HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!! I looked at the calendar yesterday and I realized I couldn't go bowling with Heather before school started, and I was so sad. But next year we will, okay? =)
This week, I met an Area Authority. His name is Josè L. Alonso. Right now he's the Second Counselor of the Mexico Area. He came to OUR district in El Fuerte to "see how we're doing".
Whoa.
The meeting we had was for all the bishops/branch presidents in Los Mochis and El Fuerte. It was kind of nerve wracking, because I didn't know what he was going to ask us or anything like that. A super huge meeting with a General Authority is fine. But in a meeting with about thirty? Wow. So we went yesterday evening. It was a fantastic meeting. He's really great. He basically told us a lot of things we have to do or they'll consider taking the missionaries out of our branch/ward. Seeing as I'm the branch president here, I'm going to do my best to make sure that doesn't happen. He also told us a few things that blew my little Elder mind! I'm not going to tell you right now, but it's basically an area-wide rule that is going to happen here, and it's going to be totally crazy. They haven't told any other missionaries yet, just the branch presidents, so that's why it's a teeny bit more confidential. But as soon as they tell the world (and the other missionaries) I'll let you know. But WOW! Everything is going to change. Missionary work is going to be completely different.
I also got audited this week. Yep. Audited. They sent a guy from the district to audit us. It was kind of scary, but I will say it wasn't the fairest audit, because they audited this whole year and I've only been here since May. "Why don't you have reciepts for this?" "I don't know.....and the person who spent this money now lives in North Carolina." That's basically how it went. They understand that we get changed a lot, so it's alright. They weren't too harsh, but it made me want to be a better record-keeper.
This week, we also Lupita. Remember that lady who was very involved in her own church but also quite interested in the Book of Mormon? She keeps getting more and more interested. We went back the other day and, after eating (can't complain about an investigator that feeds you=), she talked to us about some scary things that have been happening in her house. At first, when she told us she was afraid of where she was living, she said it was because of her husband in rehab. This week she confessed to us that it didn't have anything to do with that. She thinks one of her neighbors was trying to "curse" her. Literally. With witchcraft. I'm not going to lie, that stuff has always creeped me out, so she kept talking and I just listened. She said that sometimes, she felt cold in her house even when it was hot outside. And sometimes, there was a black cat that walked around the house and kept looking at her, even when it was walking away. So we taught her a little about the priesthood and asked if we could dedicate her house. She said she would love that. I said the prayer and left. Later, Elder Osorio said "Man, during the prayer I thought her dog was going to bite me, but after the prayer it left" I mentioned that Lupita doesn't have a dog. "Really? Because there was a huge black dog inside right behind me." Then we both realized that she doesn't let animals in her house, all the doors were closed and we were inside. Let's just say that we walked home a little faster that night. The church is so so true. If we didn't have the priesthood, what would have happened. Luke 11 19-20
In other news, that email Curtis sent with the tuna patty idea was the greatest thing ever. I LOVE those tuna patties! I've had one almost every single day since I read that email! Hats off to you, Elder Stone!
I don't have much else to say, other than the little branch (well...."extention", technically it's still part of the branch here in Carrizo) in the other tiny town about twenty minutes from here (Poblado 7) is growing really fast. Right now, sacrament meeting attendance is at about ten or twelve, compared with four or five when I got here. To have an official branch, we need four active Melchizedek Priesthood holders. After the District Conference, (Sept. 30) we should have three! Woo! If we keep this up they'll send two more missionaries here in no time.
I love my mission! I had to laugh, the other day, I found out that one of my friends, in the time that I have been gone, has found a spouse, dated, gotten married, and any time now, is going to be a mom. Have I really been gone that long?
Elder Cody Crabb
No comments:
Post a Comment