LOOKOUT PRICE, UT, Here Comes Elder D

Hola Padres!!!  July 18, 2011

     Como estan? Espero que tuvieron una semana buenisma y toda paso bien! Well this week was pretty crazy with a lot of random moments, but it was a good one. I have been really starting to understand how much this Gospel means and why it is so important. The importance of it is beyond words that I can express and it is not something that can be given from one person to another, but this understanding needs to come from within after time and effort given to understand it. It is more then I thought when I first came out, but now I am beginning to truly understand why we need this things and these sacred ordinances that our Heavenly Father has given us. Without these oppurtunities that He has given us, we cannot return to live with Him again in His presence. This letter is start off on a real Spiritual note, but it is a good thing to have in my life and I am forever grateful to this knowledge that I have.

    This week I had a crazy experience with this Mexican guy. He had us come in and he was telling us his life story. (I dont know what it is, but everyone just opens up to us and tells us every detail about their life.) So he was telling us how he was a chicken fighter in Mexico and how that he was really successful with it and that this one fight went bad and they ended up having a shoot out in the streets and he was shot five times and still lived. He was also kind enough in taking off his shirt and showing us all this bullet wounds and this huge scar that he got from when he was cut by the Mexican Mafia. So if this 75 year old guys story isnt crazy enough right there, he continued and told us that he was really good friends with the "Bad Spirit" aka The Devil. He was not going to say his name at any costs, but it was crazy to hear his stories about the things that the Devil told him or helped him with. He then told us that he "defriended" the Devil, but he still comes around every now and then trying to bring him back. The whole rest of the day I was just in shock and awe in what happened with that guy. I was really questioning why he told is all these things in the first place, but I guess that is what we are here for, to just listen to others.

    This week I also went on my first official exchange with someone in my district outside of the Zone Leaders. It was a different thing, but it worked out for the best. I was even able to go to Olive Garden for dinner that night. So I was pretty happy on the day that I picked for the exchange. I missed that kind of food so much, but my craving for that is quenched for another year I believe. This week was a lot of first's - first exchange, first time meeting someone who was friends with the Devil, and my first baptismal interview in Spanish. It wasn't really any different from an English interview, just that it was in Spanish. The cool thing is that I am able to understand basically everything now and I am comfortable talking with anyone now. My spanish is always improving, and I am grateful for this area, and the people that helped me to increase my spanish to where it is now.

   Another random moment this week is that I met a niece of the Broadhead's. She was working at this ice cream place that an RM took us to before we went home. It was random to be talking, yes, I'm from Washington and yes I know where Walla Walla is, and I do know who the Broadhead family is. Just another random coincidence here in St. George.

     Yesterday in the Branch, I basically had a farewell. They announced from the pulpit that I was leaving, even though we didn't know for sure yet, and they made me come up and give my testimony. After Sacrament Meeting, everyone was coming and shaking my hand and all these Sisters that I always ate dinner with came up and gave me hugs, it was a little awkward but it was a good feeling to know that I was loved and that I will be missed in that Branch. I will definitely miss that Branch, but I will come back for a visit sooner or later.

     The announcement that I was leaving was confirmed with a call from President Leonard last night. I am officially leaving St. George and heading northeast, to the budding metropolis of Price, Utah. I will be there in a bilingual area, and I will be the only missionary up there that will speak Spanish, so that will be just another one of the little challenges that I will have. My companion is Elder Nathan. He is from Southern California, but I will let you know more about him next week when I meet him. So tomorrow I hop on a van and then 6 or 7 hours later I will arrive in Price. This transfer will be a little different, but I am ready for a new challenge and a new area. This is the Lord's work and He calls His missionaries where He needs them, and I guess I am needed in Price for some reason.

     I hope that you have a good week and that you will continue to enjoy the days that we have!

 

Live it, Love it, Preach it!  Con muchismo amor  ELDER D