Wednesday, December 10, 2014
One to remember
Good afternoon everyone!!!
For starters, transfers!! Cause I know that all of you are dying to know!!
This week has been one to remember!! I have just loved every moment that we had to continue meeting and helping our investigators. So many are SO close and have such an amazing and dedicated desire to apply the Gospel into their lives!
...ok...I really cant hold it in any more!!!!!
TRANSFERS!!!
So...I really didnt know what to expect when it came to exactly what was going to happen. I mad some guesses a little earlier, and I was right...but got most of the people wrong!
So we will be doubling out of Mattawa (Both Ribeiro and I will be leaving), and replaced with one who's the new DL and training.
Elder Ribeiro will be going to Wanache (his old area), and I will be going up to Yakima with Elder Tanner. "I'll go where You want me to go, dear Lord!" I've also been doing some research, and if I'm correct, I'll be DL over there, as well as "greenie busting" Elder Tanner. That simply means that I'll be the first companion right after his training. SENIOR COMP WHAAAAAA?!?!?!?! ....have no idea how it's going to be, but I'm excited to see what it will be like. The biggest challenge will be the Spanish...I think...but I know that it will progress pretty fast!
I really have been amazing and grateful for the progression that I have seen in my Spanish in just the last 6 months...not to brag. But It's been really cool to see that I can understand about 95%, and I think that my speaking has really grown as well! I'm really excited to see what's in store over in Yakima, there are a lot of good, cool, and fun stories that came from over there. Both from members and missionaries.
I'm excited!!!!
We had the last District Meeting of the transfer earlier in the week. I have really grown to love preparing and doing the meetings! The District has been really amazing!! I've had a lot of fun acting out the play we made. Then for this one, I made a bunch of broadway-style theatre tickets for the play we made to help with one of the themes of the meeting. It's just been so much fun!! It's going to be bad saying goodbye later today as well as at the transfer site. Arg!
That and members and investigators, it's the worst to say goodbye!! We started yesterday saying goodbye to many of them...not very fun! And the hard thing as well is their desire to feed us until we cant eat anymore...then do that 8 times with all the people you see throughout the day. "Hermana, voy a explotar!!" "No importa Elder, Coma, mas!!"
There's been some thoughts on how the new missionaries will take many of our investigators, and other situations, but I know that this is happening for a reason! And I KNOW that the new missionaries will do AMAZING!! They're just what the Doctor ordered!!
On that note, it's really hard to think of what else to put down....
We've been continually working with Vicente and many other amazing friends. And things are really growing as miracles continue to come! I love each of them and have strong faith that they will move forward with even more miracles as they study and apply the teachings of the Gospel!
I love you all!!! I'm super excited for what's up for both myself and all of you!! Keep moving forward and love what you do!!!
Abrasitos!! CHAO!!
--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission
August 18th part 2
Hello AGAIN!!!!!
So, we just got back to Mattawa after going around looking at a bunch of cows, milking a bunch of cows, and smelling the aroma of a bunch of cows! Always a blast!!
Such a great way to start off the week!! The whole zone was there, so we were able to spend some time up at the Alread's house doing fun things a group of missionaries would do on P-day!! Then they all made hamburgers and all that jazz! Super fun and awesome, and all other excited-sounding descriptions!!
The funny thing is at times here and there, I have many good ideas on what I should say, but I guess this is a good example of what happens when my fingers hit the keyboard...I forget a lot of the ideas.
BUT...moving on I guess!
again, I want to thank everyone who has been a huge help to me while out here...which has been ALL of you!! I just cant seem to understand just how fast things have been going. My trainer barely hit a year when I got out...and now I'll be saying goodbye for a bit in just a few weeks. I'd say I have or will have no idea how that will feel...but at this alarming rate, I have no idea!
I love you all and hope many missionary experiences for each of you! Pray and seek out opportunities to serve and share, there is no greater joy!!!!
teqiero mucho!
August 18th
Good morning everyone!!!
I'm trying to get this out as soon as possible...,hence the earliness, but now you can enjoy it even sooner!!! We've got a member from Royal City picking us up in a few minutes to take us on another tour of the Alread dairy!! It makes for a little crazy of a P-day, but with all the other missionaries there, it should be a lot of fun!!
This week has been really good! We've been able to work hard and see some many amazing miracles with many amazing people!!
But kind of a start to the week. On Tuesday, we left for Othello to take part in the Zone Conference. (this is the big one that switches every other transfer between this and trips to the Temple). Two zones were there, than all the leaders of the mission, so I got to see my trainer as well as President. The messages were really amazing!! Everything was really centered around members and missionaries joining together, just as Jacob 5 describes. It was super cool!
Another fun thing from the conference...completely by happenstance, we had all the members of our original district from Kennewick!! So we took some pictures by the end of it...all of it was a lot of fun!!!
Although, Elder Abbott gave his last testimony in ZC...this one being his last one, so he'll be heading home in about 7 weeks....time really does go by fast!
Saturday was another one of those extra fun and exciting days for us! Yearly in Mattawa, they host the Mattawa Community Days for the valley to take part in...a really cool and big deal for a small town like this. The start with a parade...that's basically made up of all the inhabitants of Mattawa, so there's not too many people watching! Then after the parade, there is a big set up of booths of all sorts!
We had a booth of our own. The setup was really cool! We had a large backdrop of the Bible and the Book of Mormon, so it made for a really cool experience to talk to people.
I also had the first thing that I really regret on my mission. So one of the biggest things for the community days is the belly-bursting burrito-eating contest. I was signed up (without knowing) until about 20 until it started. (I backed out because some members brought us food every other minute). But basically it's a 10 lbs burrito with everything on it. You have to eat it in 20 minutes, and beat three other people.
The winner actually ate this thing in 6 minutes!! The skinniest guy there too!! But I'm kinda grateful I didnt, because they said it wasnt the best tasting burrito...and most of them were Hispanics, so they know what bad and good is when it does come to burritos.
haha!! Fun stuff though!!! We also ran into a Brazilian family as well, who already have a Book of Mormon in Portuegese, so that would be a really cool thing to get with them and for Ribeiro to have some fun!!
One of the largest miracles happened with Vicente Lopez. It's been really really hard to get a hold of him, and many things have been happening that had made for a hard situation he was in. But one of the nights, we had made our calls, and we had the impression to randomly call him (his phone has never worked for us). He answered and was very grateful that we called him. He wanted us to visit and talk with him the next day. So we went with Jorge and talked for a few minutes in front of the house, but with some of the people living there as well, he asked us to come back the next day to take him to the seminary and talk some more. We left him a scripture, 2 Nephi 31, really to get him back reading in the Book of Mormon.
The second we knocked the next day, he opened and greeted up with a huge smile. At the seminary building, we asked him what he thought and felt while he was doing his scripture studies that night.
He really opened up and got talking, focusing on his desire to get baptized. He was bringing up concerns he had, and focuses that we as missionaries were thinking of talking to him about...and it did it on his own, just through his reading and studies! He said that he wants to work again on the goal to be baptized, and he is looking at September as his goal.
I have seen so many amazing things, and helping Vicente has been one of the greatest! It is so hard to really get my feelings out and the joy I have felt as I have worked with him and helped him along his path through the Gospel. Really amazing!!!
I love this work! I love being a missionary! Such an amazing and priceless blessing!!!!
I love you all and hope for the best for all of you! Work hard and love every second!!!!
Also...transfer calls are this Saturday...have NO idea what to expect, but I'll get back to you on that!! haha!!!
Wishing you all the best!!
--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission
Spanish of a week
Hello everyone!! This week has really flown by! Cant believe that I'm writing for the next time.
The week has really been moving forward!
The cool thing is that we've been able to get with many people during the week. A lot of work is slowing down a tad...although it's slowing to allow workers a second to relax in order to survive the apples starting up the 15th of this month! I'll tell ya...the picture of the apples I sent a few weeks ago really dosent say much to the amount of apples that we'll be getting this harvest. Many workers at the moment are working hard to "board" and support the trees that have started to droop with the amount of apples they are carrying. It's going to be really cool and crazy. We've been thinking during the harvesting, maybe we can follow one of our investigators and help them out for a little! But we'll see!!
So last monday was just an amazing way to start off the week. Thank you everyone who really made the day amazing!! I loved every message and letter!
As well, that evening, we were able to go and enjoy a little bit of the evening with the Ruiz family. Super fun to do a birthday in a different culture!! They cooked us a really amazing chile relleno, and got a amazing cake!! Had fun, pushed a face into the cake, and enjoyed some great company! Love that family!!!!
So enough to say that the evening was really amazing!!
That next day, we woke up early in the morning, got equipment together, and headed for Wanachee and Pateros, where the fires have been hitting. It's really hard to describe what I saw and did throughout the day, but many of the situations these people were put through were really hard. But it was amazing to see and be a part of the Helping Hands to turn their lives back in order. We worked all day in the heat, and got back with enough time to wash up and get to bed.
Service is such an amazing thing!! That was the main theme and focus we noticed yesterday during our Sunday meetings. We have such a fantastic opportunity and a duty to find those in need and help. On the outside looking in as well as the inside looking out, it's really hard to describe. What an amazing thing!!!
One of the fun activities that a DL gets to do is go on even more exchanges, this time with the Zone Leaders! I was left in Mattawa, and received Elder Duanna-hammond, a super cool missionary from Gana.
I really love exchanges! Everyone says that the most amazing miracles are able to happen during them. I have had some amazing exchanges and miracles with exchanges, but this one really was amazing.
The area of Mattawa has gone through ups and downs, and at times if your not really careful, so can the attitude of the missionary towards the area he's in. The season's been hard, but this exchange really had a large impact of the perspective. The day was full to the brim with amazing lessons and moments we were given to meet people who were prepared to hear a message. There is so much potential in both an area, and each missionary in the area.
Furthermore, really putting your trust and faith in each action and motion to know that this isnt your own work really transforms the work you're able to do.
Then, on an ending to the week, we were able to go down and help out at the Food Bank. Usually we are put into the back, where we're hauling large boxes or something manly like that! I might have said something so someone in Spanish, but they took notice, then put us in the front checking everyone in. It was really fun to really be put of the spot in speaking Spanish. It was a little frustrating with the computers not working...and asking people to refill some applications, but it was a blast!! Both of us by the end were just tired!! Now that's a better workout that lifting anything in the back!!!
Spanish I feel is still coming along. I still love it just as much, and am trying to work just as hard to get it in my head! It's so much fun to learn a new language/culture! I love the people here!
That pretty well encloses my week so far. Things are still moving forward...although still at a really accelerated speed. Havent been able to fix that of yet....
Thank you all for the amazing support and love I feel from you! Work hard and enjoy every moment!!! Love you all!!!
Chao!
--
Elder Glen Wright Washing Kennewick Mission
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