Elder Santos

Elder Santos

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

September 22, 2014

So it's definitely December 4th.

although there was a funny moment in my interview with President, when he asked me "When are you going home?" In my mind I was like "What're you doing asking me that?!"
But then I got an email from our travel secretary, and she confirmed that "you will be returning home on Demeber 4th". So, there you have it.
So, it's official. Last zone conference is behind me, I've said goodbye to a bunch of people, and the next time that I'm going to see President Mehr is for my final interview. That's pretty weird. But I've got some stuff to accomplish before then, so that'll keep me busy.
The musical number. Since I've talked about it so much, I feel like it's only fair that I mention how it went. Family, you know that song. Many of us sang it with the Milletts for our double farewell. It's not an easy one. I had Elder Fraley record it on my camera while we were singing, so you'll get to listen to it yourselves one day. When I listen to it, I notice the skewed timings, the lost parts, and some conspicuously missing high notes (A soprano! A soprano! My kingdom for a soprano!), but I can't say I'm disappointed, because I feel like we got just about the product that we worked for. And, considering the limited rehearsals, limited practice time, and limited personell (I say that, but for having to pick from a group of 18 random people, we still had an incredibly high level of musicality), I'm grateful that it turned out as much as it did. The good news is that Elder Zivic must not have been raised in the Santos household, because he wasn't as much of a critic as I was. I'm told that when we finished, he turned to President Mehr and said "wow!". After the closing prayer to finish the zone conference, he made a point of saying thank you for the musical number, saying that it was wonderful. Well, it's over now!
Besides that, it was a great zone conference, and I have exactly two pages left in my composition book. I figure I'll fill those up for the departing devotional, and then I'll come home with three important mission books. I'll have to digitize them at some point, and then I'll be able to share the cool stuff more fully.
The story for the week is that the Lord does some cool stuff. One of the things we talked about was the missionary mindset or paradime that we have here. We talked about needing to increase our faith and not allow ourselves to be limited by previous results or expectations. So, with that on our minds, we're been focusing on expecting miracles, and, well, the Lord delivers. Yesterday, we had one man teach himself the great apostasy, another opened up his Book of Mormon at the beginning of the lesson and said "I've been reading about baptism!", and another one asked for our help to stop drinking. My goal now is to just have miracles every day until I come home. I mean, afterwards too, but one thing at a time. Time goes fast; we're already in week three.
Anyway, that's a bit of my week. Is it weird that the thing that I write about the most is the song? Probably. But hey.
Love,
-Elder Santos

September 15, 2014

Last Zone Conference

...is this Wednesday. It will be with Elder Claudio Zivic, of the seventy. And yeah, we're doing a musical number. My brain doesn't know how to recognize a lost cause, so I can't say whether or not this will work. I'll let you know!
Also, I can't help but remember when I wear my Seahawks shirt that we're in the regular season already. Somebody want to update me?
This week featured a few cool Sunday morning miracles. At 8am, I was just starting to study when the phone rang. Old investigator, someone we hadn't talked to in several weeks after he...well, it was a mutual break. But then, he called on Sunday and was like "hey, I want to come to church!" So, I frantically called everyone in our branch, and we got him to church! Then, right before the meeting starts, another investigator drives up, completely unexpected. He's an older man, his health is always up and down, and he usually says "I'll try" when we invite him to church. Well, in the past, "I'll try" has always meant no. Like, not just with him, but with any investigator in all of my mission. Up until this past Sunday! It was pretty chouette.
As another quick update, Jean-Yves is doing great. He got the Priesthood last Sunday (did I already say that?), and has been studying like crazy in his scriptures. I love seeing the gospel just change people's natures. Everything is different. In fact, he told us that he went to see his docter this past week, and she told him that "I've never ever seen you smile like that!". He then started talking to her about the church and his recent baptism.
Wish us luck! If you happen to think of it during your prayers, I would much appreciate your asking for help with our musical number. I would like it to be good.
Je vous aime tous!
-Elder Santos


August 31, 2014

Ok, so the bikes aren't that bad anymore.

But on an unfortunate side note, Elder Broadbent totally took a dive this week. We were going to a rendez-vous in the evening, and we had to go down a slight hill to get there. Easy grass slope, right? But no, he decides to go for the cement stairs. Quote from right before he started "Get on the train!" He then started to bunny hop down the stairs, and actually got all the way to the last step before losing control and flying, superman style, over his handlebars. It's okay, he broke his fall with his chin.

No, but he's fine. His bike, less so. It landed on the derailer, and he now can only go between second and fourth gear. He still passes me sometimes.

The moral of the story this week, though, is that the only real missionary work happens around members.

Oh! If I may be so bold, I'm actually going to request that this part be chosen for the missionary update.

Dear members of the Pine Lake Ward (back in my day we called it Issy-two),
Salutations! I wanted to write to tell you how incredibly indispensable you are in missionary work. This week, again, a person who we were teaching told us that "If it weren't for [member friend], I never would have agreed to meet with you!" This same person came to church this week and is incredibly excited to read the Book of Mormon. The fact of the matter is that even the elect will not receive the truth if it is not presented in the right way. Because, let's be honest, what would you do if two strangers came and yelled at your house while you were eating lunch, telling you to change your beliefs and your life? So, I testify to you that you know people, right now, who will receive eternal life because you had the faith to invite them. The Lord has already hastened His work; I pray that we will hasten ours. 

I don't know what the word count is for this thing, so hopefully that will work. If not, well, I dunno.

Yeah, I'll tell you more about that one another time. But I love you! Transfer calls this week!

-Elder Santos