My Prophet

email dated 1-28-2008
This morning I got a call from my district leader telling me the news of the passing of our beloved Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley. It felt very strange. For as long as I can remember he has been my prophet. I was really young with Benson and Hunter. As long as I can remember it has been Hinckley. He is my prophet. This is sad news today especially because yesterday we got our new members to memorize the names of the First Presidency. Yesterday!! I don't know what, how, or when I will tell them this. Mostly the question is how. It is a sad thing, but I am happy for him. He is with his wife again. I am sure he finished his work in the eyes of the Lord.

I got my new companion this week. His name is Elder Davies. He is from Pocatello, Idaho, and is very different than me. He wants a truck and to be rich, I want a mini van, 6 kids, and to be a teacher. He wants an RV, boat, 4 wheelers, and I want a tent and a fishing pole. We are different, but that isn't what concerned me. He has already served in Artigas 4, and for that I was very nervous. This is one of the hardest areas, at least it has a reputation as being one of the worst. His first day here I was VERY nervous. He said, "I am in the same freaking house. Same freaking chapel, etc..." It was very clear he was not happy to be back to this Infierno, as he put it, meaning Hell. But I tried to stay positive. I made sure to look for the good. We worked hard during the week, I showed him the area, and he was shocked when we came home one night having taught 8 lessons. He asked, "Did we really just teach 8 lessons today?". We needed that day. Because on Friday in planning he said "I don't know why I am back here, but we are going to find out. Don't let me complain. If I complain you can hit me." We had a good day Saturday, but church yesterday saved us both. We had 4 investigators in church, including one Gonzalo, a 30 year old history professor Elder Dennis and I worked on for weeks and could never get him to church. We had a good turnout, and had good classes and Sacrament meeting. It was the best day of church I have had since I have been here. Last night, Elder Davies told me he felt something he never thought he would feel here. He said he felt at home. We are going to have a good transfer here. We are working well together in our lessons, we don't clash in teaching style, and we both want to work. We are going to have a good transfer. I have a lot to learn from him, and I am going to do everything I can to get out of him what I need to. The Lord doesn't make mistakes with companions. We are together for a reason. I constantly remember Dad's counsel, that your companions may be the most important people you are in contact with your whole mission. We strengthen each other, and help each other to grow. I know Elder Dennis and I were meant to be comps. We are best friends now. He said he learned a lot from me, and I helped him to change his perspective on life in many ways, and he helped me to gain the perspective on missionary work. He was going home and I was just starting. It was a match made in heaven.

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon I have never had before. There is a menos activo family we are working with, and the mom was impossible. She didn't want to come to church. She didn't want to quit smoking. She said there is no way she would keep the law of chastity (awkward), etc... Very difficult woman. We kept visiting because we felt we needed to. So much focuses on the mom. The dad died a year ago. If she is active, her sons may serve missions and her daughters will be active, maybe serve missions, and will live a better life. But it all hinges on the mom. We got the family to take the challenge to read the Book of Mormon, cause we challenged the whole ward for 2008 and put their pictures up and made a whole display which has paid off in gold because people are reading and moving their pictures under the books they are in, anyway....She is reading. The family started reading as a family. Next thing I know, she wants to get her husband's temple work done, and she wants go to the family history center this week, she wants to become worthy of a temple recommend, she wants to come to church every week, etc... She thanked me 2 days ago and said, "You missionaries changed my life. I am a different person today than I was a month ago." I told her that we didn't. Because we didn't. She wasn't progressing until she started reading the Book of Mormon. I told her that there is an inexplicable power in the Book of Mormon. She is intelligent and asking quesitons. In weeks she has read through Alma. She has taken off. And to think we discussed not visiting her anymore because she didn't seem to be progressing. The Book of Mormon is a miracle. She was crazy! She told us straight up she would never do these things. But with time, an increased exposure to the Spirit, her heart has been softened, and she is heading in a good direction. We have some solid investigators, some iffy's with baptismal goals, and a lot of time for finding new investigators now. We are in the finding phase. We have some knocking to do this week. It will be good. I love teaching first lessons to people I don't know. It is always an adventure. You run into some crazy people too.

There are so many old people here. Really old, meaning over 70. And they say the darndest things. OH YEAH!! My dog story. I got bit by a dog my first week here when walking by this one house. I never said anything. I was so in shock that I had my first dog experience I forgot to ever write about it. But I can't forget now. We were walking yesterday in the street, and I see this dog come running toward me. I quickly recognized it. I thought to myself, "You dont want a piece of this. Not again." It came just the same and bit me in the same right ankle. It clasped on but I had no patience today. I kicked it squarely in the side and it flew a little bit and ran away with a whimper. I felt SOO bad. I had never kicked a dog before. I heard its whimper and I felt SO bad. But it had it coming. What more could I have done. Anyway, I have been bit twice out here by the crazy strays. There are more stray dogs here than people, I swear.

I don't have any more time. I have to go. I pray all is well with everyone. Oh yeah, I hear there is a possibility both Luke and Matt will be at USU this year. That would be something pretty interesting. You have my support in this. Anyway, I have to go.

Love you all!! Ciao!!!
Andy