Hello everybody,
Today’s email is going to be brief as today everything is already super crazy with the transfers that are happening this week. Already, Elder Catmull and I have parted ways as he is going to the mission home in Málaga to pick up the new missionary that he will be training. Accordingly, I will be leaving Elche and will be arriving in my new area, Motril, and stark working with my new companion, Elder Jarvis, on Wednesday. So, more on this will be in my email next week.
I honestly don’t think that it’s fully registered in my mind that I’m leaving Elche in less than two days. I’ve been here for four months, and it all feels like a blur that just barely started. I’m really sad to be leaving all of the members and investigators and the other missionaries here, but I trust in the Lord that there’s always good things to come.
I think that more than anything, that’s what I’ve learned during these three transfers here in Elche: to trust in the Lord. The Lord can’t lie, and his promised blessings will always be fulfilled. That doesn’t mean it will always be easy what we’re asked to do, but it will always be possible. I promise you all that the what we read in Proverbs, to “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,” is true.
The highlight of this last week was teaching Silvia, one of our investigators who we’ve been teaching for several weeks now. She and her kids had been attending church for some time with a friend before we started teaching them, which we only started doing a few weeks ago. It’s amazing seeing how the Lord really does prepare people to hear the gospel. As she was offering the closing prayer after the lesson, the spirit was so strong, perhaps the strongest I’ve felt during my mission. I love being a missionary and being able to have such powerful experiences like that.
I anticipate that the work will be harder in Motril as it’s a much smaller city with only a branch, I believe, and as sad as it is to leave Elche, I’m looking forwards to seeing what’s in store next.
Love,
Élder Stark
Photos
1: There’s the sun. We made our way up into the mountains last week for P-Day.
2: Elder Catmull and I. If we look cold, that’s because we were; the temperatures have definitely been a lot cooler (although not necessarily “cold”) throughout the week, but the humidity in the air slices through directly to the bone.
3: (Almost) the entire Elche Zone: Elder Catmull, Elder Stark, Elder Darrington, Elder Llavina, Hermana Giraldo, Hermana Prior and Hermana George, Hermana García, Hermana Gibson, Hermana Sánchez, Hermana Gentry
4: All you can eat Chinese buffet after the district meeting, with Hermana Sánchez, Hermana Prior, Hermana George, Elder Llavina, Elder Catmull, Elder Stark, Elder Larsen, and Elder Goates
5: Nike store in Alicante with Elder Darrington, Elder Stark, Elder Catmul, and Elder Llavina
6: A member let me borrow his trombone! It was enjoyable to connect back to my roots.
7: Until next time
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