They still can´t get rid of me here in S.
Also, I seem to be a Peruvian magnet. That´s right, my new companion is, Elder A, is also from Peru. He´s actually from the same stake as Elder R and has the same amount of time in the mission. Wild, right? He seems pretty cool, he just got here today and he was a little sad to leave his first area (who isnt?), but we´re excited to work together. Elder R is with Elder A´s trainer in his old area in Guadalajara, we just traded companions. Kind of fun.
This was possibly the craziest week of my life.
It all started last Monday. Elder R had a little problem with the mission rules again, and since I don't let him break them, the little problem became a big one. He gave me the cold shoulder all day and before district class Tuesday he told me that he had told his family the day before that he was going home that week. I kind of freaked out about that and talked to the zone leaders right away so that they would talk to him. He was still super mad after talking to them and our District leader, so I talked to President Wagner and he talked to Elder R. He gave him until Thursday night to make his decision on whether he was going to stay or go home. In the bus back to S he still wasn't talking or letting me help him, so I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father that I had done everything I could for him and asked Him to help Elder R make the right decision. Wednesday was probably one of the worst days of my life. We learned the principle "if ye have not the spirit ye shall not teach" really well. It didn´t matter how many people we talked to and how many appointments we put, we couldn´t get in a single door. It was absolutely miserable. Thursday was about the same, still not talking to me, still nothing happening in the area. But then when he talked to President Wagner that night he told him that he was going to stay! It was an absolute miracle and I know it was a prayer answered. President talked to me after and said to still not let him be disobedient, to help him learn to think about other people and be focused on the mission, and that he was going to leave us together another transfer in S. It was a great moment. Unfortunately, the problems didn't end there. Friday and Saturday were equally ineffective and I was really pretty unexcited about everything going on. Then Saturday the craziest thing happened. A member of the branch who transports gasoline from one coast of Mexico to the other for a living got in a car crash and passed away that morning. He was endowed, and I guess endowed members have to be dressed in their temple clothes when they are buried by another endowed member of the same gender. His family, who were all Catholics, came looking for us for that reason. We had to get in contact with the District President to have him do it or authorize someone in the branch to do it, because President A had left S that morning and was still on his way back when we heard the news. We finally got in contact with him and he told Pres. A to do it. Since the only other endowed men in S are us, he told us we had to help him with it. I could not believe what was happening. I literally was going to have to change the clothes of a dead man! Why had my life led me to that? Who knows. But the thing was that his body was in a morgue in Guzman, and his family was going to call us when they brought it to S. After a few minutes of tensely waiting, they called us saying the body was too burnt to be able to put any clothing on him, so that was about the biggest sigh of relief in my entire life. This crazy little area!
Sunday we only had sacrament meeting, because his funeral was right after. We all went to the cemetary together and it was a good experience. We´re hoping that it turns into a chance to teach the rest of his family because we have to stay in contact with them so that we can go dedicate his grave.
At 6 we got the call that Elder R was being transferred. He was a little sad, and he actually cried this morning when we said goodbye. We were on good terms when he left and I hope he does well in his new area.
We´re basically opening an area this week after what happened last week, so pray a lot that we can find new investigators who are willing to progress and change their lives.
Happy birthday Izak and Dad this week! and speaking of Dad, are you ok? have you sent me emails the last two weeks, if so, they haven't gotten to me (He did send them but to the wrong email--oops!). If not, repent! I miss you! I love you!
Have a great week everyone else! I love you all! Thanks for everything!
Elder Pew
