Week Twenty Five - Grateful for Change and Halloween Blessing!

Buenos dias mi querido familia y amigos! 

   Boy oh boy does it feel good to have a new companion!  Change is gooood.  Elder Haskell is great.  He is the first companion that I've had that actually seems my age, which is funny because he is the oldest in the mission out of the companions that I have so far had.  Elder Crockett and Sheffer seemed very mature and just older than me.  Elder Haskell is a real goofball, he is positive, laid back, and tons of fun!  I don't see how anyone could ever not get along with this kid!  I have a great feeling about this transfer.  We are also in a district again.  They reopened an old area, so our district leader is Elder Jones, and he is training a new missionary named Elder Welker.  Elder Jones is great.  He has been out 18 months.  He is a convert to the church, and was only a member for a year before going on a mission.  It amazes me because he has such an incredible, firm testimony in the gospel.  I guess 18 months of being a missionary will do that to most.  He is the only member in his family, and his parents don't know much about the LDS faith.  He says his mom always sends him useless stuff, like underwear!  hahaha!  He's a great guy, I think I'll learn a lot from him, and it feels good to be in a district again! 

   Halloween was on a weekly planning day, and we were asked to stay inside all day unless we had scheduled appointments.  But Elder Haskell wanted to go to WalGreen's to print off some pictures.  So we did!  And as we walked out the door, a man stopped us and asked us to give him a blessing for a tooth ache.  We were right next to the church, so that's where we went to give the blessing.  We got to talk to him for a bit and figure out his situation.  He is not a member, but his wife is a strong member.  He has held callings in the church like Scout Master, he obviously believes in the Priesthood power, and he reads the Book of Mormon regularly.  The only reason why he hasn't been baptized yet is because he has a "hard time" with a modern day prophet.  ?  I just don't get some people.  If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and he called prophets in biblical times, why on earth wouldn't he call a prophet today?!  We have the priesthood authority and the Book of Mormon because of a modern day prophet!  The Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just make too much sense for me to doubt.  Every bit of it!  Some people are so frustrating.  Probably more than just some people actually.  But we told him to read a general conference, gave him a chapter to read in the Book of Mormon, and the rest is up to him.  I felt like we handled it the best we could!  Halloween night we went to TacoBell for dinner with our district, and then went to a church building for a zone party where we mostly just played basketball.  Hijole I am out of shape!  We did insanity this morning and I about died!  Being out of shape is no divertido.

   Luis came to church yesterday!  I wish all of our investigators could speak English.  That would make things so much easier in an English ward!  Because Luis seemed to really enjoy.  He said he felt at peace even with all the crying and screaming babies and kids!  The Gospel is a gift from God.  The Church is true.  The Spirit is real.  The Priesthood is powerful.  Having an investigator at church is a good feeling.  I'm going to work hard to have an investigator at church every Sunday! 

-I recieved Grandma's package and Dad's letter.  Muchisimos gracias!  Exactamente lo que necesitaba!

-We do have daylight savings time here.  Luckily our district leader reminded us that night, otherwise we would have forgotten!  So we got to enjoy an extra hour of sleep, but now it gets dark here at about 5:30, which makes work a little more difficult.  Pero esta bien! 

-hoodies are perfect.  Gracias!

-you could just send me both the pants and the bag.  I'll still use my backpack for bikeriding, but that other one would be nice for meetings and suches.  Also, if you can find my CTR ring, I would love it if you could send me that tambien.  I believe I left it in one of the side pockets of my black, gym nike bag.  It's either behind the basement couch or in my room.  If the ring isn't in that bag, then I have no idea where it is, so don't worry about it.  No rush.

-for the most part, this week has been really nice.  I wore my coat once, and I'm wearing a sweater today.  It's still looks really green outside from what I can see, so I don't know.  I miss the smell of dead leaves. 

-Elder Haskell showed me a talk this week by Troy Dunn, a football player and EFY speaker.  It's called "Life is a football game" or something like that.  Probably the most entertaining talk I've ever heard in my life.  Y'all should check it out!

Welp.  That's my week.  All is well.  Love y'all and miss y'all as always.  Until next time! 

Elder Williams