Dear family and friends,
This week with all of the departing missionaries leaving, and the new ones arriving, there was a lot of work to do. We had to prepare the return itineraries for those leaving, and do work at the police station with the new ones. When new missionaries arrive the mission home is BUSY! Even though we have our normal work to do in the office President and Hermana Lovell ask us to help with different events. We also give our office training and I did it for the first time this time as the official secretary. I feel the weight of the position and I am praying a lot about the specific things that I need help with from the Lord.
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| The Neuquén District |
I was able to translate for the senior couple from Buenos Aires again and that is always a cool experience to see how much Spanish has become normal to me now. The Lord really has given me a gift and I've got to be sure I never lose it. I love the Arnaudins, the couple from Buenos Aires and they want me to visit them after the mission.
This week I learned with the help of Jesus Christ anything can be done. I was in a jam on Wednesday night when I had to take 10 Latin missionaries to take passport photos, something necessary for what we were going to do at the police station the following day, and at the same time we had to make a payment for something important at the bank. I asked for all of the help in the office and we prepared the documents we needed to make payment. A few minutes before finishing we called four taxis. Elder Moser and my companion went to the bank and arrived 5 minuted before it closed. I sent the missionaries in taxis to the Kodak store and I followed in another. We barely accomplished what needed to be done. It may sounds like a trivial story, but I was so grateful when everything was finished. It was a success for the office and I learned that anything can be done.
I have also been praying that people in the police station and immigrations will help us out more. With all of the missionaries that went to the police station this week I saw the Lords hand in it all as I was inspired to start making small talk with the people that work there. They really opened up and started asking a bunch of questions about what the mission is like. I also gave them a good laugh when I tried to prepare their mate, a famous drink they have here that I had tried with Sister Packard at home, and I absolutely failed. One of the workers said "tengo una hija de cinco anos y ella sabe preparar el mate mejor que vos!" "I have a five year old daughter and she makes mate better than you do!" When we finished our work there I was grateful for the help they gave us, and that the Lord helped me to establish a stronger relationship with these people so we can do more work in less time.
All in all I feel like I am starting over in the mission. There are new faces in the office and I am just more comfortable being in the country now. I feel great and I little more willing to give all of my efforts to the Lord. I continue to feel good about my Spanish even though it always can improve. I love talking to people and hearing their stories, especially taxi drivers!
Another cool experience I had this week was when I took the time to say a prayer of complete gratitude for everything God has done for me. Not just during my time in the mission, but for all the blessings I have been given. I am so in debt to him and I love him. I forget that sometimes how grateful I am. It doesn't matter how bad things are for us, there is something to be grateful for.
I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Elder Kauffman aka Jack