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| My new companion, Elder Bozarth, a visa waiter headed to Spain. |
First week in Mt. Lewis Alpha!
It has been a slow week. Christmas feels like it was so long
ago. Christmas was kind of just a bad day for everyone. We all got our calls
over with then just felt depressed all day. But we made up for it by going for
Costco the next day for our half p-day. I just went for it and got muffins and
an ice cream bar; since Jessica suggested it, I thought it would be
appropriate. We had like five meals on Christmas. I didn't eat for the first
two, because my stomach was bugging me so much about calling home, and then
didn’t eat much at the last few. We played games at Pres Reyna (counselor in
mission pres) during the night, then went home and went to bed early.
Kind of weird to skype your family. It's weird, because it
feels like you just talked to them yesterday, but then you hang up and you
realize it will be months before it happens again. All of us felt like it
slowed us and down this week, and we are ready to take it up a notch with the
new year.
I made some resolutions and that was cool since it’s the only
full year I will ever have in the mission field.
Ok so then the week went well. I had my first district
meeting. It went well. I emphasized loving your companions first, then your
investigators. Tomorrow's should be a little more exciting; we are playing that
game that mom did where you take a random object and connect it to the
restoration in a minute. We really need help on contacting so I am grateful for
my pre-mission training, mainly from Elder Mackie, on how to do a street
contact. There were several other missionaries that helped me, too, but he sat
me down and wrote a layout, and I am using it for the meeting tomorrow. We will
see how it goes.
We have a fairly young district. There are only two
missionaries that have been out longer than me out of 8 of us. I like that
since the other district is all older people. DLT's are pretty tough. The other
district leaders are pretty bad examples, and it’s hard for the zone leaders to
teach anything. I wish I could learn in a better environment, but they are both
going home next transfer.
Our area hasn't been too exciting yet, because it's mainly just finding. And a lot of people have been out of town…maybe it will pick up this coming week. The ward is pretty huge compared to Idaho. There are a couple people I will tell you about since they are really our only investigators right now: Manuel and Ramon. Ramon is 17, and it’s rough with him right now because of his padres. They are pretty catholic and just said they aren’t a fan of him talking to us so we will stop by and see if we can get to know them better. If we bring Elder Martinez, we will be fine. Most Hispanics don't like two white guys coming over, but if one of us is Hispanic, they are a lot more likely to invite us in. Manuel just got back from Mexico. He has some goals for the year, and they are to get married, go to church, and get baptized. His girlfriend is not too interested, but I am sure she will be happy if that means we want them to get married. They have a 2-year-old son who is the loudest child I have ever seen and never stops yelling and running in circles the entire lesson. It makes things pretty frustrating.
Our area hasn't been too exciting yet, because it's mainly just finding. And a lot of people have been out of town…maybe it will pick up this coming week. The ward is pretty huge compared to Idaho. There are a couple people I will tell you about since they are really our only investigators right now: Manuel and Ramon. Ramon is 17, and it’s rough with him right now because of his padres. They are pretty catholic and just said they aren’t a fan of him talking to us so we will stop by and see if we can get to know them better. If we bring Elder Martinez, we will be fine. Most Hispanics don't like two white guys coming over, but if one of us is Hispanic, they are a lot more likely to invite us in. Manuel just got back from Mexico. He has some goals for the year, and they are to get married, go to church, and get baptized. His girlfriend is not too interested, but I am sure she will be happy if that means we want them to get married. They have a 2-year-old son who is the loudest child I have ever seen and never stops yelling and running in circles the entire lesson. It makes things pretty frustrating.
Other than that we are going through the all the lessons get
cancelled phase...it happens a couple times a day, but we will find some solid
people eventually. We are going to die once these visa waiters leave and our
area combines. It takes the other elders an hour just to get to their area
since we can't ride our bikes on ice, and that’s all it is right now. We walk
all day long and talk to hardly anyone since no one is outside. It feels so
unproductive without a car; most dinner appointments are 5 to 10 miles away so
we usually try to find a ride, because that is a long walk. The members of the
ward all live in areas where there are no other Hispanics living out there.
This is the first time in years this area hasn't had a car, but it’s because
some sister missionaries crashed one up north, and they gave it to them. Maybe
eventually we will, but for now we will just do our best.
It’s COLD outside! High of 35 for this whole week with a
wind chill; it is very, very cold. I always took a car for granted I guess. The
boots have really been helpful; we walk through snow several times a day.
We tried this thing this week where you pray for an hour.
That was cool; you learn a lot of stuff. There haven't been any really crazy
good lessons this week just lots of finding, so no exciting stories about that.
The little girl that saw the family on skype said that I looked exactly like my
dad. And she said that I have really good Spanish, so I like her. She just got
baptized a month ago.
My companions are doing well. Still no word on the visas of the two Spaniards...but
someone went home so they might be emergency transferred pretty quick, and that
will be very disappointing.
We had interviews this week...still short. I think mine was
the longest one out of all of us at like four minutes. I guess we should be
happy he doesn’t need to talk 15 minutes for us, but it’d be nice to talk to
him a little more. I guess I am forgetting about how busy he is.
I was praying about how to get to know the Savior more, and
I got the same answer I always do, and that’s to read The Book of Mormon. I am
always doing that, so I always expect something different, but that is always
the answer that I get. I guess I need to read it more. I have a goal to read it
six times this year so that will be good. I don't know if that will be English
or Spanish; I will have to see what happens.
We didn't stay up for new years...there is no way I would do
that. I am already dead tired everyday. You would think I'd get used to the missionary
schedule, but I am tired all the time. I am trying to avoid sickness since
everyone in the apartment, but me has the flu so hopefully I won't be next.
It is awesome to have an apartment full of
obedient missionaries. It's too bad three of them are going to different
places. Hopefully, this new influx of missionaries will kick things into gear. Next week I will send you some pictures, I don't have my
camera with me or any pictures on there, really.
I love you all and hope that you are doing well! Keep President
Hiers and the future investigators here in your prayers.
Take care,
Elder Bassett
PS So I got a couple letters yesterday from 12
days ago and someone else got one sent 18 days ago. The office holds letters
for way too long, but please don't stop writing!
Mom-I just got Jessica’s bookplate yesterday. They just wait to
send it for long periods of time in case we come by to get it. Can send me a
Christmas card that our family sent out? I want to see what it looks like.
It sounds like [the family is having] a fun trip. I forgot
my list at home, so I will have to be creative with this week’s letter since I
don't remember anything. Can someone tell whether or not carbonation is bad for
you and why? This is a very important topic in our house right now...and yes
wikipedia is a trusted source.
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