Mason's Letter -- June 25, 2011

Hey Family,

This week was a lot less crazy. Andersen and I were talking the other day about how much strength the Lord gives us to be able to work in his vineyard. it's so true because some days we feel so tired, but we can always keep going and I don't know how sometimes. I feel really grateful for that. Well, the garage sale sounds like a success, that's way awesome.

Well this week was basically just a preparation for the changes. I've felt pretty sick all week and so has everyone else in the mission I think. everyone has diarrhea right now haha. It's weird. But anyway on Tuesday we had some extra time so we decided to take a trip to la lima to go on divisions there for a couple of hours to an area that is struggling. I was feeling way sick and it was one of those times when the Lord gave me extra energy to be able to work and keep going. I went with a brand new elder while Elder Lopez went with the senior comp. The new elder was way nervous I was with him and kept asking if he was like in a "test" or something and if I was evaluating him. I guess his comp had said we were coming to test them and see what the senior comp was doing wrong. haha I assured him we simply just wanted to help them find some more people to teach. So we got lost in the first 5 minutes and just went to some area in the bush. It turned out really well though because we found a bunch of people to teach. We found 2 new families that seemed really cool. Also we found an inactive member who lives with her non member family. so it was a success.

On Wednesday we did the changes. It was difficult because this change a bunch of awesome missionaries are leaving. There are 18 in total leaving and almost all of them have been or are currently Zone Leaders. So the leadership is going to be hurting a bit next change... and for that reason President Veirs decided to keep me in as AP for another change. I don't blame him though, the mission will need a lot of help next change with all the power leaving. Also they are all my way good friends so I will feel a little bit lonely in the mission when they leave. So I'm doomed for 9 months as AP. I think that's a record here. I've never heard of one being in so long. haha but obviously I need to learn something that I haven't learned yet.. I'm a slow learner ha.

Anyway it was also hard because with those 18 leaving only 8 are coming. Looks like the First Presidency is downsizing our mission. So we had to sadly close 5 areas. And we don't even have enough missionaries for all the unities that we have. So that's unpleasant to say the least. And among those areas closed.. my old area of los castaños was one of them. They just have not had any success at all for a long long time (the only time there were baptisms there was with Elder Guzman and I). So that hurt me a bit.

On Thursday we just got ready for changes and went and worked with the ZL's here in SPS. On Friday we celebrated the 2 year anniversary in the mission of elder andersen. so we went to Denny's for breakfast (it just opened up last week like a few blocks from our house). Then last night we burned his suit (that's the tradition). So it was a good celebration and I will miss him in the mission. We had a lot of crazy good memories together. For example last night we did divisions again (and I always go with him), Anyway we walked by a gay nightclub at like 9 pm and we got seriously cat-called by like 10 gay dudes. It was super gross. Apparently they like gringos. haha then we contacted another house and a lady came out, she said she was talking by Skype to her cousin that lives in new jersey. So she invited us in to talk to her on Skype haha. So we contacted her and tried to get her to accept a visit from the missionaries in New Jersey... she didn't accept. But it was a fun experience, my first Skype contact. So yeah my week hasn't been too exciting. This month it looks like we will not reach our baptism goal of 300. But it looks like 220 with 50 families hopefully.

Well I love you all. Thanks for all your support always, that's weird that everyone in the ward is getting home and now my friends in the mission are also getting home... also Elder Brown in getting married in august! Way weird. Tell them all I said hi.
 
Elder Mason Cardon