Monday, December 12, 2011

December 5, 2011


I can't believe it is Christmas time. Sometimes I try to close my eyes and feel the Christmas spirit, but then a drop of sweat rolls into my eye. I have never sweat more in my life. I feel slightly wet all the time. It is SO hot and SO humid. I can't believe just a few months back I was wearing three coats and a scarf every time I went out. Every time we say, "It's so hot!" to anyone, they laugh and tell us that it is just the beginning. I hit 10 months this coming week!
This week was really tough, but really good. I don't have tons to talk about this week because most of the week was taken over by Elder Aidukadis. Everyone in the mission has been pretty scared ever since we heard that Aidukatis was coming. His name was kind of synonymous with Voldemort. Actually meeting and talking to Elder Aidukadis was a little bit different. The lesson with Aidukadis was six hours straight. During these six hours, I don't think it was hard for me, or any other person in the room to pay attention. Aidukadis ended up being so so funny and so so good. He is just so excited all the time and wants everyone else to be as excited as he is. In the process of trying to make everyone as excited as he is about missionary work, sometimes he is just a little too truthful. At one point during the lesson, he asked us to pull out our agendas and open them to the page where we write our weekly goals every week. He walked over to an Elder an asked what is goal for baptism in the next week was. The Elder told him excitedly, "Three!" Aidukadis then asked, "And the next week?" and the Elder less emphatically told him "Zero." Aidukadis then asked him "So you don't wan to baptize anyone?" The Elder started to tell him that he did and Adukadis, still smiling, kept on telling him that if you don't have a baptismal goal for a week, you don't want to baptize anyone and then said to the whole room, "This Elder does not want to baptize." Everyone was just scared that he would come to them next. Aidukadis just ended up being really crazy and inspiring and a little scary. At one point he would be shouting and laughing good-naturedly, and the next he would be whispering mean things in your ear. He kind of reminds me of a Brazilian Jim Carrey. At the end of the meeting, I walked out feeling like I don't do everything I can to be a good missionary, and can do so much more. That's a good thing. As a missionary, I am constantly re-evaluating the things I am doing and trying to figure out if there is a better way I can do them. I feel that same feeling 100x ever since Elder Aidukadis speech. I can be so much better and have lots of hard work in between being the best I can and right now.

At this point Elder Jolley and I don't really have any progressing investigators. Just a few weeks back, we had a ton, but we either baptized them, or dropped them. So at this point, we are doing our best to find new investigators. Finding new people means clapping a lot of houses. We have been walking a ton (all day, everyday) and finding a lot. We are being so blessed and really guided to the people who are prepared to hear our message. We have been having so much fun, but are exhausted all the time. Walking in the streets a lot involves a lot of laughs and a lot of getting to know your companion more. I am so thankful for Elder Jolley. He is such a good companion. All of my companions have been good companions, but I feel like Elder Jolley helps me be the very best I can be. He makes me laugh all the time and LOVES the gospel so much. (More than anybody ever) Today he wanted to spend P-day reading the scriptures and I told him "No." haha

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