8.11.14

But yeah, so this week we changed the area limits. The bishop noticed that we either activated or got people to say that they don't love Christ enough to follow his commandments to all of the 34 people in our area. We haven’t been able to get too many baptisms but every member in our area is strengthened, participating in the Work of the Lord and going to all 3 hours of church. The hermanas have been so busy with their 234 investigators working towards baptisms that they haven't been working with the members in a crucial portion of their area. So the bishop changed the limits and now our area is a lot bigger. We have like 10 more strong members to work with so we are super exited. Hermano Hornos (Elders quorum leader) was asking if I had experience with Home Teaching before the mission because I am so good at getting the elders to do their visits. I forgot that at BYU I was the Home Teacher coordinator and that I loved it. Our ward is probably the strongest ward in all of Uruguay! Of course we can do a BUNCH more but at least we are seeing results. I will probably be having about a month left here in Rivera and it’s scaring me because I don't want to leave. We have gotten things going so much more smoothly lately and I can tell that in a couple months, our ward is going to explode with success. 

Elder Neilson and I had a heart to heart the other day. He was a bit upset about why I was such a jerk at times and would answer his questions as if I were annoyed or angry that he asked the question. (you know how when you ask Dad something and he answers you making you feel like an idiot...it’s a bit like that.) and why I would get upset when things weren't going my way. I went on to explain to him that 100 percent of the reasons why I get upset are because it is my fault. Because I didn't teach him well enough... because I messed up... because we're not having as much success... I talked about how I freak out so much when things don't go the right way because I'm terrified of failing, and I don't put the faith that I should in the Lord to have Him affect His work. When I was a junior companion, I didn't really worry as much because I could just convince myself that if we were struggling, it was my companion’s fault. I told him about how anytime I saw him doing something wrong, I get mad at myself because I didn't teach him the right way, but then I’d take it out on him because I hate showing weakness or error. I told him that these most recent changes with training have showed me how much I suck as a missionary… more than the entire first year of my mission. I told him that I have messed up so many times and have felt the shame of failing him, our area, the members of my district and my Heavenly Father. He went on to tell me that he was so glad that the Lord told him to serve a mission when He did so that he could be blessed with a trainer like me. He said that he has talked to a bunch of other missionaries about me and how we go to the church to study Spanish together on the chalk board, how we wake up early to practice soccer, and a bunch of other stuff and he said that all of the missionaries said that I do way more than any of their trainers have done for them. He said that I have made the first bit of his mission amazing and that he doesn't want me to leave after his training is over. He told me that I am like another brother to him, and that he's blessed to be my companion. It was a great experience. I'm really super excited for the rest of this change.