Me Voy‏

email dated 4-15-08
My reign in Artigas has come to an end. They are moving me to Tacuarembo, more commonly known by the missionaries as "T-Bow". I cried. I really really didn't want to leave Artigas. I have to finish packing today and I am leaving tonight. I expected that I might be transferred, and so I was ready for this. But what hurts right now is that my companion Elder Fernandez is moving up to Zone Leader and so he is leaving too!!! We just barely got the ball really rolling here. We have been working SOO hard with the bishop to try and teach him his responsibility and help him to do it. Barrio 4 of Artigas had its first own mutual activity in years last Saturday!! There is no Young Mens President because there is nobody to do it. Therefore it is the responsibility of the Bishop, but he is incapable of doing such a socially demanding calling. So we have been helping him with it and trying to help him find a YM President because we believe that the youth are the future of this ward. Anyway, we were finally seeing progress, and BOTH of us are leaving. It is a serious problem to me. The new missionaries that are coming are a missionary who is about to go home who is training a new kid here. I just pray this guy isn't trunky and that he is really willing to go above and beyond the call of duty here for his last transfer in the mission. Elder Fernandez, my companion, was so concerned Sunday night when he received a special call from the President inviting him to be a new Zone Leader, that he said, "then my companion is staying here right?" When he heard I was leaving he requested to stay and said he would wait to be a Zone Leader for later. The President wouldn't go for it. We are both so sad to leave. I cried because this is my home. I have family and friends here. I have a pool of investigators, 5 with baptismal goals, that I have to leave behind. I just pray that the missionaries that come are willing to try and help with mutual and things like that, even though that isn't a missionary's calling. We have seen references and more success working deep inside the ward like this than we had before. I saw miracles this last transfer with Elder Fernandez and we became the best of friends, despite all the problems we had early on in the month with his dear john and his no money. We got over our differences and became best friends. Leaving him is as hard as leaving Artigas. He was great for my Spanish, being from Chile, and he was a great missionary. This transfer is really hard. It is supposedly rare that both missionaries leave an area. Usually one stays to capacitate the other missionary on the area. This is what they call a white-wash. I was originally very upset when I heard the transfers that we were both leaving, but I remembered that President is called to direct this work. God is fair. He knows what is going on and He will take care of His children. It is arrogance in me to think I am the only missionary who knows how to take care of Artigas 4. I have repented of my initial frustration and am excited for a change and a new ward that awaits me in Tacuarembo. The mission is like this. Vale la pena.

So as you all enjoy the beautiful Spring weather that is coming to Utah, I hope you all remember that I am on the opposite end of the world. It is getting really cold!! It is freezing. Only cold here is much worse than Utah, even though there is no snow. It is really humid, because we are so close to the ocean. There is no escape from the cold. It doesn't matter if I wear my coat to bed and sleep under 3 blankets. The humidity cuts straight through to your bones. Our houses aren't insulated here in Uruguay. It isn't quite like the United States. My cement house and thin windows don't do anything. I actually think it is colder inside than outside. And it will only get worse. For now, during the day it is very okay. It is chilly, but fine in the afternoon. But at night, whoo!! And it gets worse. During July, the temperatures are as low as they are in Utah, we are in a temperate climate too, only there is no snow and much more humidity. I hope as you are all getting ready to go swimming that you take a minute to stop and think of your dear Missionary in a little far away place called Uruguay.

I don't really know what else to say for now. Life is good. I am past the 6 month mark, and therefore past the hardest part of the mission I hear. I hope that's true. At least I speak Spanish a lot better now. I understand and speak all by myself if I have to. It is most gratifying. I still have a long way to go to speak like a Native, if that is ever truly possible, but I do speak this language and it makes me very happy.

I love you all SO much!! I hope that you are doing well and that life is treating your fairly. Take care!! Don't forget to enjoy the simple pleasures of normal daily life!

Andy