Things got a little bit better over the last week. For a few days at least. In my email to President last week, I told him that I felt my area was falling, and that I didn’t want to leave it that way for the next couple Elders if I got changed. The next day, we were sent two more Elders. They are called the "equipo de apoyo", which is the support team. There are a bunch of them that just travel area to area throughout the week days. The 2 that came to my area were Elder Bueso, who is from Honduras and speaks English, and Elder Ramirez from Peru. They helped us out a lot. Over the 3 days they were there, we got 10 new investigators and 4 baptismal dates. One of those dates being Margarita, whom I have been teaching ever since I got into the field. I’ll tell you that story real quick...
Basically, she always was having trouble receiving an answer. I can’t even think about the number of times my companions and I have taught her about the Holy Ghost and the possible ways answers come. This last time I visited her with Elder Bueso was different. I had a strong impression to ask her if she had received an answer. She told me yes, and began to tell me the story. She said she had a dream. In that dream Elder Thatcher (last companion) and I were in her house teaching her about baptism with the Bishop. She said that in the dream an overwhelming feeling came over her and that she knew it was all true. When she woke up in the morning, she said the same feeling was still with her and that she knew she wanted to be baptized. Although she just had a baby about 2 or 3 weeks ago, she has a date to be baptized this coming Sunday, the 19th. I had been with her through her whole conversion process, so this is really special to me. I was so happy that night she told me she knew it was all true. Hard to explain the feelings that came over me.
Another interesting story is about my first converts (Josues) mom, Cristina. The other night, we found all of her stuff outside of her house. Found out that she had been kicked out. Without giving her notice, they just took all the stuff and put on the street. Luckily most of her stuff isn’t nice, so nothing was missing. We found this out at 8:30 though... We then spent almost an hour and a half carrying her stuff by hand, with no vehicle, a mile or so away to a different house. It was sad to look at her face. Practically nothing, but tears. Broke my heart.
Funny story now... Because we had the other 2 Elders with us, I was basically on divisions for 3 days, meaning I didn’t have the keys ever because my companion always had them. One night it started getting really cold, so Elder Bueso and I wanted to get sweaters. We went back to the house thinking maybe the lady that owns it would be home to open it for us, but she wasn’t either. Thinking I was smarter than normal, I went to the 3 story, a rooftop view, and decided maybe I could go through the window. Right outside the window I wanted to go through was a tin roof that covered a wood shop. Thinking that tin is stronger than it really is, I held on to the edge of the roof and dropped/lowered myself down to the tin. As soon I touched the tin, it began to bend in and feel like it was going to collapse. I hurried to open the window, only applying more pressure to the already delicate tin causing it to dent and collapse more, and then jumped inside. When I looked back at the tin, it looked as if a car tire had just hit where I was standing. Although it was cool to feel like James Bond, it was one of those things I probably shouldn’t have done haha.
Anyways, the past few days have been hard. Since early in the morning Saturday to be exact... I have felt very sick. I actually only went to Sacrament meeting yesterday, and then just went straight home and didn’t leave till dinner, at which I didn’t eat anything. Only drank a glass of Pepsi because a member thought it would help haha. I actually almost feel worse right now, but I wasn’t about to give up emailing... Playing soccer this morning probably wasn’t the best thing to do to help me feel better, nor eating the chimichanga I had for lunch. Whatever... Being sick is inevitable here.
Spent a lot of my down time yesterday writing letters - my companion actually wrote one to a girl I know. He only knows Spanish though, so I had to translate it into English. Minus a few things that just made no sense at all that I don’t care about, I think I did pretty good! haha. I laughed throughout the whole thing because it was just weird.
Couple favors... I need you to send me Texas Quarter and then a handful of Arizonan quarters. Also, maybe a couple of the step counters. Two Elders I know want them. They will pay for them too... I also need one for myself because my clip broke, so I have just been ghetto-rigging it to work.
Well, minus the sickness all is well. I’ve been happy about everything for the most part. Being sick on the mission just straight up sucks though. Especially after a few days of actually working... My sickness is leading my companion into his old ways. Oh well.
Enjoy yourselves! Be happy in all that you do. Find joy in everything :) Prepare yourselves for Christmas! Don’t wait till the last minute... haha. I don’t even have to worry about that stressful stuff. Cool man. Well, I love you all so much! I miss you all as well :)
Love always and forever with cherries on top,
Elder David Bitner
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