Meat, Miracles, and Meetings

So we finished out “The Week of Rich” pt. 2 with another asado (a huge hunk of beef and another of lamb) and more soda than I thought it was humanly possible to drink between four people. We also worked very hard, I might add, and broke our record for lessons taught and houses entered. So I guess Wiz Khalifa was preaching wisdom when he said, “Work hard, play hard.” 

This week was full of changes and adjustments. I moved over to Austral, which means “southernmost,” and started my life as a new zone leader. This week was so cold that I almost froze my giblets. [Only funny if you've seen "Christmas Eve on Seasme Street."]  My companion is Elder Christiansen and he is a great guy who will teach me a lot. It has been a while since I have been companions with an American and someone who has been in the mission more than a few months, so even though I have a lot more responsibility, it has been a relief in some ways.

My second day I had to help lead a big meeting of all of the leaders in our zone and help come up with a focus that would help the missionaries work better and more efficiently while at the same times inspiring them spiritually. It turned out really well and we have already seen the fruits of working together as a companionship.

We were able to see a lot of miracles and have those experiences that you only hear from in the church magazines. We entered the house of a man named Mauricio and taught him about the Book of Mormon. He told us he knew it was true and that we had answered a question he had had for many years. However, it turns out he is just visiting from Porvenir and we wont continue teaching him, but the elders from Porvenir will do a great job. I have come to learn that true love is not caring who scores the goal but just playing as a team. Porvenir has been struggling and this might be the push they need to start working like the machines I know they are. I actually felt glad that we won’t teach him at the end of it all, and recognized just how many blessings God had sent me at the same time. He really is wonderful.

I have many more stories but not more time. I look forward to story-telling and spiritual moments together in the future.

I love you all.

Elder Rich

I just had to get a photo with these little members from Ecuador. What they lack in stature they make up for in love, hospitality, good food, and jokes.

I made hand weights out of cans and concrete. Crossfit should hire me

My homemade weights that I made by welding two metal discs to a bar.

There were some regrets that went along with "The Week of Rich."