Good Timber

 Letter written on Monday, February 10

My New Companion - Sister R. from Fortaleza

Wow, time is speeding by.  I’ll try to give an abbreviated version of what’s happened the past two weeks since I didn’t have time to write a real update last week.

Sunday, February 2

             Sister Sousa and I worked really well together today.  She bore her testimony and finally taught with confidence.  It was really neat to see her progress.  She has some learning difficulties, but she has so many other abilities and she is eager and obedient.  It was really cool to recognize how much we both grew this transfer.

SIDE NOTE: English is getting much much harder to remember. 

            Sister Brown and I were stressed to know whether or not we would be training.  We had already been told that we weren’t moving.  Usually the AP’s call on Sunday night to tell you if you are training so that you can make plans to go to the chapel near the office to receive the training on how to train….?  Anyway we were anxious, but the hours passed without a phone call and I was thinking, “YESSSS!!! I am going to get a seasoned companion and have less stress and responsibility!”  Sister Brown on the other hand really wanted to train and so she was pretty bummed out.

Monday, February 3

            We had just finished our morning studies and started our P-day, when I got a phone call from the assistant: “Good morning Sister Colvin, you are going to train and BTW, you need to be here (2 hours away) in 4 hours.”  Awesome. It is Sister S. birthday today and we won’t even have a P-day.  Great.  Anyways, after some planning, Sister S. and I did a companion exchange with Sister C. (the super cute young looking Brazilian that arrived with me and is serving in Campo Grande.)  THREE hours of hell  public transportation (106+ degrees on an unairconditioned bus) later, we arrived to receive our “training”.  It was 45 minutes of keep the rules, do practices, and whatever mistake your newbie makes is your fault.  Then we spent the next FOUR hours getting back to our area.  Long. Frustrating.  On the upside, Sister C. is a delight! She’s super positive and kind.

Tuesday, February 4

            We left early for transfers and this time we took a nice bus, with AIR conditioning #bigindulgenceoftheday #Immissingmycar.  We went to a stadium thing where all of the missionaries who were being transferred gathered.  It was really fun to see everyone again especially Sister Z. I miss that hard-working little Bolivian.  I got to talk to Sister S. family when they picked her up so that was pretty neat. 

            Anyways, we arrived at the chapel and were still waiting on the American visa-waiters to arrive, so we got to talk to the other newbies – a LOT of American elders, Sister R, and only one other Peruvian sister.  I talked with the sisters and afterwards thought to myself, “this tiny Brazilian sister is really sharp!”  We hit it off well. 

            We then had some downtime to chat with the other trainers and eat lunch.  Elder B. and Elder Neu are also training.  We also practiced a musical number.  After watching some Elders try to over-complicate things, I took the lead and we ended up sounding pretty good.  I was grateful for my conducting experience.

            It was SO GOOD to see Sister Tingey again.  She’s remembered quite a bit of Portuguese and the same with Elder Papworth.  Sister Conde and I headed out with our new companions and the AP’s, who were headed in the same directions.  They helped us with the bags.  Sister C. new companion is an American named Sister Jameison, and man o man did she looked shell shocked!  Like deer-in-the-headlights, frazzled hair, mouth gaping, disheveled clothes – poor girl.  I imagine that I looked quite similar upon arrival.  After 3 delightful hours of being sandwiched on a hot stinky train, we got back to our area and got right to work!

 

My new companion out in front of the chapel.

           HOLY SMOKES, my new companion is sharp!  She is 21, grew up in the church, was in college studying nutrition, is a middle child, and is dedicated to serving.  Also, she love to ride horses and loves all animals. She obviously worked hard in the MTC and long before because she is very familiar with all of the missionary lessons.  She teaches well and looks to teach to the needs of our investigators.

            That being said, she is focused on missing home and her fiancé.  She talks about them all of the time, and is definitely a verbal processor which helps me with the language.  I am NOT a verbal processor.  I am an internal processor and I like my down time to think about things.  There are a very few moments when she is not talking. I always try to steer the discussions towards our missionary work, but her mind isn’t quite there yet.  She is from Calceia (close to Fortaleza) – actually from the ward where our bishop's son, Elder Curty, is serving.  It is a small world!

Wednesday, Feb 5 – District Meeting

            We had practices and Sister R. and I taught super well.  I just about cried because last transfer was so hard and slow.  I am running out of time once again.  I think that I already wrote mom about my health concerns and such.  Things are looking up down here – thought it is unrelentlessingly (unedited on purpose to show you how difficult it is to transcribe her letters now that she is forgetting her English.)  It never drops below 86 degrees even at night. Yesterday it was 104.8 with a heat index of 113.0…HOT! 

            It is incredible to see how much the last transfer helped me to prepare for this one.  I was reflecting on how this principle applies to so many aspects of our lives. We are constantly being refined and prepared for the next challenge in our life.  I love the poem that our prophet quoted last conference.   GOOD TIMBER.  I am starting to realize how the Lord tests, strengthens, weakens, and re-strengthens his followers in order to increase their faith, deflate their pride, and turn them into dedicated servants.  I have a long ways to go yet.  Heavens knows that there will be other down days or weeks or months, but that is part of becoming “good timber” – strong people, and strong followers of Christ.