8-22-11

hello po

This week has been a pretty crazy/fast week.  I don’t know how many times I’ve said this on the mission, but its true every week gets faster, especially during a week like this one.

On Tuesday we had to take fridges all day, I mean all day.  First we left the house at 8 and got my license back from the place because the cop took it last week because I made an illegal u turn.  Ya, there wasn’t a sign and even if there was the next u turn was like 3 miles away. (ya there’s almost no left turns here, only U-turns)  Anyways after that we took some new fridges to one house, then their old to another house, then their old one to another house and the other new one to another house and so on.  We pretty much drove thru the whole mission, got to our area about 8 and taught Sister Jovel.  It was an ok lesson but you could tell she had a question/concern but just wouldn’t say it.  Finally she asked what if she couldn’t get baptized.  So then we found out that on Thursday she was moving back to Bicol (where her parents live).  So ya, not the greatest day I’ve ever had, definitely long and not too enjoyable haha.

Then Wednesday was way better. It was exit day for the exiting missionaries. There was one elder and two sisters but the sisters are actually extending a few weeks so only the elder actually went home.  It was Elder Spiller, my beloved 1st zone leader.  I got to say probably my best friend in the mission. We got to hangout all day pretty much, I helped him pack a bit and go to a temple session with them.  Elder Spiller isn’t somebody I’ve ever seen cry or would expect to over his mission (he’s talked about going home since I came into the mission haha) but man sitting there in the celestial room he definitely cried.   It’s got to be hard, like me and him were talking about, after awhile this is all you know.  It’s like you were born a missionary and as much as you talk about going home sometimes, actually thinking about it is pretty scary.  The mission is so much fun and you learn so much, it’s hard to believe when it’s over.

Then Thursday, oh man. haha we had to pick up the locals at 6:30 at the MTC, take them to the mission home for orientation and interviews, then transfer meeting started at 9:30 and so before that it was getting the mail run all good to go.  Then transfer meeting, elders coming off Mindoro being late, then getting all the DVD players, DVDs, phones, new area books and all that up to the zones afterwards. haha it was crazy, then taking the trainers over to the mission home to meet their new trainees (the foreigners).  The foreigners had their orientation (all 22 of them) and we didn’t have enough time to do all their interviews with president.  Then the shuttle didn’t come to pick Elder Spiller up for the airport so I ended up taking him there so he wouldn’t miss his flight home.  Man I got to tell you we had a great talk. Elder Spiller has always been someone I’ve looked up to, he’s the man and such a good missionary.  He is just one of those guys where everyone loves him and everything he touches turns to gold.  We had a good talk about being "the man" when we get home, you just got to be the man, can’t be any less. He’s from Australia but is going to study at BYU or UVU so I’ll see him again for sure.

We lost Sister Jovel this week but we got a few new ones. Brother Noel Sanchez is this guy in a wheelchair that we always see and that we've talked to before.  On Sunday we actually got to teach him. He’s done some things in the past but has said how much he wants to change. He’s had polio since he was 2 and we just shared about the plan of salvation and especially about Christ and the resurrection.  A few times he teared up a bit I knew the Spirit was touching him. He’s kind of in and out of houses with his relatives so we just taught him on the sidewalk of a quiet street, cool experience.  We're supposed to go back to him this week and hopefully teach in his cousins house and meet them as well.  Yesterday was just a good day, just talking with people about the gospel is such a good feeling.  It brings joy as we invite others to come unto Christ I think we find ourselves a whole lot closer too.  I know this Gospel is true and I love my mission and my call to serve. I hope everything is going well with everything.

I can’t wait to hear from all of you, you're in my prayers.

Love,
Elder Stover