Change Is Good, But Hard

Life in Bloomfield is good...or at least it will be. There's a lot to be done here, and it's crazy but Sis. Wilson (the new comp) and I are ready for the challenge. Here's the run down of what's been happening. Sisters in the past have gone over and visited the same people over and over again, which means they are no longer teaching lessons but sharing messages. For example, there's a recent convert we visit that we are reading the Articles of Faith with. And I mean that's not a bad thing...but that's not what you're called to do as a missionary. You're called to teach the lessons that PMG sets forth, the same PMG that was written by PROPHETS and APOSTLES. So always teach the lessons, even if you just break it up into simple principles. So the whole ward is used to us visiting the same people and sharing messages with members and spending hours at members' homes.

So Sis. Wilson and I have an intense game plan. We're pretty much going to drop (stop visiting) our entire teaching pool and start from square one. We're going to have to go and tell all these people that they're not progressing, that we're not helping them do that, and that when they're ready to come to church and keep their commitments, then we will go back to teach them. Cuz we need to get rid of this mindset of "the missionaries are here to visit." I don't know about other missionaries, but that is NOT my purpose.

My first day here, I got eaten alive by mosquitoes. I was outside for 10 minutes at max, and all of a sudden I get home and I have literally (I counted) 20 bug bites on my legs. TWENTY. Yeah it's a lot, and I've been so itchy the last couple of days!! Thank goodness they've gone down a lot, but man was that crazy.

Also, I had a food adventure this week. You should make sure you're sitting down when you read this because you won't believe the many...unique...people you will meet on your mission.

Are you sitting? Okay. Mom don't worry, I'm still alive.

We were on our way to this less active's house for dinner. On the way, Sis. Wilson tells me that last weekend, Bro. White had taken out his bow and arrow and shot the skunk that was living in their air vent, and it took him three arrows and his house smelled really bad. We get there, and they feed us shepherd's pie made with elk meat. Yes, elk shepherd's pie. Then, about halfway through dinner, they  were talking about hunting and they told us that they had slaughtered the elk on their table, the one we were eating at. So Sis. Wilson and I pulled our arms up from off the table. Then they started talking about all the different scratches in the table and which elk they came through and how they slipped up when they were butchering it. THEN, Bro. Wilson goes and gets the female elk urine that he rubs all over himself in when he goes hunting and tries to get us to smell it. All while we are eating dinner.

Yes these people are real, and no I'm not making this up. I kind of wish I was, but then I wouldn't have a story to tell you this week ;)

Real quickly before I go, why do we marry RMs? Why should that be something that we are concerned about? I'll tell you why. Because RMs learn so much about themselves and about the gospel. Yeah the guys mature and stuff...but only some of them do. You need to look for RMs who are fully converted, who have let their missions change them, and who are honoring their priesthood. That's the kind of dad I want my future kids to have, someone who has learned and re-learned the gospel, and who is constantly striving to better himself and learn more.

Your challenge this week is to answer this question: Who is Christ to you? What does it mean to you to have a Savior, a Mediator, and a Redeemer?

And your scripture is Alma 34:14-16.

I love you all so much!! Keep being wonderful and work hard at the things you are doing!! And always always always strive to be better :)

Sister Garcia