This Changes Everything...

 Hola a todos!

The Lone Meadows Zone

My last week with Elder Keele was so awesome. I genuinely love this guy and I cannot believe that it's over. I'm devastated. But... my new companion is pretty cool too. There's a lot to talk about so, let's kick off the week.

First off, we're still teaching a lot of people. Love it so much. It's nice to have a solid teaching pool. There is a lot of work to be done in this area. Elder Keele and I have been having a lot of fun too. We play pickleball for exercise pretty much every day and it's so awesome. Love pickleball so much. Our friend Maria got baptized too which was awesome. She showed up to church one day asking to join the church, so we were all about that. Her husband came to the baptism and the confirmation so hopefully he follows down that path of baptism too. The baptism was so awesome. The ward really came to support. Later that day and last week our ward had another baptism too which some other missionaries in the ward. The ward had 3 baptisms in the span of 2 weeks, and I hope we can keep up the pace and momentum. The ward is going off too with bringing their friends to activities and church too. The work here is great. I love this area so much. I feel like I've spent such a long time here because I served here last summer and now that I get to be here again this summer it's super cool. 

Maria and her husband after her baptism

Our district is so tight knit. Everyone is like best friends which is pretty cool. I loved the 16 months I spent in English wards but finally being able to use my mission language now is super cool. There are a lot of perks from being in Spanish. I hope I can get to a point where I feel fluent. That would be so cool. My listening skills need a lot of work which is a bummer. Guess I need to talk and listen to more Spanish. 

Speaking of the district, one of the sister missionaries came up to me Saturday and asked me to sing a duet with her Sunday in sacrament meeting (literally the next day). I haven't sung a duet/solo in front of people for 18 months, so I was a little rusty. But, I said yes. The next day we practiced for 30 minutes and pretty much winged it. The song actually turned out better than I thought it would. It was pretty good. I might ask to sing more next transfer in sacrament meeting. The reason the sister missionary asked me on such short notice was because the song had a really low part she couldn't hit. So she needed an elder who could sing. We ended up just turning it into a duet. We didn't have any sheet music so we just sang it by ear. It was "I need thee ever hour" but in Spanish. I actually thought it went well. We both sang pretty well and it was refreshing to do something I loved before the mission. I honestly forgot how much fun performing was. Everything is basically just perfect right now. I'm loving the mission and where I'm at. Great district and great zone too.

Me and Elder Bowen

So Saturday night was transfer calls. All the missionaries in the area got together which was about 8 missionaries to hear the transfer calls (Honestly a little disobedient haha but it's in the past). Basically, everyone got supered hyped and it was so fun. My companion was first and he's going down south to a Spanish branch in South Vegas. I'm staying but getting a new companion. I'm really going to miss elder Keele but my new companion is awesome. His name is Elder Posadas and he is from Honduras. I'm no longer the district leader anymore which is kinda sad. It was a lot of fun and you get super close to your district. Now though, I get to serve as a zone leader which will be new for me. Elder Posadas was the zone leader last transfer and now I get to serve as a zone leader too with him which will be fun. A zone is basically a collection of a couple districts so instead of being close with one district I get multiple! We're both still in the Rainbow Vista Spanish ward which is awesome. I love speaking Spanish and I hope I'll never go back to English. This transfer will only be 5 weeks though since we have a new mission president soon. His name is President Nielson and he will replace President Reese.

Comp study with Elder Keele at the park

Making breakfast

The gospel presentation while Maria was changing at her baptism

Zone Conference

Last thing, and probably the best thing. In the Lone Meadows zone, there is this super fancy house that is owned by some members. They let 4-6 missionaries use it. There is literally a pickleball and basketball court in the backyard and we get the whole house to ourselves. It's famous in the mission for being the best place to live ever. Well, now I'm living there for this transfer. I'm honestly so hyped. My roommates are the assistants to the president or sometimes we call them the APs. It's a 4 man house instead of a 6 man which is sad but hey I'll take the extra room. It fits 6 people and honestly could fit 8 but 4 is good. Gives us some space. Just absolutely spoiled but hey I'm not complaining. 

In Mosiah 2:10-11 it gives an example of an incredibly humble man who was put in leadership. His name was King Benjamin and I hope that as I am put in this position I can have the same attributes and mindset as King Benjamin:

"I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a mortal man. But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my Father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me."

Yeah so that's the mindset I want. Love you all, hope you have a great week. 

Sincerely,

Elder Pack

Me and Elder Judi