February
24, 2014
Dear
Family:
Well
it looks like my time in Corona is done. I got a call Saturday morning from
President Smart. He asked me to be a Zone Leader (ZL)! I am super excited for
it! It was cool, for all my other calls it was just a few seconds. This time he
gave me a little advice so I enjoyed that. He didn't tell me where I was going
so I had to wait until Saturday night to figure out my new area. When calls
came in I found out I am headed to Lake Elsinore. It is more humble than Corona,
but not to the degree of Hemet. It is actually where Elder Allan (my trainer)
spent his last transfer as a ZL when he left me in Fruitvale. He had been a ZL
for a long time before that elsewhere so he already knew how to be one. He
served in a different ward though, they recently moved the ZL's to this one so
there should be lots of work to do!! The bishop of the ward I am headed to (Bishop
Aragon) Is the son of the Stake President here in Corona who is also in my ward
in Corona. My new comp is going to be Elder Ringwood (I know we are going to
get teased often) from Holiday Ut. I think. I will find
out for sure today. I am taking the place of Elder Reed, he is one of the
people I served around in Riverside. Elder Reed is coming here to Corona to be
a ZL so we are just kinda switching places.
So
I have bad news. I made sure I wrote good notes of everyday this week so I
could send a really good letter home (I had a pretty good idea it was my last
week in this area) and I already packed my planner from this last transfer, so
now I am walking around with a brand new one with nothing in it. Sad day, I
will do my best to remember what I wrote so I can tell you about the week.
Monday
we went bowling and bowled three games. Sister Guthrie gave us free passes so we
just had to pay for the shoes. I didn't bowl very well. They just re-did the
surface of the wood right as we were walking up so it was too slick to get by
ball the curve hardly at all. I just grabbed the heaviest ball I could find (16
lbs.) and that helped it catch some more. Elder Child and I just went by
ourselves because everybody else was being boring, we still had fun!
Tuesday
we had DDM. The ZL's here have a tradition of going to B-dubs (Buffalo Wild
Wings) once a transfer. It really isn't a very missionary place, but it is so
good, so we just don't go often. Plus it costs money!! I talked Elder Randall into
ordering some of the hottest ones that I got once. He seemed to do pretty well
with them. He gave one to Elder Child so he didn't have to eat all of them. He
had to get 4 wings of that kind because that is as few as they will let you do.
After that we came and E-mailed because we couldn't on President’s Day. That
night we finally got to have the real drop lesson with Carlos. It went very
different from what I imagined it would be like. During that lesson is when I
knew I was going to be leaving the area. It was weird. It wasn't like the
mantle was removed, I just felt the shift of it. I could literally feel Elder
Child sort of take the responsibility and the lead of the area in that lesson.
I think it was a good thing I noticed so I could sit back a little bit this
week and let him run it more. That way he will be more prepared for when I am
not here to help him out. That has been good for him. He has been frustrated
lately because he doesn't get to do much here. He, like me, is used to having
to take a large chunk of the load because his companion's either wouldn't or
couldn't. I have spent a good amount of my mission like that and he has too. It
was a struggle for us (mostly me because I was already running everything) to
try and divide it up equally. It really wasn't until the last week where I felt
as though I was letting him do as much as he should. It took me a while to
remember to learn how to sit in the "back seat". I think one of the
reasons that was important was to prepare me to be in a zone leader
companionships were I have a lot higher of a likelihood of having a companion
who enjoys and is good at working.
Wednesday
I went on exchanges with the zone leaders. I went with Elder Wood (Brown Wood)
into Norco area. It was nice for me to get to see what it is like to do
missionary work elsewhere. I haven't gone on exchanges out of my area (besides
getting transferred to Corona) for seven and a half months. I really wish I had
my planner cuz I know I had some stuff written down. We went and visited Chris
Brown. But he wasn't home. He also isn't the Chris Brown you are thinking of.
We taught a cool/crazy guy. He needs lots of help. He was 22 and involved with
lots of stuff he needs to overcome. At dinner I accidentally called out the
less active husband about not going to church haha. I didn't know he didn't go!
He wasn't too embarrassed, Elder Wood said he knows and needed to hear it so it
was fine. That night we taught a girl named Destiny. She is a super cool
investigator. She is 16. She had a friend invite her to church and she is
super excited about the church. She would already be baptized but her
parents are making her wait until the end of March to make sure she will stick
it out. She will. She is more active than some of her fellowshippers. Before it
started we got to play a game of bumper pool while everyone was getting ready
for the lesson. It is like pool and pinball in one. Destiny is already going to
Seminary and has a ton of friends in the ward. In Seminary she has done more
scripture mastery than the kids house we taught the lesson at!
Thursday
we met with Veronica finally and put her on date to be baptized. She is already
off date cuz she didn't go to church. That night we went to Zack Patterson's
house to eat. He was sick and taking care of his sister so he couldn't eat with
us. They only gave his sister 2 more weeks. She has cancer really bad. I am
going to keep praying for him.
I’m
going to type fast I only have 15 more minutes!!
Friday
we met with Mike. I think Elder Child should teach him one more lesson and give
him a chance to keep some more commitments and if he doesn't drop him. That is
up to him now though. That night we ate with the Gasu boys. They are pretty
cool. The one is a recently returned missionary. They took us to Wendy’s. They
were headed paint-balling after that so they were wearing all sorts of clothes.
Saturday
I got my hair cut by the Sister Walter and we ate lunch there. I know I have
already told you but they area a really cool family here in the ward that takes
really good care of us. All I had to do was walk in the door and Sister Walter
already knew I was getting transferred. They were all pretty bummed. They did
something super funny and really cool in my scriptures with sticky notes while
I wasn't looking. I took pictures so you will get to see it. I doubt I get time
to send it today. I am going to miss that family. They are definitely in a tie
with the Hoyts for my favorite families on the mission. We also went and
saw the Hicks and got them on board to get Jacob to church.
Sunday was sad cuz I had to tell everyone I am leaving. It
is going to be hard to leave this area. We went to Lake Mathews for dinner.
That night we had a really good talk with the Hoyts. I really loved living with
them. They took really good care of us and are amazing people. That is the only
disadvantage to living in a home share. I don't want to leave their house!! I
would rather just stay there and just travel. Sister Hoyt said the same thing
and threatened to call President hahaha she is super funny. The talk we had
helped me out a lot though. It gave me some closure. Well I am all the way out
of time so the computer is going to kick me off!! In Lake Elsinore I don't
think we go to the library so I might have more time there to e-mail. I love
you all a ton!! Bye!
