Affinity Lost

email dated 9/15/08

My affinity for the canine is gone. I got bit this week and I was pretty mad. The stupid dog clung to my arm and left me a pretty bruise. If it hadn’t run off, and if I weren’t in the street with Jesus' name on my chest, I would have kicked that dog as hard as I could. I am SO tired of dogs barking all night and running around the streets as menaces attacking missionaries. You really have to come to Uruguay to know what I am talking about. They aren’t like Dogs in the states. There are more dogs than people here, and without a doubt, whatever street your knock there will be incessant barking from multiple canines. I believe that dogs are the biggest hindrance to missionary work in Uruguay that there is.

Okay, now that I got that out...breathe in and out. Take a big deep breath. Hee, Hoo. Okay, I feel all better. My arm is fine. Worry not. Everyone do it, it will make you feel good. Take a big deep breath.

So to make a long story short, the boy who always wanted a dog may have to wait a few years when back home before he wants his own dog. The good news is he will be in college and apartments that allow pets don’t really exist. So I will have plenty of time to re-learn my love for dogs. On the bright side, I do still feel love for cats. I don’t know if I wrote about it, but the other day it was a rainy cold day and my companion and I saved a little kitten and found it a home. It was a cute little kitty.

Last week Elder Aidukaitis of the Quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us all. He had good things to say about faith and when teaching to get to the point of things quickly. I liked a lot of what he said. He did some really good teaching examples and talked about the need for missionaries to keep it simple and get to the point, and he was a really good teacher.

One other new change in our mission is the canceling of siesta observance. The 70 said that the siesta is a wicked tradition and that we are not going to study during the siesta any longer. Before now, our schedule was to do our personal study at 8 and leave the house at 9 and work until lunch, and then be in the house studying between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. Now, all studies will be done in the morning as they are written in preach my gospel and we will leave at 10:30 to attack the day head on. I was skeptical and I was praying for understanding. The Lord answered me quickly. We went out into the street and made some contacts right after the conference and the first few contacts my companion and I made said that it would be best if we stopped by around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. It is common knowledge that the siesta is a religion here. In Artigas last summer a guy once threatened to kill me, and was not kidding, if I ever knocked his door during his afternoon siesta again. I am excited anyway for the schedule change. I like the idea of reading all morning a lot better. And even though we now have technically less proselyting hours now, I feel like we have more hours because there isn’t a huge break in the middle of it. We always wasted so much time walking back to the house and then having to walk back out to the area. I like the idea of following the preach my gospel schedule.

Anyway, the 70 did do me one very good favor. He inspired in me a very strong desire to double my faith and be obedient. I don’t know how he did it because it wasn’t anything in particular that he said, but it was more something that I felt while I was listening to him. I want to change and be stronger-willed and better. I firmly believe that a person can learn a lot about him or herself while running. And I remember as a runner that I had the heart of a lion at the beginning of a race, but that my diligence was always put into doubt in the middle. Oftentimes in my races I gave into my weakness and tiredness and slowed down through the tough middle. That is a HUGE sign of weakness in me. I learned it about myself running. I see it in myself as the alarm goes off at 6:30 and rather than rolling straight out of bed I have to wake myself up for 5 minutes laying there thinking and clinging to my warm covers. I want to train my brain to be so diligent that there is no question. And it is especially meaningful for me now as I am reaching midway in my mission. Will I give in to temptations because I am at that middle phase, or will I push when it is hard to push, and kick when it is hard to kick? I want to be someone strong. And when I come home and run my next marathon, I want the mental training I am doing to myself to show in my time at the finish line. Everyone should count on seeing a new Andy Shepherd in a year. My goal, more than any other goal, is to double my faith.

I pray all is well with everyone. I love you all so much for your support and prayers!! Don’t forget about me because I have been gone so long and that my return is just as far away. This is the age in the mission when all the missionary mail slows and stops coming. It happens to all of us, at least all of my companions. Don’t let it happen to me. Take care!! Love you!!

Andy