Manuel, me, Elder Alexis
Friday, February 3, 2012
EE 19
Hey guys! 2/1/2012
Mira. yo tuve un sueño....... ( I had a dream ) hahahaha
Wow it’s been a good week and I have learned and felt a lot. Elder Alexis was transferred and called to be a zone leader. My new comp is Elder Ruiz! He is a Dominican and a really cool guy. He’s the new district leader, and is almost dying in the mission (his 2 years are almost up) but I’m excited to work with him – another native, that really helps me with the language and with learning about this place and its people.
During this week we had a couple experiences that have really changed my mind about being a missionary, and have helped me think of what I want to achieve as a missionary. Elder Alexis helped me realize that I need to set goals and work to achieve them.
We were in a lesson with a family; the Moms’ name is Alexandra and her son is Miguel. We talked and talked and talked about life and school and everything outside the topics of the gospel just to get an outlook on her life. When it came time to talk about the gospel I was at a loss of words, but I still struggled through what I wanted to say. After the lesson and feeling the spirit and all of the missionary stuff, I finally stopped and asked my comp, what in the world do I need to do to be better at this whole thing. He simply told me, it’s all about your study and the goals you have. It’s true; I realized that if I want to get better, I have to work for it. Dad that is something you have always tried to tell me; that nothing great comes easy. We have the Griner curse/blessing – we are really good at some things and it’s the measure of the man to work hard and not be satisfied with good. Sometimes in my life things have come easier than others. Here, right now I need to work to become better than good! Elder Alexis helped me realize that.
Haha, about the dreams; this week has been a week of dreams, about every morning my comp would tell me about a dream he had just had! One morning the first thing that I heard out of his mouth was "I placed a baptismal date last night " haha, and then that night Manuel told us about another dream that he had that I won’t even try and explain that one. haha
We are trying to get Mildred and her live-in, whom I have talked about before, married. We are also working with him to stop smoking so they can get baptized in the next month. We had the opportunity to do some service for them and put a door handle on their door. After we finished she wanted to talk, but we couldn’t because there wasn’t another male in the house. I felt terrible – rules are rules and for a good reason - but they are doing good and progressing.
I don’t know if I told yall about Veronica or not, she is the niece of one of our stronger members and we have been teaching her for a little while. She’s 19 and was going to the institute with the single people haha, I don’t know what to call them in English (YSL institute) but ya. She has been visiting the church a lot. We got a call from her aunt and I guess that she told her that she didn’t want us to pass by her house anymore, but that she would read and visit the church on her own. We’re still praying for her and passing by her house to find out her concerns to stay in the battle. It’ll be good,
For right now I will stay here in El Ejido, enjoy the people and members, and have fun and do my best as an Elder and as Elder Ruiz’s comp. I really like my area and I’ll be sad when it’s my turn to get transferred. I have at least another 6 weeks here – that will make 24 weeks in this piece of heaven!!
Bye bye fam! Love to all
_______________
ELDER GRINER
Thursday, January 26, 2012
EE 18
Well hello there! 01/25/2012
It’s seems like it’s been a very, very, very, short week. It went by way to fast and I feel like every day is going by faster and faster.
To answer your questions dad: Delvi won’t accept us anymore and his friends are too much of an influence on him, which kills me. We keep passing by his house and he’s never there. I tried calling but he doesn’t/won’t answer. The house that we are building is coming along.... not fast though, because since Elder Jensen left we don’t go over as much as we were. We went on Monday and had to pick at concrete so we could put up a wall. We picked for about 3 hours with a 4 lb sledge hammer. haha my hands kill, it’s like the 1st week of batting practice without using gloves – I must be losing some of my calluses.... but yeah it’s coming along okay.
I feel like we are actually doing something to help our ward now. We are working with the members, doing visits with them and taking as many as will on our missionary teaching appointments and trying to include them in everything. We worked with our mission leader and put together a chart of the members and assigned 1 family to 2 other families. They call to check and see if they are having their Family Home Evening (FHE) and if they are ready to go to church when the time comes. If anyone has problems, it’s easier this way to get the members working for each other and not just the leaders calling everyone. This also helps us have an updated list of every person that we can take teaching with us. It is effective and awesome. haha .
We had an FHE on Monday that was sweet. We called a family to accompany us and we had the tema (lesson subject), but we had been so busy we hadn’t planned anything. So, when we were walking towards the house I asked my comp what we were going to teach, he looked at me and said hmmmmm whatever the spirit tells us. So we prayed.... and they spirit hadn’t talked to me yet so I looked over to him and he was flipping to the back of the scriptures where he found the word adversity (which was perfect for the family) and from that word he had a scripture in 2 Nephi that he shared and I shared one from Helaman and they went together perfectly. The family had questions and comments and then we ate after this great discussion. Over all it was perfect.... but not planned. Sometimes we are blessed in the best ways – tender mercies!
Yesterday we had an awesome opportunity which doesn’t come along very often. We have a family that we are teaching, Igor, Mildred and their two kids. She is at home by herself most of the time and he is a vet. She has tons of work to do around the house, so yesterday we got there... Oh after bible bashing with the testigos de jehova (we won – if there is such a thing in a Bible bash).... she looked completely worn out; the house was way dirty and the dishes weren’t done. So we put our backpacks down. My comp looked after the baby and I went after the dishes. We started cleaning; and cleaned the kitchen and the dishes and let her rest a little. We got to talk to her a little while we were working. Now she knows us a little better and who we are and we know her a little better and who she is. Now our relationship is so much better because we had the chance to help her a little bit – a little trust built by small acts of service. I don’t want to jinx her or us so I will leave the story at that for now. hahah Usually when I email about someone we are teaching and seems really ready, we don’t end up getting a hold of them the next week. haha.
I don’t think that I’m going anywhere this transfer. I didn’t get called to train L and I’m sad about that. I really wanted to. I think that my comp and I will be together here in El Ejido for another transfer, but we are not sure. I’ll find out on the 31st.
We got to play Dr. Phil this past week with a couple that lives close to the Bishop in a place called Congo. They are married and have twins. Something happened and he left the house for about 4 days and left her with the kids. So we went over and gathered them all up for a little talk. We had Romy with us - he can talk anyone into anything - so we brought the husband in sat down and talked about marriage/ family and how important it is. During our little chat they fixed some things up in their relationship and it was sweet to see them back together.
But, yah. That is the weekly report for here in Santiago RD. Please keep me updated on things back at home!!!
I love you all and will e-mail ya next week
DAD!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you spend it well in the hospital !!!!!!!!!!!! haha no really, I hope your surgery goes well.
ELDER GRINER
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