Email 10/10/16
Hello everybody,
Between transfers and me switching from the training schedule to the normal one and some other things, there have been quite a few changes which have occurred this week. My new companion, Elder Catmull, is a really good missionary. He has just over a year in the mission. He also speaks Spanish really well, so that’s definitely a relief for me. Even though we’ve only been together since Thursday, I can tell we’re going to be able to work well with each other, and that this should be a good transfer.
Notwithstanding, this was a tough week. I’ve definitely felt the full weight on my shoulders of the responsibility of being the missionary who knows the area. That means that I’m the one who figures out where to go, what to do, and with whom to meet and talk. It’s stressful. Additionally, it seems as though every plan I made this week ended up falling through at the last second, so that added even more stress into my life.
My mission prep teacher at BYU, Brother Goodman, always used to say to our class after we turned in an assignment that was initially presumed to be difficult, “See? That wasn’t so bad….Nobody died…..” and I don’t know why, but I kept thinking of that quote last week. Sometimes it feels like the mission is just one long disappointment after disappointment, but I know that as long as I go out and try my best, hour and hour and day after day, that’s what matters. After all, I can’t control the actions of others, but I can control mine. As President Hinckley is to have said on occasion: “all the Lord expects of us is to try, but you have to really try!” I know that as long as I keep trying, and believing, and persevering, my spirits or my desire to work won’t “die.”
There were still many good moments this week despite the difficulties. We have an investigator named Yanet, with whom we haven’t been able to meet for some time now. On Saturday afternoon, we called her and invited her to come to church the next morning, but she told us that it conflicted with her schedule. However, when Sunday morning came around, we were very surprised when we saw her sitting in the chapel! That was a little moment of joy that I experienced, and if that’s all I can get, I’ll take it and be grateful.
I hope you that you all have a good week in school, at work, on your missions, or wherever else you may be.
Love,
Élder Stark ??
Photos
1: Elder Pesce and I with Jamie and Fina, some really nice members of the ward.
2: Photo of the “Elche Zone” before the transfers. Hermana Giraldo, Hermana Prior, Hermana Butler, Hermana Gentry; Hermana Højholdt, Hermana Moore, Hermana Gibson; Elder Llavina, Elder Pesce, Elder Goates, Elder Darrington, Elder Stark, Elder Fumero
3: Final photo with the district: Hermanas Prior and Butler, Elder Pesce and Me, Hermanas Højholdt, Gibson, and Moore
4: Trying to be like the Blues Brothers with Elena, a menos activa.
5: Elder Pesce and I with our noche de hogar (family home evening) friends
6: Look at that paella….Elder Catmull and I ate like kings on Saturday
7: Until next time
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