Goodbye 2008

email dated 12/30/08
So even though our Pday is on Thursday, we need to write today because on Thursday all the Cybers will be closed and the bussing isn’t going to go either. Also, because we are such pretty American boys they want us to avoid going outside on new years because there is a great deal of alcohol consumed and that combined with common anti-American sentiments isn’t a good thing. So I am writing today. It wont be much but I do have the chance to throw you all a quick line.

Christmas came and went. It was good because I got a package from home and I got to call home. It was sad because it didn’t really feel like Christmas. It is 100 degrees and they celebrate differently here. Next time Christmas rolls around I will be rolling around on carpet underneath a Christmas Tree. Holidays are just more fun in your own house with your own family. Nothing against the mission, but I am glad this is my last Christmas away from home.

We had a baptism on Sunday. It has been a while since I have had a baptism. It was a baptism of an 11 year old girl named Caroline. In the process of her baptism her parents and grandma and Uncle and cousins have all come to church the last few weeks. Now let’s hope the ward recognizes the family that was missing and RETAINS them. We can’t retain all the members by ourselves and the ward here doesn’t seem to be making much effort. Hometeaching and Visiting teaching is even officially assigned to the missionaries for specific families and persons. Oh ward! Get it together! Missionary work is too stressful.

I have decided that what makes missionary work so hard is that you can’t control your results. In a way you can. You can control your personal development and growth, your studies, etc... but as far as what happens you have no power. Everyone has their agency. It isn’t like school where if you want a better grade you study harder. Sometimes you work your tail off and have nothing, or as is the case with this my latest baptism you had mono and worked half days for a few weeks and had a baptism. There is no method to the madness. The Lord does that on purpose so we don’t become proud I think.

I am still in Cerro, Montevideo. I have been in this area since August and won’t be out until at least February. I just feel like that is such a long time to be in the same area. But I have to be careful not to complain because I could easily stay another transfer after this and be here until about April.

I have found that if you don’t get in any doors for a full day you get really sunburnt, which is the case for me today. Yesterday was all contacts and knocks and fallen appointments until 7:00 at night. And since they took the Siesta from us, that means I was outside from 1 to 7 on my feet in the sun. I hope all those silly missionary sayings "the more you tract the prettier your wife will be" are true, because if so my wife is going to be drop dead gorgeous after yesterday. Or maybe she will be gorgeous on account of how attractive I have become from tanning in the Uruguay sun every day. Correlation does not prove cause and effect. We may never really know why my wife is so beautiful, we will only know that she is.

Anyway, say goodbye to 2008. It has come and gone. I wish you all the best and hope that you make good goals for the new year. Pick a few things you want to change or do different and do them. Don’t make too many goals because you will become overwhelmed and the goals will lose meaning. Make a few. Make em good. Do it. Love y’all!!

Andy