So I`m not
gonna lie, I somewhat already knew that I was going to get transferred
because my interview was really interesting a couple weeks ago and in
the end I was told that I was going to train. I loved being a zone
leader because our zone was awesome and my companions were awesome, but
I`ve always wanted to finish the mission training and outside the city,
which is exactly what I got so I`m just loving life right now.
The week was insane so we`ll go step by step.
Monday. Mutli-zone activity with every missionary in Santa Cruz (except those in Montero). Fun but way too many people. What was good is when Elder F** and I showed up with 3 gigantic pizzas for just our zone. We didn`t even finish them and had to give 3 pieces to Elder P** who`s not in our zone but wanted pizza haha. Past companions have priority haha.
Tuesday. Increible. I can`t even explain it all because everything worked out so perfect and we were definitely lead by the Spirit that day. Basically everything we did led right up to la familia B**`s baptism that night. (I wish I could send pictures, but the computer hates my camera...) Everything was just crazy, to the point where we got to the family`s house and there was this Catholic missionary lady that had been really good friends with the family for years and then got really sick and didn`t visit them for a long long time and in the end got better that very day and decided to visit them..... and then talked all morning to them about how they would be `the worst sinners if they got baptized by the Mormons`. Ya. No joke that day was crazy. Satan thinks he`s funny sometimes, but the family is awesome and have testimonies and the mom and 3 of her kids got baptized that night. I can`t even explain how cool it was. De verdad. One of the best nights of my entire mission. Most of the ward showed up and everyone helped out and really I don`t know what else I can say. One day I`ll send pictures. So it just so happens that Monday night the assistants called up and let us know that Elder L** had to be in a hotel Tuesday night at 7:30. We told them that we had a baptism and that he wouldn`t be there but that he`d be there as soon as possible. That was kind of a shock because we thought he was going to be with us until Wednesday, like normal, but nope. Ni modo. So right after the baptism, he said goodbye to the ward and we went super fast to drop him off in the center of town and got home right on time. I can`t explain what all happened that day because it`s just too much, but ya, best day in Mangales. The last night that Elder L** had in the mission, he got to be there for a family`s baptism. Seriously, that doesn`t just happen.
Wednesday. Elder F** and I were in a trio again with another Elder from our zone that also had his companion finish his mission. The whole day we met all the investigators and members to say goodbye because we were sure that one of us was going to go. That night we got the transfers and yes, I`m now training and I`ve been transferred to Cobija!
Thursday. Dropped some people off at the airport, packed up my bags, went to the training meeting which was great, last pictures with Elder F**, and then went with my new companion, Elder P** from St George, to the hotel. I got lucky and got to stay for the training meeting on Thursday instead of just going straight to my zone like everyone normally does. I told Elder H** that I wanted to be there for the meeting, and Elder H** is really cool and changed my flight to Friday to head out with my companion.
So since Friday we`ve been here in super hot, super humid, super sunny Cobija. We`re right on the Brazilian border and basically in the zone that the entire mission wants to be in. Yes. This is definitely going to be my last area, or at least it should be. Elder P** is awesome, just awesome. It`s really weird being with someone that was just in the states less than 2 months ago, also weird that he was in the CCM at the same time as Parker haha. So basically I just feel super old here now, but I couldn`t have asked for a better companion to train. He knows a lot more Spanish than I would`ve ever expected him to know and he`s really picking up everything really fast. He just turned 18 in July and he`s almost as tall as Elder F**. Almost but not quite (we all had them stand back-to-back after the training meeting haha). So I still look super short with my companion haha. But he`s doing just fine and gets along with everyone. He`s also trying to teach a little with me in the lessons that we`ve had so that`s good. I just remember listening a lot and then getting a headache with all of the Spanish, but nope, he`s doing just fine.
Cobija is beautiful. Bolivian Amazon again and I`ve forgotten how much I`ve missed that. It`s just different from the city and I`m so glad that I`m back out here again. What`s different from Cobija and Guayara is that Guayara is still quite a bit smaller and Cobija is a little bit more modern, but we`re still in the poorest area of the town. Our area is gigantic and reaches all the way over to Porvenir, a little town about 45 minutes away in taxi. There haven`t been missionaries there for about a year now, but there`s a family group over there with about 40 to 60 active members, so we get to visit every once in awhile. Cobija also has hills. Not just little flowy hills like Urubò, but huge steep death hills that mean I`m definitely going to lose all the weight that I don`t have to lose. Seriously, I`m already skin and bones now after being in Guayara a year ago, and now I can just feel myself losing weight after 5 death hills in 5 minutes. But it`s got to be the coolest looking area that I`ve had my entire mission. I`ll send pictures. You`ve gotta see it.
There`s a lot more that I wanna write, but my time`s almost up.
Love you all. Good luck to Parker. Hope he loves his first area. I know Elder P**`s got the best area in the whole mission..... which is kinda sad because he`s just gonna wanna come back after he leaves haha.
Congrats to everyone that got married this week haha and Congrats to everyone that already got married and I just haven`t heard about it haha!
Amor,
The week was insane so we`ll go step by step.
Monday. Mutli-zone activity with every missionary in Santa Cruz (except those in Montero). Fun but way too many people. What was good is when Elder F** and I showed up with 3 gigantic pizzas for just our zone. We didn`t even finish them and had to give 3 pieces to Elder P** who`s not in our zone but wanted pizza haha. Past companions have priority haha.
Tuesday. Increible. I can`t even explain it all because everything worked out so perfect and we were definitely lead by the Spirit that day. Basically everything we did led right up to la familia B**`s baptism that night. (I wish I could send pictures, but the computer hates my camera...) Everything was just crazy, to the point where we got to the family`s house and there was this Catholic missionary lady that had been really good friends with the family for years and then got really sick and didn`t visit them for a long long time and in the end got better that very day and decided to visit them..... and then talked all morning to them about how they would be `the worst sinners if they got baptized by the Mormons`. Ya. No joke that day was crazy. Satan thinks he`s funny sometimes, but the family is awesome and have testimonies and the mom and 3 of her kids got baptized that night. I can`t even explain how cool it was. De verdad. One of the best nights of my entire mission. Most of the ward showed up and everyone helped out and really I don`t know what else I can say. One day I`ll send pictures. So it just so happens that Monday night the assistants called up and let us know that Elder L** had to be in a hotel Tuesday night at 7:30. We told them that we had a baptism and that he wouldn`t be there but that he`d be there as soon as possible. That was kind of a shock because we thought he was going to be with us until Wednesday, like normal, but nope. Ni modo. So right after the baptism, he said goodbye to the ward and we went super fast to drop him off in the center of town and got home right on time. I can`t explain what all happened that day because it`s just too much, but ya, best day in Mangales. The last night that Elder L** had in the mission, he got to be there for a family`s baptism. Seriously, that doesn`t just happen.
Wednesday. Elder F** and I were in a trio again with another Elder from our zone that also had his companion finish his mission. The whole day we met all the investigators and members to say goodbye because we were sure that one of us was going to go. That night we got the transfers and yes, I`m now training and I`ve been transferred to Cobija!
Thursday. Dropped some people off at the airport, packed up my bags, went to the training meeting which was great, last pictures with Elder F**, and then went with my new companion, Elder P** from St George, to the hotel. I got lucky and got to stay for the training meeting on Thursday instead of just going straight to my zone like everyone normally does. I told Elder H** that I wanted to be there for the meeting, and Elder H** is really cool and changed my flight to Friday to head out with my companion.
So since Friday we`ve been here in super hot, super humid, super sunny Cobija. We`re right on the Brazilian border and basically in the zone that the entire mission wants to be in. Yes. This is definitely going to be my last area, or at least it should be. Elder P** is awesome, just awesome. It`s really weird being with someone that was just in the states less than 2 months ago, also weird that he was in the CCM at the same time as Parker haha. So basically I just feel super old here now, but I couldn`t have asked for a better companion to train. He knows a lot more Spanish than I would`ve ever expected him to know and he`s really picking up everything really fast. He just turned 18 in July and he`s almost as tall as Elder F**. Almost but not quite (we all had them stand back-to-back after the training meeting haha). So I still look super short with my companion haha. But he`s doing just fine and gets along with everyone. He`s also trying to teach a little with me in the lessons that we`ve had so that`s good. I just remember listening a lot and then getting a headache with all of the Spanish, but nope, he`s doing just fine.
Cobija is beautiful. Bolivian Amazon again and I`ve forgotten how much I`ve missed that. It`s just different from the city and I`m so glad that I`m back out here again. What`s different from Cobija and Guayara is that Guayara is still quite a bit smaller and Cobija is a little bit more modern, but we`re still in the poorest area of the town. Our area is gigantic and reaches all the way over to Porvenir, a little town about 45 minutes away in taxi. There haven`t been missionaries there for about a year now, but there`s a family group over there with about 40 to 60 active members, so we get to visit every once in awhile. Cobija also has hills. Not just little flowy hills like Urubò, but huge steep death hills that mean I`m definitely going to lose all the weight that I don`t have to lose. Seriously, I`m already skin and bones now after being in Guayara a year ago, and now I can just feel myself losing weight after 5 death hills in 5 minutes. But it`s got to be the coolest looking area that I`ve had my entire mission. I`ll send pictures. You`ve gotta see it.
There`s a lot more that I wanna write, but my time`s almost up.
Love you all. Good luck to Parker. Hope he loves his first area. I know Elder P**`s got the best area in the whole mission..... which is kinda sad because he`s just gonna wanna come back after he leaves haha.
Congrats to everyone that got married this week haha and Congrats to everyone that already got married and I just haven`t heard about it haha!
Amor,
Elder Groneman
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