Week 13

¨I'm King I'm King Lalalalalala¨ (read in the voice of the hyena from lion king please) and if you don't know what I’m talking about then go watch the lion king again

September 9, 2013

Hey Family Wamily and Friends!  Hope your week was swell! 

 My Week:

First of all, I have a new companion! Her name is Hermana Caicedo. She is 26 and is from Ecuador. She is going home in October, so I will be getting another new companion next change. She’s got a lot of personality. I have heard some people mention she has a likeness to Whoopi Goldberg. I’m not very familiar with Whoopi, but if she’s really spunky then yes, I would probably agree.

The fun thing about this transfer is that I have a title!  A title I didn't know even existed, but nonetheless, a title. It’s called Director of the Area, and basically means King of the World! Since my comp doesn't know the area and I do, I am the king. Can you tell that I haven’t let it go to my head at all? Haha. No, but it is kind of fun. At first it was scary the first planning when I realized I had to do it basically by myself. But now it’s kind of fun because if I feel like we need to visit someone I can just say we are going to do it! 

For example, as King of the World, I wanted to go back and visit someone Hermana Olivera and I had contacted. His name is Manuel. We were talking to him just a little bit inside his door and, surprise; I invited him to be baptized! You just never quite know when those are going to sneak up on you as a missionary. That was Saturday and we haven’t invited him for a specific date yet but I’m really excited for him. I think he can progress. 

Also, Luz Marina is still doing great. This week she and Rajjoo came out with us for a little bit. She also has the desire to be baptized for her mom and grandma. Also, our branch finally got a gospel principles class so she can go to that now. Yay! 

Elena and Roxana. This week I was so happy when they kept their commitment to read and pray. The thing here is even if people listen and read and pray it is still really hard for them to change because of their really strong catholic tradition. She asked us how she could change her religion. She was baptized and married in the Catholic Church and has raised her 11 children this way also. They accepted the teaching well but it is hard for them to accept attending a different church. Hopefully we have progress with them soon. 

This week we were having lunch and I found some shrimp swimming in my soup. Okay, well that makes it sound like they were alive. At least they were dead, but they were whole. Like complete with the head and these long antennae looking things. For the old, non-missionary Emma, this would have been torture. But I want you all to know that I handled my trial of faith with calmness and an eye of faith. As faith always brings blessings, so was mine. I learned that it was optional to eat the head. I opted out and gave my heads to Elder Villa. Also we had this soup for dinner too. Also this day we had two lunches and two dinners. My poor little stomach! So don’t be surprised if I come home bieeeen gordita. Also the other day I had an unmentionable part of a chicken in my soup that will go unnamed in this email. I’m getting a lot of practice to get better at trying new things. 

Hope you all have an awesome week!

Love, Hermana Beckstead