Good Hard Work

The last transfer was rough. As most of you figured out. I´ll spare you the details for now, but don´t worry. Everything is recorded in my journal and you´re more than welcome to read all about the Elder Sanchez story in just over a year. But to be brief....

Most of the times the answers to our prayers come in the form of strength or comfort. But other times the answer is very fast and very physical and real. With that in mind, my prayers respecting my predicament with Elder Sanchez were answered. And Wednesday morning the AP´s showed up at my pension to take Elder Sanchez on an emergency transfer out to the coast. Dolores. In the middle of nowhere. There are actually three AP´s in the mission right now as one was going home this transfer. The other was in training. As a result, I got to spend the weekend working with Elder Jones, the new assistant.

We walked out of the house that day and found 5 new investigators right off the bat. Success like that followed us for the remainder of the weekend. It was beautiful to be working again and working hard. I had almost forgotten how good it feels to be working constantly. There really is no other substitute in missionary work for good hard work. I think that´s a quote.

Anyways, Friday morning I got to accompany Elder Jones to the mission home where President has a special breakfast where he unveils the transfers to the office Elders and the Assistants. It was quite the privilege for the normal missionary. But upon seeing my transfer, I realized why the invite had been extended. I had been transferred to the offices to be comps with my district leader Elder Gibbs.

The best way to describe the feeling of being around so many kind people that loved me looking down a transfer with a district leader who I already admired was most synonymous with the movie Matilda, when the main character finally is allowed to leave her cruel step parents to live with her favorite teacher. I´ve gained a strong testimony of the law of compensation. The Lord gives us trials, but never more than we can bear, and after, we will receive the blessings. God never forgets His children.

Moving to the offices was a big change. To explain my duty a bit, I´m training to be the new secretary of the Mission. It involves making sure that the new missionaries that are coming are updated in the mission data base, as well as the new transfers. Also making sure flights are requested for the missionaries going home. Really a wide variety of duties ranging from sending letters to the families of missionaries who just received their call to come to the mission, to helping missionaries at the registro civil, getting their documents in order to legally be in Argentina. The majority of the responsibilities have just gone over my head because there are so many.

Sister Fitch, my trainer, is going home in 2 months, which is why I’m being trained. When she goes home I´ll be training the new sister that arrives. That means I´m going to be in the offices for at least 3-4 transfers. Which turns into 4-6 months.

We usually are able to get out and work at around 4 or 5, but this week with transfers has been crazy, and with zone conferences next week it´s not looking much better. I´ve found it interesting how much my work at Postnet the summer before the mission has helped me here. I didn´t realize then, but I can see clearly now that the Lord was preparing me a long time to fill this position. Many things I do are similar to the things I did in that job.

My companion Elder Gibbs is from Newbury Park California. That might sound familiar to a few of you because it´s pretty close to where Paul Westover lives. As a matter of fact, he was born in Camarillo. Shout out to Elder Westover. He has 15 brothers and sisters, yes, all from the same parents. A very hard and driven worker, but also a kind and easy to get along with companion, Elder Gibbs has already helped me in many ways adjusting to the new office lifestyle.

Our area in Adrogué in the offices is the center of the BAS mission. Very close to where I was in Burzaco. The AP´s have completely taken over the work in my old area, and I´m working with Elder Gibbs in Adrogué B. Elder Pepito is taking the role of the financiaro and essentially is doing the same thing I am. Getting ready to train the new one that´s coming in June.

Anyways, in the midst of all the confusion and changes, I ended up with the AP´s apartment. Which means I´ve moved from my beautiful house in Burzaco, disputably the nicest residence in the mission, to the stunning living quarters of the assistants, indisputably the best pension in the mission. I enjoy a new luxury now in the form of air conditioning. (Yes it´s still pretty hot here) Unheard of for a missionary residence. And a shower that actually has water pressure. Reminiscent of the legendary "Back left" in the MTC.

So life is pretty much a basket of peaches here in Buenos Aires. A comp who loves to work. A job I love in the offices. And the many other blessings that have attended to me every day. I thank you all for your prayers in my behalf. They have been answered in a very real way.

1 year ago today I was opening my mission call in the Kimball hall lobby. Exactly a year since this crazy Argentine adventure started. I still remember how I felt that day. I was so nervous, so uncertain about the future. When I read Buenos Aires Argentina, something inside me stirred, almost familiar. Like I had heard that before. The best way to describe it would be trying on the shoe that finally fits. Excuse the cliché. Now a year later, I´m a lot more acquainted with what it actually means to serve a mission. I love this work so much. I honestly can´t see myself doing anything else. The longer I´m in the mission, the longer I realize that I never want to leave. It´s startling to realize I've been away from home for so long. And my time here is starting to look very short as the year mark approaches.