that do a family night for us to invite people to and whoever teaches the
lesson chooses the next person to teach the lesson the following week. I was chosen so any cool object lesson ideas
that can entertain 20 people and a few little kids is what I am looking for.
We had kind of a fun event last week after district meeting.
We went home and decided to make burgers (thanks Aunt Laurie!). So we were down
in the basement getting the food out and sent Elder Salazar up to turn the
grill on. On his way down, I guess in his excitement to eat hamburgers, he
jumps down the last few steps. What he forgot to realize is that there is a
sharp corner as the ceiling turns down. So from the kitchen we hear a loud bang,
and he walks in with blood everywhere. I was grossed out and didn't really know
what to do, so I just went and made the burgers while the other two elders took
care of him. After three of us ate, we got a ride to the doctor, and he got
seven staples in his forehead and somehow it got leaked out to the whole ward
and that's all anyone would ask him about on Sunday.
So that night we were supposed to go to the Martin Harris
pageant again, so he stayed home to rest with Elder Mark while Elder Coronado
and I went to the pageant. (I was smart enough to bring a sweater this time so
it was a little better.) They set up nine missionaries to go without cars, so
we had to find a ride up there which I feel bad doing. Once we were up there
though, we didn't have a way to get around because the host family we were
staying with was busy. So after the pageant ended at like ten o’clock, Elder Coronado
and I walked to the host home about a mile from the pageant up a dirt road
while the long line of members drove past honking and waving to us. Once we got
there it was good though, because like I said last time, the host house leaves
out a ton of food for us, so it is like staying at a hotel. However, putting
nine elders in one house is never a good idea especially when they are all
talkative and don't want to go to bed and on top of that the water heater is
small. We got up earlier than everyone though and used all the hot water (still
working on charity) and left to go back home before anyone else would get out
of bed. Then on Saturday, Elder Salazar went up with Elder Mark and I stayed
and worked here with Elder Coronado.
Sacrament meeting was rough for the ward. There was a Mexican
kid leaving from an English ward on his mission so we had about 30% of our
attendance of last week which meant we taught elders quorum and primary. Like I
said, I might as well have been called as the pianist, because they come and
pull me out of priesthood every week to say ,"Sorry we couldn't find
anyone else," when I know they didn't really look, ha-ha, but it's ok. I
like doing it; the kids are more fun. There is one girl that comes back and
bangs on the keys, and everyone turns around and thinks it’s me, because she is
too short to be seen over the piano.
Ok, so the update on Angelica is actually kind of good news.
I told you about her last week how her husband has her on lockdown and won't
let her talk to people. Get your tissue boxes ready. So yesterday, we went to
teach her a lesson, and she started showing us a video on her phone. It was of
her two little girls crying and talking about how they wanted their Dad back, because
all he did was sit on the couch and watch TV and on his phone and facebook and
won't talk to them. The six-year-old had a part where she said, “I have always
had a dream of my family going to the park and having a picnic, but Daddy
doesn't even love us.” So Angelica recorded that and left it on her phone so
when her husband got home from work to inspect her phone he would see it. She
thought he would get mad, but it turns out he cried and didn't say anything
about it. I guess right now he has a virtual relationship with a woman living
in the Dominican Republic and has been considering leaving his wife and family
for her. So Angelica has lost hope and wants to kind of start over, but we
talked about how the gospel changes people. I talked about the Rubios and Elder
Salazar talked about his family and how his grandpa changed because of the
gospel. It wasn't what she wanted, but we told her we were there to fix her
family not tear it apart. So we invited her to introduce us to her husband that
night (last night). SO we were out walking last night and get a call from her
that said her husband got a flat tire miles away from the house and needed
someone to pick him up. So we called Brother Nelson, the most talkative guy we
know, to come get us and then pick up her husband. We showed up, and he didn't
want to at first, but he got in the car and we talked to him for a little and
said we knew his wife and wanted to come by and teach the family. He said yes,
but I think he was being fake and was mad she sent us, but we will see what
happens in the lesson in a couple days. This is definitely a tough situation.
SO this week, I did what we call senior week. It usually
happens in week eleven of training a new missionary, but just in case I am not
with Elder Salazar next transfer, I wanted him to do it. It's just where he
acts as the senior companion all week. Obviously, I still help him a little,
but for the most part he makes all the decisions, sets up splits/dinner, and I
don't remind him to do anything. So yesterday was the 1st day, and I
give him feedback at night on how I think it went. He did pretty well; he
didn't miss anything, but he kind of had an hour he didn't think about where we
didn't have anything to do. It's a big change for him, because we got home from
a morning lesson and had to do studies, but I just sat down and didn't tell him,
and we didn't start for like another hour. The idea is that he can learn how to
be obedient, get things done without me making him or asking him to do it so it
gives him the chance to prepare for a companion that might not want to do
things, or where Elder Salazar will have to do everything if the other one
isn't willing. It is usually a good week even if it is a lot more stressful for
him. Last night, he set us up an fhe but didn't invite any investigators so
afterward we talked about it, and I think he understood why it wasn't
effective. He is a very good missionary. I hope we keep serving together, but
you never really know what happens. Actually someone told me that we were
staying together, but that could just be a rumor. I don't want to get my hopes
up. One of the other things that he has to take charge on is starting lessons.
Usually when you get to a house, the people will talk for like forty minutes
before you even start with a lesson so you have to take initiative to start the
lesson so he just kept glancing at me to see if I would start things and never
did. He finally got it started, and I think the first day was just new for him
and now he will start to take over more. This way, also, if we are together
next transfer it can be more of the two of us working together rather than me
kind of telling him how and what to do.
So we have been using facebook everyday. Just an update on
what we do. We get on everyday for one to two hours (no more than that, thank
goodness) to proselyte with people in our area and also friends at home. It is
used only for proselyting. I'll be honest; it is tempting to get on it on p-day
to look at people's pictures, but we aren't allowed to. I don't know about it
really, I know a lot of missionaries are just looking at a lot of friends’
pictures while they should be working, but I guess those same missionaries
aren't working in their areas anyway. I have talked with a few friends from
home and although sitting in front of a screen isn't exciting, it is good to
talk to some old friends about why on earth I would move to northern Utah for
two years.
I think that is all for now. I love you all very much! Thanks
for everything,
Elder Bassett
PS I got two packages this week! One with the new cards and
the other with protein...thank you, Mom!!
This is looking a little ways into the future, but September 13th is
Elder Salazar's birthday. Can you keep him in your calendar and send him a package for his
birthday?
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