I Am Not Going Anywhere

Well hi family,

This week has been interesting!

Sunday night we found a couple walking uphill very slowly and we stopped and talked to them. The husband had an accident about 6 months ago when he fell off a 3 story building doing construction. He is now able to walk very slowly but with breaks as he does so.

As we walked with them we learned that they were moving the next day just down the road from where they currently lived.

Before even thinking I offered to help them move. They declined at first saying that it embarrassed them to have us help them. I continued insisting on it and they accepted. We walked them back to their house to know where it was and wrote down their information for the next day.

The problem was that every Monday we have an office meeting to talk about what we are going to do that week and what needs to get done and Presidente and Sister Whitesides always set special time aside.

I called the Bishop to help me and he never got back to me so the next morning I called my district leader and he went to help them on his Pday which was very nice of him. So far we have not gotten a visit with them but we will soon.

This week was a little crazy. One Elder from El Salvador went home on Thursday but with honor. I prepared all of his things to leave and he had all of his stuff ready Wednesday night.

When missionaries go home they are given an envelope which contains certain things about their mission and what not for their stake president. It is basically how they are released as missionaries.

We had to be at the airport at 2:30am. His flight left at 5:30 and it was international.

I always make a smaller envelope for them to use with their identification and health papers while they are traveling.

After we checked his bag we were walking to the door and I handed him that envelope. Upon seeing that smaller envelope his eyes got big and he said ¨Elder Reese I have bad news.¨

I asked him what he forgot. He said he had forgotten the other envelope which I had given him the night before for his checked baggage.

At this point it was 3am and the gate to his flight closed at 4:25. We were about 40 minutes away from the house one way. There was no way we could go get it. We ended up calling other missionaries to bring it from the house. He made it home but it was not what I wanted to be doing at 3am.

A couple hours later that same day I had to send off an Elder that was going home early. It was the first one I have home like that. It was hard to watch a good missionary get on his plane before time was up. I don’t want to do that again.

Needless to say Thursday made me tired for the rest of the week. I try to go to bed early but it never works.

Dario is really progressing again. He has a new baptismal date for February 17^th. I really hope the Lord shows us what we need to do better this time to help him. 

I got my glasses. I will try and take a picture if I can. It was cool to see better. It was a bit tiring on my eyes the first couple of days.

I hope Duke is getting better. I hope that dork learned a lesson.It sounds like grandma got to spend time at our house. Remember that Mom. When I ask you to come help me when I don’t have time to like watch my dog or my kids you gotta come swooping in like Grandma Wanda.

I did get to watch President Monson´s funeral. We watched it together here in the office. It was a very good ceremony. His daughter is an interesting speaker. I noticed that every speaker gave thanks to everyone before they started their talk. They all thanked anyone and everyone that they felt they need to before doing anything else. I thought that was really cool.

My Pdays have been like this for a while though mom. I don’t know how much longer you are going to need to get used to it but it is going to be like this for a while.  (I told him that I was having a hard time getting used to his Pday on Saturday)

As for transfers, they are on the 28^th of January. I have to prepare lots of stuff. It will be boring for everyone if I explained it all but just know I have stuff to do.

Elder Alcorta will be leaving the office this transfer. He is the Elder from Argentina. Elder Stucki as well. I don’t know yet if my companion will be leaving but there is a chance. I know for a fact that I am not going anywhere though so that is news.

Anyways, have a good week everybody!! Love you all!

Con amor,