A Trainee No Longer!
Iaorana tatou!!
Well a couple of things have changed since I last wrote! I am staying here in Arizona City for another 6 weeks with Elder Hafen and with a brand new companion, Elder Carpenter, that I will be honored to help train!! We sent off Elder Dryden, my last companion, on Monday which was bitter sweet. We became pretty good friends and can't wait till we reunited someday!
We helped a lot at the Hope International Food Pantry last week, it was such a blast. We helped pick lots of fruit and bag them for the next day when we could be giving them out for those in need. The Pastor and his wife are so amazing, their story is incredible and God has truly guided them and helped them. They even threw a going-home party for Elder Dryden!
Brother Carling in our ward created burned some wood boards for our companionship with our name and a picture of Christ! It's so cool! They're an awesome family and we are so grateful for them in our ward. Members really are the glue in a ward and they really help with missionary work. I don't know what we would do without them!
The sunsets never fail to impress me!
We met with a new investigator and friend named Woody this past week and he plans to be baptized in the end of March!!! We are so excited for him, he just absolutely loves the peace and light that comes from those that are a member of the church. He wants that for himself and nothing would make a missionary happy then providing the way for that to happen! He plans to pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and about being baptized.
We've been getting some rain this past week, which is quite relieving! It hasn't rained in a pretty long time and it's great to have some clouds.
I graduated from being a trainee!! We met in Tempe and we taught all the lessons and heard a couple messages from President Goaslind and his wife, as well as the Assistants. Afterwards, we "graduated"! For many, this was the only graduation they experienced because of the pandemic so it was a special moment. I'm very thankful for my trainers Elder Smart, Elder Larson, Elder Dryden, and Elder Hafen that have helped me become a better missionary and helped me come closer to Christ. It's been an awesome beginning to my mission and I'm excited to be training now and look to the future!
Do you notice those around you that help you? I'm so grateful for coming here to Arizona because I'm learning so many things from so many people that are helping me become who I want to be. Sometimes we don't notice the small changes we make to become better, and looking back to see where you come from is such a great joy. Are you surrounding yourself with people or things that are helping you become who you want to be? Little changes can make a world of a difference over time, so do you want it to be for the better?
Analyze the things that influence you, even the small things because they still impact you!
I hope you all have a great rest of your week. Work hard and play hard!
Love you all, nana mes amis!!!