Merlo- Week #38

St. Patrick's Day and T-Day! (Transfer day)

Holla! I mean… ¡Hola!

Letter update. I got handwritten letters from Dad, Dad, and…Da…just kidding, Livingston Ward Seminary Class! I got the card and picture dad, also your handwritten letter, which I thoroughly enjoyed. No packages, don’t know what happened there…but now I already know what is inside because mom said it all in her letter hahaha.

Well first, I am sure you all are wondering what happened with Transfers yesterday. Let’s just say I predicted pretty much everything correctly. There are no changes in our apartment. I am going to be with Elder Arriola for another six weeks, and Elder Steele and Elder Mackay are staying, too. This is Elder Steele’s last transfer, so he is dying in Merlo! It was a sweet meeting. We found out who the new assistant is….Elder Woodmansee! He was my zone leader for three transfers in Catán, and I have done divisions with him and stuff, so now both assistants, Pollock and Woodmansee, have been my zone leaders and I have done divisions with them. I told Elder Woodmansee after the meeting that I have learned at the feet of the prophets…I mean assistants. The meeting was also great because we found out how many baptisms the mission had this transfer. Remember when we broke the record a few transfers ago when we had 135, well that was a big deal, because the usual number is about 100, 110 or around there, so 135 was a huge deal. But also, remember that in August when Elder Scott came he gave us the challenge of doubling the number of converts in the mission in one year, and he said he would do everything possible to help us in our goal. Well, this past transfer, we really saw the miracles in the entire mission. President set a goal last transfer that every area has at least one convert, but we didn’t reach it. 70% of the areas had a baptism, which is higher than ever before, but we are trying again this transfer to work together so that every area has a baptism and confirmation. Anyway, we blew the old record out of the water. The convert count last transfer from Feb. 2nd to March 15th was 179!!!! 179!!!!!!!!! That is more than anyone has ever imagined in this mission, but we are doing it. We are meeting the apostolic challenge of Elder Scott, and everyone is excited. Also, everyone is nervous, too, because we have to maintain this level of work. Our mission has a history of exploding with success, and then falling hard into mediocrity….but not this time…Also, Elder Sabey, Stokes, and Maxwell from my MTC district were all made senior companion this transfer. After the meeting I was chatting it up with Elder Sabey, and President walks up to us smiling and said, “I don’t know what it is about you two, but you have attitude we need in this mission.” Then he said to me, “One more with Arriola. Remember what I told you? (I said yes) Good, I have confidence in your abilities, Elder.” Then he walked away into the sunset, like Aslan at the end of the Narnia movie…never to be seen again until I need him. Actually I will see him again next Friday at zone conference.

Well, we didn’t end up having baptisms last weekend either, Margarita is still missing in action. Literally, 11 days of not being home, doesn’t seem like much, but in missionary time, when you are working toward weekly and transfer goals, that is a hefty chunk. Eduardo is still going strong, but I don’t know if we told you this, but we moved the date to the 28th of February, because he uncle who is going to baptize him, is recovering from a broken arm, so he wanted to finish his physical therapy or something. So we are humming along here in Merlo. It was interesting to hear all the Elder Perry talk from Joseph and Brett about how we should be teaching at least 20 lessons a week. I also apologize that I am serving in the Promised Land, aka, El Dorado, where we are teaching 30-40 lessons a week…also, it isn’t my fault that the Lord promised the Lamanites they would have a second chance… Also, I am a firm believer that Brett was the most responsible, spiritual, and prepared of all of us to go on a mission, so maybe that is why he is on the front lines in Spain giving it all he has, because he is one of the only ones who has what it takes to fight in the big leagues…I look up to him. I miss him. I pray for him. I won’t ask him to marry me, but can we at least live across the street from each other someday? Also, Kyle…

Well out of time haha; guess my praises to Kyle will have to wait. I am glad things are going well.

Love you all,

Sean