February 11, 2013

Well, transfers came last night or the call I mean and well I am staying here but I will be getting a new comp. I will be with Elder Ramirez from Costa Rica. He is from my group so I guess I will just be with missionaries from my own group till I end. It is really weird for me to be with somebody of my own group but it is also cool because I already know him. When I was in Villa Mella he was there for three months so I know him a little. Also when I was in El Seibo he was in Sabana de La Mar. Pretty cool though. I am excited for a new transfer here in La Victoria. The area is super difficult but I feel like there are some cool people that we are teaching that could progress tons. Hopefully they start to go to church!

Q: Has anyone ever thought you were a Dominican?
A: Yep it has happened. It is weird but they have a phrase here that says esta platanado - a platano is a well I think it is plantain in English but anyways it is a fruit like a banana and they say that you are like this fruit if you are from another place but act Dominican.

Q: Do you have to give talks in church?
A: Yep. Two weeks ago we had to give talks. All four of us had to give talks so that was kinda weird. It really depends on the ward that you are in.

Q: What is your comp's name? I don't remember.
A: My comp until tomorrow is Elder Denton and my comp from tomorrow until march is Elder Ramirez.

Q: Did you get that cool picture I drew for you? What do you do with those? Throw them away? )':
A:Yep I got it and everyone asked me if I had a younger sister so I told them no.

But that is all of the responses because I didn't get very many questions.

But I am excited to keep on trucking along here in the mission. Every day is a new adventure and I feel like I can grow more right now than I have before. It is crazy to think about that there are something like 4 months left but I know that these are going to be the best four months of my mission and that I have to be able to give it 100%.

I am super grateful for this opportunity I have to be here and I have been able to see things, meet people, and feel that I have been called to the right place to do the Lord's work. I know that the mission is difficult. For the future missionaries, if anyone tells you it is the easiest two years of your life, they are wrong. In this last week I really got hit hard because a family that we are teaching that is super cool is having problems and to be honest I don't know how to help them other than teach them what I know and help them view the importance of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But these 20 months have not been easy but they have been edifying. I know that God has a purpose for everything. Nothing is coincidence.

I had to give a 30 minute tema or presentation I guess you would call it and I feel like it really helped me learn a TON. One of the most enriching things about the mission is the opportunity we have to learn as missionaries. I have learned more in these 20 months than I could have learned in 50 years at a university. But this has indeed been an interesting transfer and I am super ready and excited for the next one because well it is another opportunity to grow even more.
But I don't have much more to say other than I love you and hope you have good weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Michael Phillip Coniam