Email sent May 19, 2014: What an Adjustment

Ok guys, this has been a weird but awesome week. So I spent Monday, Tuesday and the first 3 hours of Wednesday with Elder Jensen from the Athens Ward. His companion had been a visa waiter as well so he was thrown in with me up in a Spanish area. Tuesday wasn't anything special. Just said goodbye to the members in the area, and then cleaned the apartment and organized the area book until 1am haha.  I was dang tired the next morning.

 

Since then I've been struggling to figure out this whole English thing. I mean it's my first language, but the way the work is done is so different. I've honestly just felt a little lost and confused this whole past week.  Elder Hammer, my new companion is really experienced as a missionary. This is his last transfer before he goes home. He's got a lot of knowledge and a lot of things to teach me and I'm just doing my best to soak it all in. With his help I'm going to get used to things. The last Zone Leader before me was also a Spanish missionary so he already knows what I'm feeling right now and is being super patient and loving. 

 

We've seen blessings in our area already! In one week alone we've found and taught tons of people and already have two people on date for June 7th! We're not to sure how secure they are but one of them is so awesome. Her name is M and she's seen some messed up stuff. The father of her son was a "Drug-Lord" as she calls him and she and him kind of did some messed up stuff... But she really wants to change and start again. She's already been to an LDS church before and has seen the missionaries so she already knows that this is a good place for her and her son. 

 

This zone however, is facing some hard times. My first Friday here we had a big conference call with all the Zone Leaders and President Wolfert and we basically got chewed out! We went first in reporting "Total Baptismal Commitments" and for our entire zone with 19 companionships and the second largest zone, there's only 3 people. President immediately began to sort of make examples out of us to work harder and push our zones to see the potential they have as missionaries. After the call Elder Hammer and I  had a long talk about our expectations for the zone and how we can better set the example. We decided to invite one person a day to be baptized and we haven't missed a day once.  But the weirdest thing i would say was church. It's just so... functional. I'm so used to the chaos of the Spanish branches, working around it and working with the chaos. But in the English wards, it's so different. I felt like I was in a foreign country! hahaha but the Ward is actually super awesome and so supportive. They've been so helpful and they are the most organized ward in the mission I've seen on my mission.  Aside from that I've not got much more to report. 

 

I'm so happy to hear that Bailey is home and working on resting, but sad that Bobby is sick now. It's good to hear that you'll all be together this coming week at Tahoe! I know we'll all be apart but I hope that you guys can still have fun without me. Make me a promise that you'll do your best guys Ok? hahaha ;) 

Love you all so much!  Have a good week! 

Elder Rodabough the second