Mommy! and family!, Just
kidding I love you all!
Hey this week's letters
were great!!!!!! I absolutely loved all of them!!! Ty you did a really good job
and I can't even tell you how happy it makes me to hear how you are doing! Its
good to feel like I am back home when I read your letters! And WHAAAATT? Are
you serious about a nephew? Oh my goodness I am soo excited!!!! When I read
your letter Brooke I can't tell you how happy the news made me! I felt all warm
and happy! I hope this semester goes well and ends well! Oh and speaking of Ty,
it brings peace to my soul that you have pulled your grades back up. I think it
wise to tell you that life is easier when you work harder on your grades and
study the scriptures. Tell me what you learn next week. Your humor makes me
very happy. Be happy!
Mom your letter was amazing because of the detail and
vitality of it. It felt completely real and more like you were talking to me
rather than writing an email. In cant wait to talk to you at Christmas. In my
next email I will answer your questions.
Our companionship is
teaching some great people. A lot are inactive members or less active members.
Three come to mind that have made a big impression on me. Firstly a man named
Jauriel has started coming back to church since I arrived here. We have visited
him frequently and he has progressed since we started talking to him. He is a
man who found the church I think it was maybe two or three years ago, but he
became offended and stopped coming. We met with him and talked about the value
of the sacrament and how it is meant to symbolize relinquishing the pains,
sins, and sufferings of the week through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The
lesson was powerful and he realized later and said in his own words "I had
allowed one or two people to keep me from receiving the blessings of the
sacrament." He is right. He allowed Satan to convince him to stop coming.
He has since again felt the blessings of the gospel and holy ghost return to
his life by measures and I can't wait to see him keep growing.
It says in the white
handbook I am not supposed to say anything negative about my area or companions
to people or in letters home. I don't like everything about Bayonne or my
companions or other things but I want you to know I am happy. I know I am
supposed to be here and I do have a lot to learn.
We are also teaching a new investigator named Medhat. He is Egyptian,
22 and has had some recent struggles with many things. He, however is very nice
and genuinely interested! He has a lot of potential. He swam in the junior
Olympics for 100 butterfly and breast so I think he is super cool.
The branch is small and
different, but I like many of the people. Most are converts and we average
about 15 people per sacrament meeting. You remember last week I told you about
Brother Hill. I am constantly more impressed by him. He is so sincere and innocent.
People here are
generally guarded. Most people as one of the Assistants to the President put
it, "Have a wall." But just like anywhere else there is no general
rule that applies to everyone in Bayonne. There are many people here from many
places and it is fun to see all the diversity. I am truly enjoying it.
The city is a
city. It is set up on a grid, with streets running north to south and east
to west. Broadway is right in the middle and it is my favorite street.
Lots of stores and food, with Christmas lights adorning the trees and lots of
people to talk to. The street Sister Rodriguez lives on, if I told you about
her.
Me and my companions
work well together but don't get along perfectly. I think we just have
different ideas to get to the same goals so I am trying to listen to the
things they tell me and learn because I am new. We run into problems because I
don't think they are always willing to say when I do something that bothers
them. I am trying to get them to open up and let me know so I can fix it and I
am trying to be nice, but things in general aren't bad. Its really only one of
them who I worry about anyway. I will try to keep you updated.
The most challenging
thing I think is the whole experience, the funnest part, the whole experience.
Life of a missionary is fast. It's a growing experience for me and, I am
willing to wager, for others as well. So the best part for me is seeing growth,
in myself, in others, and in Heavenly Fathers kingdom. The most
challenging part is getting that growth, because it doesn't always
come easy, in fact, just about never.
We walk and use the bus
to get around. I'm plenty warm mom so don't worry! It could be much
worse and you raised a tough kid.
Rules for skype, haven't
a clue. I'll tell ya next week!
Love you all!
Elder McKay Showalter