Hey family,
Well thanks for the email and pictures! Everybody looks and sounds
good! I am confident that the Lord is taking care and blessing each
one of you!
Your questions:
1. Companion - Elder Pedro is awesome. I couldn´t have asked for a
better companion to train. He is always happy and humble and patient
with me. He is obedient and likes a clean house too haha! He is new
and learning. This week I learned a lot about patience. There were a
couple times that I got frustrated but kept it too myself. But I
realized that I was expecting too much out of him and seeing faults. I
feel like I have really learned a lot about being a dad, even if that
seems wierd. A dad has to be patient with his child and accept how the
child acts (if no correction is necessary). There are things about
Elder Pedro that are different from me. But they aren´t bad things. As
I have learned to let the little things go and not expect perfection,
things have gone more smoothly on my part of the companionship.
Sometimes he thinks he knows better than me, even though I have more
time. In these situations I am learning just to be more humble (not
easy at times haha). For example yesterday we were going from lunch to
the chapel and he had the map. I told him it was one way and he said
it was the other. I went with him and it turned out I was right. We
lost a little bit of time, but I didnt get mad and he said he was
sorry and that he got confused. It all worked out in the end.
2. Training- I talked a little about this above. It has been a growing
experience. I have been used to an experienced companion. Now I have a
companion who wants to work but without a lot of experience and
knowledge. It is working out though. I have seen that I know a lot and
how I also have soooo much more to learn.
3. Area - Our area is one of the better off areas here in são Carlos.
There are hills, poorer areas and richer areas. The weather is nuts
but good here. It gets cold at night and hot during the day and
usually rains during the afternoon.
4. Ward - The name of the ward is São Carlos 3 (3rd Ward). The
attendance is usually 130. The lunches have been amazing this last
week hahah! The members seem to be handing out a lot of Book of
Mormons, but we need more addresses haha. The stake president had a
meeting with the missionaries here in the zone/city last sunday and he
is very focused on missionary work. Our bishop is a good guy, but not
really focused on missionary work. We are still looking to gain more
confidence from the missionaries.
5. Referrals- we have been contacting referrals. Only a few have been
good. We found a super prepared man named Elton, but he isnt married
yet and we are waiting to go teach him again
6. Package - I opened the socks in the package that I have! Thanks so
much! I have lost socks (or they have been stolen...not sure) over
time and half have a hole in the heel.
This last week was good. We worked hard. But our numbers werent very
good. Thats frustrating. We are working hard, but there is always
pressure do get what is called standard, a certain goal in the key
indicators every week. I know that we are doing our best though. We
found some people to teach this week and had a woman whose husband is
less-active came with her husband! That was good.
Christmas conference should be next week. But President Prieto told
the mission 2 weeks ago that if we dont have 136 baptisms (1 per
missionary) by next week he will cancel the conference. The mission
hasnt been baptizing very much, last month was 73. So the pressure is
on everyone to baptize. I dont like that at all. The mission rule to
baptize someone is that they have to go to church 2 times. So the
pressure is that if someone went to church, they should be baptized
after the meetings on the next sunday. So the pressure is that we have
to baptize this woman next sunday. I dont know what to think. I dont
think that every person will be ready to be baptized in 2 weeks and I
dont like the pressure. I understand working with goals and that some
missionaries need pressure to work, but Im not one of them. I love the
mission, but sometimes I wish I could enjoy it more. I feel like if I
didnt have this pressure, I would be happier and realize that there
are lots of ways to help people as a missionary, though the key
indicators are most important. I pass a lot of time worring about
meeting these goals and feeling like Im not doing good enough even
though Im doing my best.
But everything will work out, just frustrating at times. I love the
work and being here in Brasil. The work is true.
As far as Im concerned we will be able to use Skype for Christmas and
there are some people here in the ward that said that we can use their
computers. So start thinking about a time for Sunday the 25th! Can´t
believe Christmas is almost here.
Next week I will send pictures for sure! I love you all and hope you
have a great week. I am learning and progressing here in Brasil!
Elder Hawkley
No comments:
Post a Comment