Wednesday, January 2, 2013

December 31, 2012 (Perth Amboy)


We got the text last night for transfers. Elder Giglio and I are both staying. That means we'll be together for another month and a half. So by the end of this transfer, we'll have 4 and a half months together (which I promise, is a lot).
We were talking about companions and new companions and leaving the area and everything last night as we were out visiting people. Elder Giglio and I get along really well, and he was voicing his concerns to me about getting a companion that he didn't get along with. I told him that sometimes that is just the life of the mission. Because even if you could choose all of your companions, there would still be those little things that you argue about or don't agree on. HOWEVER, you need to be the one to first humble yourself and accept the will of your companion, as long he also wants to do something to help the work. I have realized that PRIDE is the worst thing in the world. When we have it, we are completely shut off to what God wants us to do. But when we are humble, we open ourselves up to the will of the Almighty, and through him we can establish stronger relationships with him and everyone around us, like stubborn companions.

My spanish comprehension is growing and growing and growing. I love so much being able to talk with a hispanic and just have a regular conversation with them. Sometimes, in the middle of a convo with a random person, street contact or whatever, I step back out of my mind and think in English, "Whoa. You're speaking spanish like a spanish person. Like it's so normal for you to open up your mouth and for spanish to come rolling out." IT'S AN awesome feeling.

OH G-PA and G-MA! I cashed your check today. Thanks so much for the breakfast and X-Mas money. My companion and I went to a delicious Cuban restaurant for omelets and hot chocolate this morning. It was cheap to so hopefully we'll go out a few more times.

So I hung my huge apostate Jimi Hendrix poster up on the wall on Christmas day. That thing's gonna be with me for the rest of my life. I don't know if it's actually from 1967 (I doubt it) but it's so cool and sometimes while getting ready for the day I'll jsut stand in front of it and stare and smile for like 20 minutes. Anyway.

The work is going awesome. I'm super happy with the work that we've done and the work that we're doing. The people that we've helped bring into church are so strong in the gospel. It makes me feel like I've really done my part. So many times, you see missionaries bring people into the gospel that go to church 5 or 6 times and then they fall off the face of the planet. That makes me depressed. But I know that those people have a purpose too and we work with less-actives so that they can see the blessings of the gospel REIGNITED in their lives.

Cool/funny experience last night: Elder Giglio and I were walking in the freezing cold last night (sorry Emily, I know it's not AS cold as RUSSIA) with our scarves wrapped around our heads searching for a less-active that is NEVER home. We put her as a back up and as our primary lesson bailed on us, we set off to see her. As we got to our door, naturally we knocked it. Nothing. Knocked again. Nothing. I looked to doorway NEXT to the door that we were knocking and say that it was open and that it lead to a pitch black staircase that lead up a flight. It was pretty creepy looking but I honestly didn't think anything of it. I told Elder Giglio that we had to knock that door. He complained, saying that it was creepy and dark and that Satan dwelt in the dark. I laughed and walked up the stairs as he warily climbed after me. We knocked the door and a young guy answered. I told him we were missionaries of Jesus Christ and we had a message for him. He ran to get someone else, a younger woman, who invited us in. As we stepped into the light of kitchen we saw her face and BAM it was the less active girl we had been searching for. I love listening to and following the spirit even if we don't recognize it at first.

New favorite scripture: 1 John 4:10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he aloved us, and bsent his Son to be the cpropitiation for our sins.

Happy New Years everybody!

EC

I know God leads his children and I know he loves us .

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