Leaving the Bush (Bathhurst) and back to the busy city (Fairfield)

From: Joseph Weiss <joseph.weiss@myldsmail.net>
Date: August 11, 2014 at 10:34:29 PM MDT


HOLA!! Guess what!! I'm with Elder Urbina again!! I will probably end up killing my trainer. We are Zone leaders together in Fairfield. Back to the busy city. Our new zone has been known for being very casual about missionary work. I came into the flat yesterday and it was a mess. We spent a bit of time cleaning up. There is a culture that has developed that obedience is optional. Some missionaries go soft when things get hard and start losing the fire.

After all the experiences I've had on my mission it feels like they were all leading up to this. I've learned to be more bold and loving with missionaries. You've got to let people understand your expectations early on and make clear the good and bad so that they realize the choice they are making. Elder Duran taught me a lot about that on trade offs last transfer.

After being in tough situations my whole mission, an English ward seems like a piece of cake. Especially with Elder Urbina because we already understand one another and have a lot of respect for each other. We both bring different strengths to the companionship. He is a much better missionary. Yesterday we were back in Fairfield trying to get this cable for the GPS and he was talking to EVERYONE. It took us forever to get the cable because we talked to so many people, including LATINOS!! The gift of tongues is working. My spanish is coming back. I've been speaking about 50% Spanish to Elder Urbina. There is nothing like having a nativo around all the time! Hopefully I'll have three transfers with him speaking Spanish and then off to the Spanish ward to show off my newly found Spanish skills.

This past tuesday my companion and I were emailing at the library for P-day and I saw this lady that looked somewhat Hispanic. After circling the prey for a while I went up and talked to her. She was actually Maori and friends with our recent convert’s family. We talked and got her number and address.

Wednesday we were visiting old potential investigators from previous missionaries when Albi our RC's sister was walking past us as we were knocking this door. We asked where she was going. She said that she was meeting a friend at the Gym. We told her to bring him to Ping Pong that night and she did! AND HE CAME! I got to know him a little bit towards the end of the activity and invited him to come hear me speak on Sunday. AND HE CAME and stayed for all of church then drove with the youth an hour away to a fireside in Cowra. He did 7 hours of Church on Sunday!

Meanwhile Elder Williams and Elder Weiss pack up to get transferred out. But now there are sisters going in there so it'll all work out. I reckon Bathurst is about to BOOM!

It's good to be back in the city but I'm going to miss my friends in the bush so much. I used to think I'd never come back here. But now after leaving so many friends in the bush I've decided I will come back one day when I can. Once I'm filthy rich and stuff...

Love you heaps!

Elder Weiss