Thursday, October 3, 2013

Transfers! God`s hand... - Email from 26 Aug 2013

So...this week was pretty crazy! So many things have happened...it`s incredible how each and every day can be an incredible journey in the mission. I really feel like every day is SO important now...it`s really a great feeling. :) Have you ever felt like every day is the same and that your actions one day really don`t affect the next? I used to feel that way too...however, I am beginning to recognize that every action and decision that we make really does affect us the next day, even the next week!

This week I learned how amazing the transfers really are! President was in his office a large part of the week, looking at the board with all of the photos of the elders and sisters in our mission. How intimidating! Every once in a while, Elder Muralles and I would receive a call...it would go a lot like this, `Elder Schofield, what do you think about Elder Smith as a trainer?` We then would give our opinion...but President always made the final decision!

The greatest moment was Saturday afternoon. Elder Muralles was pretty nervous. I think he really wanted to train his last two transfers, so he was expecting President to call him aside and tell him that he would no longer be AP. However, it never came! As we walked into his office, I could feel the excitement and the spirit that comes with the changes....I really could feel the spirit whispering to me as we sat down and talked with President.

After I said the opening prayer, we opened up the curtains and there were the changes!! We began analyzing each and every companionship, commenting in areas that may be troublesome and seeing where there might be some changes needed. It was an amazing experience, because the spirit was just so strong. I know that logically a lot of things might have been out of line, but with every companionship I just tried to focus on what the spirit told me. I could really feel with each and every one that it was God`s will.

In the end, we didn`t need to correct very many changes. President Rowley really had things all planned out, and I could feel the spirit witnessing to me that all is well. President told us in the end how amazing the experience is for him. He said that he just looks at the board and thinks about every elder and sister. Then, out of the blue he starts to look at one elder in particular and he can see him being a Zone Leader. He just sees it! He said that they might not appear to be ready NOW, but they really are ready for the job. He does the same thing with District Leaders and Trainers. I can only imagine what that must feel like...

As for the rest of the weekend, what a rollercoaster! We had a lot of things to do, and not really a lot of time to do it! We had to write all of the changes down and send it to President. In the middle of doing all of that, the power went out for two hours! That meant that we were locked up in the office without being able to really do anything...however, we got it all sent. :)

The next thing we had to worry about were the trainers! They receive their companions one day late, so we have to figure out who`s going to be with who and how they`re going to get there...etc. It was quite a lot of thinking and a bit stressful, to tell you the truth! Even more interesting was planning for the elders that are going home! THIRTY THREE missionaries go home today!! Can you believe it?? It`s kinda sad because Elder Turcios and Elder Ramirez are going home. :( my first two companions! It will be sad to send them off...I`m not sure if I`ll get to see them again...in fact, I highly doubt it....

The mission is hard, because you get to know so many wonderful, amazing people. You make AMAZING friends that are TRUE friends. Before the mission, I knew a lot of people. They were great! However, we weren`t working together for such a noble cause. We didn`t sweat together and work super hard in order to help other people accept this gospel. The links that I have created here in the mission field are strong, and it`s hard to think of them being broken...I don`t know what will happen after the mission, but I sure will miss these elders!!!

Anyway...that was what life has been like for the past couple of days! Thinking of all these changes is crazy...there will be 9 new Zone leaders! We only have TEN zones!! We`re going to have to train them all up because the next change there will be another 7 new Zone Leaders! What a crazy couple of transfers here in the Mision Peru Piura!

This week Elder Muralles and I have been getting along a lot better. It was pretty difficult for me. I`m pretty sure that he no longer wanted to be AP, he wanted to relax a little bit. When we found out that he still would be...he`s changed. :) I think that this next change will be a lot better. Now he knows that he`ll be here for two transfers more, so we`ll work a lot harder together and we`re going to have a lot more success, I can just feel it.

Sorry I can`t write much about our area! It`s honestly been a bit of a challenge. This area is full of rich people!! I`m trying hard, but we just haven`t figured out how to really work here. We teach only about 10 lessons a week! That`s pretty low...especailly considering the fact that I used to teach 30 or 40. :/ However, we`re trying hard and we`re going to be focusing a lot more on the less actives and converts. Hopefully they can give us references!!! :)

Well...I love you all! Say hi to everyone!!! OHHH!!! I can`t believe I almost forgot!!! I got my birthday package this week! Well, I got two!!! Tell Grandma Shaw thanks a billion!!! Also, thank you thank you thank you Mom and Dad!!!! The package is AWESOME!!! I don`t know how you knew that I just barely had to throw a pair of socks away...that was perfect timing. :) The candy is DELICIOUS. :) I forgot what I`d been missing!

Love you tons!!!!
Elder Schofield

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