1/9/12
Hey,
Darn that's so crazy, I feel so bad for him.
But it sounds like everyone's doing well at home. Thank you for writing me. That's also sad what happened in the Vance family, I hope they're okay.
It's good to hear that the new ward is so great! Bishop Crane! Haha crazy. so cool.
Haley, thank you for Brad's address. Best of luck with elections. Keep going strong through the end of the semester. And that's cool about the new singing group and stuff. No, we don't really ever sing Armies of Helaman as missionaries. The youth do sometimes!
Mom and Dad, your questions mostly revolved around my new situation. But Mom, good to hear that starting back up with seminary went well and crazy weather! Dad, thanks for the political updates. Thank you for your prayers and support.
So my new zone is Coatepeque. There are 22 missionaries in the zone. It should be a really good group, but things are starting out a little rough. In five areas, both missionaries were transfered, so lots of people are new to the areas and don't have much of an idea as far as what to do or where to start. So the month is starting out a bit slow. My companion is also a zone leader. Our area is called Jardin. It's a very strong ward and a very strong stake. The stake president speaks fluent English and works in real estate. My companion's name is Elder Cortez, he's been a zone leader for about a year and he has 21 months. I fear the trunkiness haha. He's from Santa Ana, El Salvador. He was the only member in his family (his mom said she would never set foot inside a Mormon church), then she went to the temple open house in San Salvador and got baptized four months ago. Way cool. Elder Cortez has been a member for about four years. He's a very handsome, smooth, intelligent, and athletic individual haha and he knows it. I had heard a lot about him before, should be a good time. Half my old zone is here with me in Coatepeque, that's kind of a downer, but it's good to have some buds and acquaintances here.
So far we haven't had a whole lot of time to work. There's an elder that acquired a parasite (the nurse informed us that it's a type that can only be acquired from eating human feces hahaha!). There's a greenie that wants to go home already, but he talked to President and he's feeling a lot better now. I talked to him, I think I'll go on exchanges with him this week and see if I can help him out. Elder Colindres is his trainer haha.
In other words, there have been a few challenges to start out. But things are going well and it looks like everyone's going to work.
We live in the third story of a little hotel. It's a nice place (not as nice as my last place), and the members provide lunch for us every day (awesome). The ward is great, it was a full testimony meeting. For the whole meeting, the front of the chapel was full of people who were waiting to bear their testimonies. Three members came up to us and said things like, 'Elder, we have a family we want you to visit.' I couldn't believe it haha! Supposedly the people here are very difficult as far as finding and teaching, but the members love to help the missionaries out, so it should be wonderful. It's been a maze trying to find our way around these past few days, but we're learning. I'm still terrible with directions. I can remember faces, scriptures, etc., but not directions.
We have a conference with President tomorrow, I'm excited for that. I don't know how I feel about being a zone leader. It's such a prideful group sometimes and I despise that so much. Perhaps I can be a force for positive change in that respect, but it's just kind of a gross feeling to be around certain people. That part can be emitted haha, missionaries are good people most of the time.
Elder Maurer and Elder Rigby left! That's kind of weird. I looked up to those guys and it's just strange to think that they're home already.
Mom, what you said about Joshua was really interesting. That's been on my mind lately, the integrity aspect of leadership. I love that talk you mentioned too, Jesus: the Perfect Leader. That one helps me out. But I have such a hard time motivating companions. I can speak in front of a group and I feel like I can kind of motivate people like that, but I think I just got tired of motivating companions. It's so hard for me to be my best when I'm tied to somebody. That's so prideful of me, and I need to change that. I'm determined to be my best in this new place. Any advice as to how I can inspire somebody who has more time in the mission, more experience baptizing, etc.? My companion is a good missionary and I'm excited to work with him. I don't know what it is. I want so badly to consecrate myself to the Lord, to dedicate everything to this work, but time and again I fail to do so. My standards aren't too high. Ah I hope that focusing on my new goals will help me do it.
I'm happy in this new place, but not content. The Lord wants me to break out of my shell and develop my character and to be of good courage. And that's what I'm going to do.
Thank you guys for everything! Brock, good luck with the new semester. Aubrey, good luck with work! Love you guys a ton.
Have an awesome week!
Love,
Elder Austin Tyler
