8-15-11

This week for me was really good!! We didn't end up having any baptisms and I got sick again, I really getting tired of being sick so much, and I keep losing weight, I now only weigh 189lbs pretty crazy huh? I weighed 265 when I left! On my agenda that I have, I always put a picture of the family on there, and people always ask where I am in the picture and when I point at me, they don't believe me because I guess I look really different now! haha, and they always say that I looked like a bully, because I use to never smile in pictures haha! They say I am like the bully from the tv show Malcolm and the middle, I guess that show is pretty popular here! And the whole WWE wrestling is a big deal here and they all say that I look like John Cena, and lots of them call me Elder Cena, I think mainly because they cant pronounce my name! But anyways I am starting to think that this whole me always being sick thing isn't too good for me, I just hope its not doing permanent damage to my stomach, but who knows! Even though I was sick this week and we couldn't work too much we still managed to find lots of new investigators and we put 3 baptismal dates with three people that we found this week, they are set to be baptized on the 28th of Aug! We also have about 2 or 3 other people that we are working with and we plan to put baptismal dates with them as well! We will see what happens in the next few days! Other than that everything is pretty much the same! Time just continues to fly by, we are already on the last week of this transfer, so who knows if I will still be in this area in 7 days! Because for some reason they like to move me around alot! Its okay though, Im use to it! I now actually kinda like it! This way I get to know lost of people and lots of places! But On wed we had interviews with the president, and he said he likes to keep elders in one area for 4- 6 months, so we will see what happens, I really dont think I want to be in one area for that much time, I am just so use to changing so much!!
So let me give you a brief summary of my week!

Tuesday, I woke up really sick so we just went out in the morning and worked a little bit but then we just decided to go home and rest, then in the evening we had out meeting with the ward mission leader, that went pretty good! Then after we went and taught a lesson really fast then came home for the night!

Wed- We had interviews and my district had to be there first so I had to be the offices at 7am, and me and my district were all on time, but no body who had keys showed up until like 730, oh well, its the Mexican style to always be late! I am use to it! The interviews went really well, but I was there until like 1pm because I had to wait for everyone in my district to get interviewed! After that we headed back to the area and went and visited Eddy, a young man that we recently reactivated in the past few weeks! He has really progressed, he now goes to church every week, and he bought a white shirt, dress pants and a tie, so they he can wear them to church! He now says that he wants to go on a mission! Even though he was baptized awhile ago, its really nice to be able to reactivate people as well! After that we went and visited a few investigators and visited a few members, to see how they were doing!! then we had an appointment with Maria, who we just recently baptized, that went very well and she is doing great!! Then after that we headed home!

Thursday- In the morning we went to teach an investigator, her name is Maria as well, to be honest id say half the women here, maybe not half, like one third of the women here are named Maria, from the Virgin Maria, there are some names Maria de Guadalupe, or Maria de Jesus, o maria de los Angeles! But anyhow, we taught here, and she accepted, but there was one problem, she isnt married to her husband, well I guess that would make it her boyfriend, but thats a really big problem here, for some reason no one gets married, I guess maybe its the lack of money, or just the lack loyalty! Who knows!! But we put a goal with her that she would talk to her husband to put a date for when they Will get married! We will see what happens! Then after that we knocked a few doors, but they all rejected us, oh well, life as a missionary! Then we went and ate! Then we Had an appointment with a few investigators and we found a new one, and we are planning on putting a baptismal date with one this week! Then after that we had a family home evening with a part member family! Fue muy bien!

Friday- Another sick day, but in the morning we had promised to help a lady in our ward move! So we did that, and it didnt take up too much time, we got done at about 2pm then we went and ate lunch, then after that I felt really bad so we headed home and I slept the rest of the day... pretty boring day!

Saturday- We did divisions with a few elders in our district, that went really well! We found lots of new investigators and we put 3 baptismal dates!

Sunday- I woke up throwing up but we went to church, and it went really well, but I just felt sick the whole time, but oh well! Then after church we went and ate with some members then we headed to the house of some of my converts, that live in one of my old areas! That was really fun to see them and how they have progressed in the church since that last time I had seen them!!


Well that's my week! I hope that you are doing great and I wish you a great upcoming week!

Love

Elder Stradling