Week 73

Hey there y'all!!! It's been a very exciting and very stressful week as well. We had a lot of changes happen here and a TON of paperwork. But it was all good and dandy. I'll just go day by day for what happened this last week.On Monday, we moved in with the Barnhouses, a family in the ward. They are really awesome and a lot of fun. It's really sweet living conditions and I am happy to be there. Tuesday, Elder Mosca got transferred out to Sulfur Springs and I got a new companion! His name is Elder Jones, and guess what? He's a SPANISH missionary. That's right family and friends, I'm learning Spanish! President Smith felt that the Spanish work in the area was not enough to be on its own, so he put Elder Jones with me and now we cover both the Frisco 3rd and 7th wards and the Spanish work for the Stake. It's been a lot of fun. I realized that I don't speak a whole lot of Spanish, but I can understand quite a bit and can follow a conversation really well, unless it's one of those people that speak faster than the speed of sound; then it's a little difficult. That night we went and saw one of the Spanish investigators, Alfredo. He had been taught for a while and had finished the Book of Mormon and been to church several times. He wanted to set his own date for baptism, but we told him that he would be going back and forth and back and forth without a date because he had no direction; he wouldn't be working for something. So Elder Jones committed him to be baptized on December 18th, and he accepted! It was really powerful and Alfredo cried during the prayer at the end. It was sweet.

Wednesday we had a Zone Council and got the zone together to talk about things that we felt the zone needed to work on. It was really good and everyone enjoyed the training that Elder Jones and I prepared that morning, but of course, we didn’t tell them that ;) Later that day we went shopping and started to do some planning because we were so frazzled about taking on an area that I knew little about and that Elder Jones knew nothing about. That evening we did some finding in an apartment complex with a lot of Hispanics and found an Egyptian family. IT was pretty trippy. We have an appointment with them tonight.
Thursday we drove to McKinney for a Zone conference. I was able to see Elder Williams and Elder Hall and a bunch of other Elders that I know. We just got a new assistant, too. His name is Elder Urqhart (pronounced urk-heart) and he sat next to me on the flight out here to Texas last year. It was pretty sweet so see him there; he’s still a little nervous but he has enjoyed it so far. Later that day, we started to collect a little bit more paper work for the reports we turn in to the Stake President every month, and I realized I lost the jump drive that has our templates and most of our work! It was pretty annoying. We started from scratch and got some things done, and then we went and had another good night with Alfredo, Sarah, Melinda, and the EQ president in the 3rd ward.

Friday we had our full planning session and planned what we wanted to do for the zone and for our area (I forgot to mention, this is Elder Jones’ first time being a Zone Leader as well, so we are learning together. It’s quite fun because he brings a lot of good ideas to the table). Then we did a little bit more for the reports and taught Samantha and the Nava family. They are a part-member family, but Brother Nava loves the church and wants to get baptized. The problem is that he doesn’t get another Sunday off until after the Holidays, so it’s likely he won’t get baptized until about January or February. He did come to church Sunday and enjoyed it, so that was good.
Saturday we finished our reports and did some finding. We found a couple of potential investigators who we’re going to go see on Saturday, but no one too solid. That evening we saw Alfredo again and his wife Amalia was there. She has been to church about 7 or 8 times, a little less than Alfredo, but she is on fire as well. She works every night but Saturday and Sunday, so we can only see her then, but we talked to her about baptism as well and she accepted the invitation to be baptized with her husband. It was great! Then they asked me to give the closing prayer. O_O I don’t know Spanish that well yet! So Alfredo gave it, but I am working on it. Hopefully I will be able to say a prayer in Spanish next time.

Sunday was hectic. I’m no stranger to covering 3 wards (I did it for 9 months straight) but I am not used to meeting in 3 different buildings. So we split up. The Spanish branch meets in Carrollton and so Elder Jones went there with Hermano Carranza. I stayed with a priest in the 3rd ward and went to morning meetings in both wards and then went to 3rd ward. Elder Jones got back about 1 PM and then we headed over to the Legacy building for out Stake Missionary Coordination Meeting. President Smith and President Grant were there as well as the high councilor over missionary work and President Alleman (stake president). It was a really good meeting and I learned a lot about leadership and keys of the Priesthood. If I am ever called into a leadership position in the church, I will reflect on these meetings because I know they will help me a lot.

So some other random things: Mikey and Shelita moved to Michigan. Mikey got in a fight with Mike (Melinda’s boyfriend) so they up and left. I have lost some weight (or it’s been redistributed because the necks on all my shirts are now pretty loose) and I have never been more tired or more happy in my life! I love this work and I love each of you. I hope y’all have a great week!!

Love,
Elder Grondel

P.S. Yo hablo un poco español, pero estoy apreniendo! Mucho amor!