Companionless...

Hola Mamá!

I am going to start right off with the funny story, because it kind of prefaces almost everything I will say after. But to understand the funny story, you need to have a very sarcastic mind:

As I foreshadowed in the subject, this week I was companionless..... let me explain before you call to the mission office with a montòn of questions. So this week was really weird, and I am going to have to repeat it for the next 5 days or so. As I have mentioned, Elder Rodriguez had to go home in the middle of his mission to have surgery on his knee, because he was having some problems. As far as I know, everything from the moment that he came back to the mission until about a week ago was just normal, but starting about a week ago, he has been having some bad pain in his knee, so he talked to the doctor while we were in Managua last Tuesday, and she said that he had to rest for 10 DAYS!!!! HOLY COW THAT IS AN ETERNITY! So this entire week, I have been more or less "companionless". 

Luckily our efforts to befriend the members were perfectly timed for this tragedy, because the only way that I was going to be able to continue to work in our area was if we had two Members (males older than 18 with the priesthood) to help accompany each of us. We called up President Bitanco, the branch president, and he organized us to work with two of the members, one that is a convert of 3 years planning to serve a mission here pretty soon, and the other who is a returned missionary of 2 years. So that kind of worked out pretty good. The first day that we worked with them was Wednesday, and that was a pretty good day. We were able to visit some investigators and contact to find some new ones, and it almost felt like a normal day. Meanwhile, Elder Rodriguez rested in the house with the other member. I was working with the RM so it worked out nicely because he was experienced and wasn't afraid to talk! haha So day one was pretty normal.

Day two of the ten days was a bit different and a little frustrating. We had been planning to bring some investigators to an activity that the branch had at a members house, and they were all committed to going, but a little hiccup in the plan almost messed us up. I set out again with Harold, the returned missionary, and Elder Rodriguez rested yet another day with Alan, the other member. As we were just heading out, Harold told me that he had something he had to do quickly at 4:30 and that it would only take a little bit, so at 4 we headed back to the apartment so I could wait while he took care of his business. Keep in mind the activity starts at 6. I am waiting and waiting for him to get back to the apartment so that we can head out and bring these investigators to the activity. He doesn't get back until 6:45... I was a little frustrated, but regardless, I still wanted to bring them for a little of the activity, so we headed out very very quickly for the investigators and they actually came! Sure they were about 1 hour and 10 minutes late, but no one here even cares. Half the time things start 30 minutes late anyway...haha 

Day three was pretty nice because we did divisions with the Zone Leaders, and so I actually got to work with a missionary, who has nothing better to do but missionary work. We proceeded as if it were a normal day, contacting and teaching, and all was well.

Day four was probably one of the worst days. It was a Saturday, so most of the members had stuff to do, and Harold was not available. Luckily we worked it out to get another, but he could only work until about 5.... the rest of the day, we did not have members to work with us, so I had to stay in the house and lose one of the most valuable days as a missionary in the week.... Saturday evenings when literally everyone is home. I was hoping to make up for that on Sunday buuuttttt.....

Day Five, usually we start out the day at 7 in the morning on Sundays to "round up" the investigators for church, but the members that we planned to work with didn't show up until 8:20...... That basically killed the entire point of the Sunday morning. But by a loot of luck, we managed to have a whopping 1 investigator at church this week. But hey, at least we ended the week with a really good dinner at the house of one of the members. That was a nice way to end the week, and even better, I got to do that with my real companion, and all the other elders in the area (3 companionships overall). Ugh, this week was a difficult one, and it is difficult for me to think ahead to another week that will potentially be worse because I think our options for members will be more slim... Hopefully we can just get through this.

But as far as other things go, Elder Rodriguez and I are getting along just great, and he just wants to start working again. As missionaries, getting a day off isn't really a blessing because there's not much we can do, and we would rather be working anyway. Sometimes it crosses my mind that I would like a day where I could just stay in the house and rest, but then I remember how terrible it was when I actually had to do that. Don't get me wrong, I love reading the Book of Mormon for 16 hours straight.... but I would rather go out and teach :) haha

I don't really know what happened with all of our investigators from the past that appeared pretty positive, but they all kind of fell off the wagon, and we haven't had a ton to work with this week, regardless of the limited time. And it also didn't help that all of our efforts of contacting new people didn't really provide many new investigators either. But I have faith that this week will be better! haha I will just have to work harder!

You asked if I have ever felt unsafe and to put your heart at ease, I really have not felt unsafe at all here. Things here are really mellow and low key, and in general the people are just kind of lazy haha so I haven't felt unsafe hardly at all. 

Elder Rodriguez and I had an interesting experience that influenced my spiritual thought this week. We were at our lunch appointment, and some kid comes to the door crying saying that one of the kids of the family of our lunch appointment threw a ball full of rocks (yes, really) at another kid, and some problems arose between the kids. This gave way for some punishment, and things are a bit different here than in the States. Across the street, the father pulled out a whip that they use for horses, and used that to punish his kid. In the house that we were in, they pulled out a long stick, and took the kids into the other room... All I heard was screaming and crying, but I took that as my cue to leave! I am not going to judge how they discipline their kids, nor will I tell them how they should do it, but all I know is that I am glad that was not practiced in my home! And I am also grateful that the law doesn't allow that either...

Spiritual Thought:

So yesterday, Elder Rodriguez and I had an interesting conversation about anger and holding grudges. We talked about how when kids get into a fight, they are mad at each other for about 5 minutes, and then they completely forget everything that happened and continue to play again with each other as if nothing had happened. But as adults, it is the opposite, we let our pride get the best of us, and when we get mad at someone, we let that stop us from having a good relationship with that person a lot of the time. I don't think it is a coincidence that many times in the scriptures, it councils us to become as little children. We should always make an effort to become as little children, submissive, meek, humble, and willing to submit to the will of our Heavenly Father. Children are an example to us, even when we don't realize it. 

Love you and Have a great week!

Love 

Elder Moser

Pics this week...