August 12, 2013
So
this week we have __'s baptism. We're excited.
I
really only speak Spanish when I'm around members or Spanish people... or when
Elder Erickson and I want to speak and don't want anyone to understand haha. We
do a district language study everyday where Elder Erickson and I teach the
others Spanish principles.
This
past week at transfers president announced something cool. We now get to go to
the temple every 6 months instead of year and 2 years. I get gypped out of 1
trip, but that's still 3 more. Erickson and I are irked cuz now we have to go
with the 6 monthers and 1 1/2-ers. We want our year trip to be special dangit!
Oh well.
We
do service every Wednesday in a place called Prospect Park. Some of us wear our
vests; others don't. I don't because I'm doing this for service, not to bring
attention to myself. Plus it looks like a group of convicts picking up trash as
a punishment.
I
MISS KYE SO BAD. I take advantage of every single dog I see! I miss my puppy...
who isn't a puppy anymore.
August 19, 2013
[In
response to a comment I made about how my comps and I didn’t ever see other
missionaries during the week and sometimes only once a month.] Yeah, Dad, it is interesting how in other
missions you are never close with the other missionaries. We see each other
every day for long periods of time.
Well
things here this week have been worth it. A lot of crap happened, but it was all made
worth it by the fact that __ got baptized on Saturday. It was hectic and
stressful, but it worked out. There was drama about who from the ward was doing
what, but it all turned out fine. Sister Franklin and I sang a musical number,
and I gave a talk; Elder Adams baptized and Elder Rogers confirmed on Sunday.
Now it took me till Sunday to really realize that everything had turned out
alright. Before sacrament meeting (and the confirmation) __ came up to me and
said, "Elder Goates, I brought my tithing!!!" We had only taught
about tithing briefly and definitely did not tell him to bring tithing. The kid
is 11 and wasn't even a "member" yet and wanted to pay tithing. He
really is amazing. He then went to tell me that "last night I prayed and I
felt something really different! It was so cool!!!" I love him so much. He
is truly amazing. He is the true definition of what missionaries want. I am
incredibly lucky. Later his mom talked with Elder Adams and told him how when
she was watching her son get baptized she felt something amazing and knew this
was right. The next Sunday she was there and paid her tithing too. The truth is
that during the baptism I was worried because it felt hectic, and I didn't feel
calm and spiritual, so I thought that no one else did. I was wrong. So this is
a reminder to me not to sweat the little things and how this baptism was for
them and in no way for me (which I never thought it was in anyway before, but
just a reminder.)
The
other day we went stopped at the beach on our way home. It was incredibly
relaxing and wonderful to just get my feet wet and walk on the sand. The serenity
of the night sky with the sound of the ocean was really nice. Of course not as
nice as it would be with the family, but it was a good reminder of times at the
beach. It is also really cool because there is a nice little boardwalk with
shops and restaurants. The specific area we were in is a fairly Russian area,
and when we came up and washed our feet off, we saw a large group of people on
the boardwalk and music. We went over and there was just a bunch of people of
all ages dancing to the Russian music. It was awesome. People talk of the cool
cultural things that happen in their missions, and I realized this was the one
of those things that I would talk about and never forget. It was really cool.
It was also recently the Muslim holiday, and it was really fun to see all the
festivals and attire. It was just awesome. I'd always wanted to attend one of
these festivals, and I did haha!
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