August 30th Week 46 Change Layton Utah Week 37(T1 Elder Favro)

皆さん！

 

The long-awaited transfer email. Did I keep you all waiting? Heheh.

 

...

 

We had expected big changes... but I don't think any of us expected what proceeded.

 

I've been transferred out of Farmington North, cutting Elder Roland's training short. He, in turn, has been transferred down to Bountiful... Spanish speaking. Yup - he's speaking Spanish now. Thankfully, he's taken six years of it in school, so it shouldn't be too hard to pick it back up. I'm excited to see how it goes and what he can do with that!

 

As for me, I've been transferred up to the Layton Legacy stake. We live four miles outside of the apartment, so it's a little bit of a walk. Thankfully, it's relatively flat, so we can ride bikes now!

 

The issue, of course, is getting bikes.

 

Oh, right - where are the cars?

 

With this transfer, President Johnson, under the direction of the Lord, has seen fit to readjust the boundaries of the mission, as well as where all the missionaries are focused. We have nearly doubled the Spanish missionaries in the mission, while increasing the number of companionships in the YSA wards from four to fourteen. As such, we now have over twenty companionships focusing on Spanish-speaking areas, and fourteen companionships focusing on YSA. Because they have such wide tracts of area to cover, all of the cars are going to them.

 

Which leaves us in the Syracuse zone with three cars - two going to a set of sisters and the STLs, and one going to the ZLs. Also, did I mention that we're not supposed to get rides from other missionaries anymore?

 

So the entire transfer has been something of a logistical nightmare. And with missionaries shifting all over the place, it's been kind of crazy. We've as of yet been able to get a bike for Elder Favro - who I'll talk about in a second. So we've had to rely on members giving us rides, and they've been more than generous on that front. It feels like we're inconveniencing them, but if we weren't to do so, we would be losing two to three hours every day where we could be working...

 

My new companion is Elder Favro! He's from the Pasadena area - and he's fresh to the field. That's right - apparently, the Lord has seen fit for me to train once again. It's only been a few days, but we're getting along well.

 

... So, uh, about the area - this is the third set of missionaries in two transfers. One of them went home, and the other became a zone leader. As such, there's not a ton of things going on here. We have a couple of leads we're pursuing, but it's hard getting things going again. We've had some amazing members that have helped us get acclimated and get to know some of the progress the area's made, but it's just hard to get everything sorted. That, on top of all the administrative things we've had to do, getting the district in order, and everything like... it's been such an adventure the past few days!

 

We're keeping busy - which is good. It's been an emotional few days. I've been in the Farmington North stake for nearly eight months... it's hard to leave a place and a people I've grown to love. I've learned so much from them, and it feels like I've grown up with them. There are such amazing people there - and I'm so grateful for the time I've been able to spend there serving them. I've seen miracle after miracle, and I've seen so many wonderful people draw closer unto Christ and assisting in the work. That, and we've seen amazing miracles as we've found people to teach!

 

We're excited to see where things go from here - change is hard, but miracles await this transfer, as they always are.

 

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? 

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

 

Love you all - you all are amazing! Take care - have a great week!

 

Elder Decker

デッカー長老