Happy
Thanksgiving my wonderful family and friends,
I hope that you are
all having a wonderful thanksgiving weekend. I completely forgot all about it
until I got online and everyone was telling me happy thanksgiving!
So as you know, last
week I was transferred from Angelim to Poti. The area was closed sisters and
opened to elders. This was due largely because of the dangerousness of the
area. When I first found out about the transfer, I was actually pretty torn. We
had so many progressing investigators that I loved with all my heart and wanted
to help...but I know now, after one week, that the Lord truly knows what is
best. I prayed that he would provide me the opportunity to literally double my
efforts as a missionary. Unfortunately, my trainer really didn’t do much
training. She never allowed me the opportunity to assist in planning,
scheduling, etc. It was quite frustrating. I prayed that the Lord would give me
the chance to put in more of my personal efforts.
And so he has. I was
transferred to the Poti ward. I’m living in Dirceu2. My companion is Sister
Glieciane. Last week, I confused her with another missionariony- Sister Maffra.
Sister Glieciane is serving a cortopraza; a mini mission, and I am her trainer.
I am absolutely blessed beyond compare to have been given this opportunity at
such a “young age” in the mission field.... I’m only in my 4th month....2nd
transfer in the field. And on top of it all.... speaking a different language!
My language gets better and better every day. I understand 100 percent of what
people say, though it’s still at times difficult to respond, depending on the
context of the conversation. I have already discovered it is almost impossible
for me to speak English now. I’m so unaccustomed to it at this point, it tasted
strange leaving my mouth. Sister Skudder, from New Zealand, asked me to pray in
English on a division we had yesterday..... I could not do it. Simply could not
remember words. I have no problem writing or typing, but I just can’t talk!
So we are blowing
numbers out of the water here. Dad sent me an email last week simply
saying....just double your efforts. With the transfer, we were 2 days without
work, on Monday and Tuesday. But we still reached, and went over,
every single one of our goals for the week. We taught over 30 lessons, have 16
new investigators, and 3 huge families. I got here....and spent all
morning Wednesday and Tuesday night, pouring over the area book.
The missionaries that came before me literally made me sorrow for the errors of
man. They never kept up with the book, and just were not teaching. They
averaged 10 lessons a week.... and when I got here there were only 4
pesquisadors. None progressing, obviously none ready for baptism. So we went
out, and we did everything we could to find people. We first went to member’s
homes and pretty much choked references out of them (in a nice way) and then
they walked with us to the first lesson.
Thursday we were
walking home and I saw a house with a sign for AVON. I thought....perfect
opportunity. Knocked on the door...asked for a catalog...thumbed through and
talked about random nonsense and the weather....and then was like oh hey...we
have a church right down the road....blah blah blah....NEW INVESTIGATOR. Next
up...the hair dresser... milk man...homeless guy down the street. I am
ABSOLUTELY falling over with excitement for this work. My companion is amazing
and we work so well together. She’s going to be such a great missionary. She is
so loving and serves everyone around her.
I love you all so
much, sorry that I don’t have much more to say but just know.....I’m still a
missionary. The work is rolling forward. Today is a GREAT day to be a
missionary!
Anyway. Love you all
so much.
Sister Wainwright
Ali's Bethsheba shower!
This "waterfall" is basically a giant sewer system. Sister Wainwright says the smell is awful!
Her bed sure looks cozy!
Baptismal goals and such things...
Not quite sure why she's so obsessed with this pineapple, but they named it Shawn!
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