Hey! Things are going good. So we took the train and the
plan was to find someone with a cell phone. Also to place a BOM on the way, but
the train was completely empty. I got put in charge of watching everyone’s
stuff on the bottom level while everyone went to the top. It was me and 2 other
Spanish elders watching the stuff. The rest were Portuguese (going to Brazil).
11 of us total. Kalvin Thomas was in the group going to Brazil (he is in the Ripley’s
ward). Traveling with all my stuff was a little hassle but I made it work. It
was only a 45 minute train ride. At the train station we got picked up by Elder
Southwick. He is a senior missionary working in the office over transportation.
Great guy. We found out there is 250 missionaries in the mission. 71 cars. They
had just got 35 missionaries the day before that were originally called to this
mission and said good bye to 5. So we are basically at max capacity. We got to
the mission home. Met the mission President. First thing he tells us. This is a
Baptizing mission. We have baptisms every week and we should be baptizing. After
that we had a 2 minute interview. I told him I was excited to be here. I am
ready to work and my goal is to have him beg for me to stay when I leave for
Argentina! Haha. I walked outside and met my companions. They are Zone leaders
so yes I am in a 3some. We loaded up the car (yes we have a car. it is a 2013 Chevy
Cruize. it only has 200 miles on It.) and went straight to work. Basically we
talk to everyone. Oh yeah. I am in Kearns! Spanish speakers everywhere! So I am
going to learn Spanish pretty quick. First thing we do is pull over the car and
start talking to a Hermano that just got back from work. We talked to him for
like 5 minutes. I got like 40% of what was being said. Suddenly they lean over
to me and said, bare your testimony... WHATT?!?! Haha. I’ve bore better
testimonies in Spanish but I was caught off guard but still. After that we
dropped off my stuff and we around meeting members and non member. We ask
everyone for referrals. 5 o clock was dinner. Every other week we have dinner
at English. So luckily this week was English. We went and met a family that
made turkey burgers....bleh! (2nd night was bbq chicken in a hot dog bun, 3rd: rotisserie
chicken from Sam’s club,4th: a gross casserole with potato chips on top, last
night we had BEEF pot roast that was dry. best thing I’ve eaten is at every
place they had bread! haha!) But that first night I had to give the spiritual
thought. Went better than expected especially because it was in English. Tonight
we have Spanish and I have to teach! Pray for me! Haha! But for the past couple
days we have just been meeting people and talking with the leaders of the area.
They really stress Member missionary work. We wouldn’t have a work without it
so I hope you are doing your part! Let’s get the Slater’s Baptized! And Gail! Baptism
is the only way we can be saved! And it is one of the most important
commandments of Christ! Haha! They talk about baptism so much here! Haha! Except
they say "Dunked" haha! "That family is SO getting DUNKED!"
they used to be called the "Kearns Dunkers" haha! But really! I know
that their lives will be blessed and your lives will be blessed!
So about the house I live in. They were only expecting to
have 2 elders in their house hold! So there is a bunk bed and an air mattress.
2 closet spaces and 1 desk that comfortably fits 2. And that is all in one room.
So I sleep on an air mattress in the middle of the room. They moved some of
their stuff over so that I could hang up my shirts and then moved some stuff
off the table so that I can have a place to study. It is one tight fit. OH and
the air mattress deflates... EVERY NIGHT! So that’s fun. But we all get along.
Since they are the zone leaders, they are constantly on the phone, and I get to
go to all the meetings and I’ve been to baptism interviews. So it’s a fun
experience. And we drive everywhere. We have bikes, but we haven’t pulled them
out yet. Hopefully tomorrow! To them it’s been hot couple days. Like 96. And it’s
been beautiful cool days for me. Nice cool breeze! Haha! So my companions are
Elder Toborg and Elder Julian. Both from Washington. They are cool elders and
just ready to get work done. Apparently Kearns is a GREAT place to be in for Spanish
speakers and so they are both so excited to be here! On Thursday night and on Sunday
after church I got to anointed Oil in Spanish. That was fun. I was nervous but
it went well. It is so awesome to see the Holy Ghost guiding our steps. On Saturday
we said a prayer for guidance and like an hour or so later we went to see a
family whose dad is not active. And we had been by their house probably 5 times
in the passed 3 days. And right when we started walking up, the dad walked
outside with trash. And so we got to go inside and teach an awesome lesson. We
had not gotten them to open the door yet. So that was good. She is a member and
she is ready to change her life around and get her temple recommend but she is
nervous for her husband because they live with his family and they make fun of
him about the "Mormon" stuff. They make fun of him when the
missionaries come around and they went to temple square (yeah we can take
investigators to temple square, I haven’t gone yet). It was a great experience
but when they got back they just tore him up. We invited them to an FHE which
is out of their home and we try to have as many lessons away from the family as
much as possible.
So we had made plans to play basketball with some kids and
less actives on Saturday. We were just inviting everyone from like 13-25. Anyone
that wanted to come. So we stopped by a recent convert’s house to see if he was
home and just say hi, but he was working and his brother answered. The rest of
the family is not members. I asked the kid if he liked basketball but I didn’t
invite him. My companions were already close to the car so we left. That night
on the way home at like 915. I was prompted to say "hey lets go invite
Jorge to basketball" so we flipped a Uie and went to the house. We met the
father and asked if we could come back and talk on Sunday. The kid couldn’t go
to basketball because he works with his father ALOT. And so if I would have
asked him the first time, he would have said no I have work and I wouldn’t have
thought about going back. But we went to their house Sunday night (they didn’t
come to church :( but its okay.) and they taught the dad (in Spanish so I couldn’t
really participate too much) but I noticed the kid sitting off in the corner. I
and Elder Toborg started talking to him. In English! Haha! And we gave him a pamphlet
about the restoration and a BOM to read. he had a lot of great questions about
the church like didn’t God only make one book" and "If we are bad we
go to Hell and we don’t remember our families right?" haha. He had more
that were funny but yeah. He’s a good kid and I look forward to working with
them. We got both of them on date for the 15 of September. So hopefully that
works out! Crazy thing. On Sunday. after a meeting with the branch presidency
we get a text "hey you are coming to speak in the English ward today
right" and this was 10 minutes after their church had started. So we ran
and got to the English ward right as Sacrament was over. We had to talk about
missionary work. Right there on the spot. It was crazy but went well because it
was in English. Not excited for when something like that happens in Spanish
haha. But basically what happened was on of those "hey you told the
missionaries they were speaking today right?" "No, I thought you
were" "uhhhh...." hahaha! But it all went well. In the Spanish
branch we had an investigator come to church that was awesome! And then this
new family that had been invited came. They said that they are ready to change
their lives and do what is right for their family. They want to go to church
and they stayed all 3 hours their first day and they really enjoyed it! And are
excited to go back! We saw them that night and it was so great! They are so
ready. Their family is awesome. 2 little kids and a bunny rabbit. I got to feed
him a carrot! Haha! Also in priesthood I got to stand in to give someone the
Aaronic Priesthood. That was way cool!
But yeah. Things are good.
We only have an hour and a half to write so I think we are leaving, we
are so busy because they are Zone leaders. I might not have time to shop! AH
haha! But things are good! Love ya! Stay strong!
Elder Julian & Elder Toborg
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