A Downer Week

Dear family and friends,

 

           This week's been a bit of a downer week for me. Eltoniesha decided she wasn't interested in getting baptized AFTER SHE PASSED HER BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW! She could be baptized any day of the week but no, she just decided that she didn't want to be baptized. She won't even tell us why. There's a lot more to the story than that but suffice it to say I don't think Eltoniesha's getting baptized. That's the fifth investigator with a baptismal date that we've had to drop since I've been here. That's depressing. The referral from the MTC also texted us 10 minutes before her appointment and said that he didn't want to be baptized anymore after we tried to contact her throughout the entire week. What on earth is wrong with these people? Why can't they ever get baptized? It seems like no matter how golden they start out they somehow change their minds once the baptism comes up. We have nobody to teach right now, although Brother Maznio (Eltoniesha's fellowshipper) actually gave us a referral! Oh my goodness do you all know how long I've been waiting for a referral from a member? It could not have come at a better time! According to Brother Maznio she says that she's been "feeling a void in her life". She sounds golden but time, and actions, will tell how sincere she truly is. I believe that this experience is showing me how I need to stop relying on other people for my happiness and how I need to take charge and become more emotionally stable.

 

                  I think I've also learned a valuable lesson on loving people (even if they make really big mistakes). This experience is also showing me a thing or two about patience (my mission has been really good at that). Faith, and guarded hope as Elder Bell called it, is another valuable lesson I'm learning. 

 

         Stake conference was this week. The stake presidency got released and now the Glendale North stake has a new stake presidency. There were two members of the Seventy there, Elder Villareal and Elder Malm. Elder Malm's a really good speaker. President and Sister Taylor were also at Stake Conference. Brother Wright (one of the members I'm living with) suggested to President Taylor that I'd go well with Elder Adona, another missionary who's been in their home. President Taylor actually liked the idea, according to Brother Wright. I wonder if I'm going to be transferred on October 19th (that's when the transfer ends). The Wright's kept making jokes on Sunday.

 

Love,

 

Elder Boothe