Three Comps Three Areas Three Transfers
First, I am going to answer your questions because I need to think about what I am going to tell you guys... Oh and I think you are wrong that we have a new financial missionary because I know the Elder that is the financial missionary but, yeah, there are like 3 in this mission but the one that was my comp, is training. There is another Elder that was sent to Los Trese Brazos that has the same time as me and he is training, whitewashing, and district leader.... wow, I am glad that I am not there. But Elder McFarland told me that a lot of the people that we were teaching have been going to church and that it looks like they are going to get baptized! How awesome is that. Of course it stinks that I won’t be there, but the fact that the hard work we were doing did pay off, it feels good to see that it does turn into success if you work hard because sometimes it feels like it doesn´t. But it definitely seems to be working for them in L3B.
Q: What time does your ward start? Dad looked up the info and says there are 3 different wards in your area.
A: At 8, which is awesome and stinks because most investigators won’t go at this time but it is good because we have a good relaxing morning with a longer lunch/study time. I am in Sabana Perdida 2 which is huge. I have yet to see it on a map but from what I have walked, it is huge. It is a decent size ward with 120 plus attending every week but there are 400 members in this area so there are a lot of inactives. But thankfully the ward is helping with that and the Bishop and Stake Presidency are really pushing that hard. Oh, how good it feels to be in a ward that wants to work.....
Q: What did you do on 11.11.11 at 11:11?
A: Um, we didn´t realize it in the morning and I was asleep at the night time one because we go to sleep really early here because there is no light for half of the night and so I take a shower and then try to fall asleep without any kind of fan or breeze, just kind of baking under my mosquito net. But that should all change because we started the paperwork to change houses and we found a way nicer house for about the same price. Now we just have to wait on the office Elders to set everything up...which could mean in 3 months we will move. But I took a video and will send it to you next week, if I can. These computers really stink and the one I am using has no USB ports...I didn´t even know that was possible.
Q. Are you ready to talk to us next month? Bet you're going to cry! KIDDING!
A: Um, I told President that I didn´t want to call. Sorry to tell you guys now but you won’t get a call.... just kidding. I have to call and I will probably cry but only because mom and Alyssa and Brandon are going to cry... right, Brandon?
Q: How do the warm showers feel?
A: It was like being in heaven but now it stinks because I am back to the regular old freezing cold showers that feel like ice is being shot at you. But I can´t complain, it is better than a bucket shower.
Q: How does it feel to be out of the boonies and back in la ciudad?
A: Well, I feel like I am part of civilization now so that is cool. Oh, but they closed Sabana Grande de Boya. I called Elder Rosado on Wednesday to see how it was going up there and he told me that he and his trainee had been sent to Los Mina (right next to LTB). But Sabana is closed so it will be interesting to see when or if President reopens it anytime soon.
Q: Do you want some Downy for your bed sheets? How do they smell? Do you wash them enough?
A: I can buy some if I need some. They smell fine, I think. But I haven´t washed them since my last week in LTB because they would have smelled all mildewey in Sabana Grande and here there isn´t enough room for me to wash them. At least until we change houses. When we change houses, I am going to wash them every week. Oh, I can´t wait!
Q: Do you iron your own shirts?
A: Haha, what is that. First of all, we are in the Dominican Republic which means there is enough humidity that there are no wrinkles in the shirts. Secondly, you would need an iron and a place to iron the shirts but I don´t have either of those. Thirdly, you would need time and light and here we don´t have either of those, so yeah.
Q: How's your new comp?
A: He is cool. We have the same time in the field so that is pretty interesting. And neither of us were told who is senior comp so that is pretty interesting too. But he is cool. He works differently than my first 2 comps but it is good to see the difference. I think the first few weeks with a new comp are the hardest but we are going to work hard and have fun so everything will be fine.
Q: Is your new area like L3B?
A: Bueno, not really. It is a little bit poorer and the house is about a quarter of the other house's size, but yeah. I think most of the capitol is similar with the exception of there being really dangerous areas and safe areas. I think the area I am in is decently safe... Oh, but I was talking to the taxi driver that took me here on Tuesday and I don´t know why I just thought of this but he has seen the Best 2 Years. How funny is that? He was telling me all about it like I hadn´t ever seen it and he told the story pretty accurately. That was cool.
Now onto the WEEK!
Well, let’s see... I already told you about Tuesday. Oh, it stunk to say goodbye to Elder Rosado. We had a difficult time but it was fun. I wish I would have had more time with him because my Spanish would have improved so much. Oh, but before I forget, maybe for Christmas you can send me a mini ‘Preach My Gospel’ in Spanish and send me pictures of what you want me to put on my agenda. If you don´t understand, I will send a picture to you next week that will show you what I mean. Let´s see, I am running out of time so I will tell you about yesterday.
Yesterday we had no investigators at church even though ten of them told us they would be there so we went by Roberto, who is really cool but he has a problem with drinking and smoking. So we talked to him about the reason he wasn’t there and he told us he has a problem. We already knew because we have been trying to help him stop but this time when he told us he was crying. Imagine that, you, a 19-year-old kid sitting there while a 45-year-old man is crying and telling you about how he wants to quit so he can get his life straight and help his family out. He lives with his girlfriend/wife and their two daughters. But man it was so sad. We have tried to help him out but we are running out of ideas. We are going to be having family prayer with them to start off this week to try to help him unite his family. We have already started to help him on getting married because both he and his wife want to get married, really unusual here, and now we focus in on the alcohol and cigars. He threw out his cigars yesterday but he is really addicted to them both and it is going to be extremely difficult to leave them behind. I hope I get to see him make that change. As long as I am here, we will visit him. He has been to church twice in his life and both times he went to the LDS Church. He says that he just feels different when he talks to an LDS member and that he trusts the missionaries like he has known them for most of his life. He is really interesting and I hope that he has the strength to break his addictions.
But that is all of the time I have.... I hope you guys have a good week and BrandLyssa like their new apartment and you guys don´t cry too much when you realize that I hit 5 months tomorrow.
Take care and you know how much I love you,
Elder Michael ¨Lost in Sabana Perdida¨ Coniam
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