Transferred to Tacubaya

Mi Familia y Amigos,

 

This week was the last week of the transfer and boy did things slow down.  My companions had a rough time wanting to go out the door and work towards the end of the week.  A lot of this slowing down had to do with transfers.  It seems like when people find out they are leaving the area they just let up and slow down.  There was only so much I can do as a fourth member of a companionship but I took all the opportunities I could to make last minute impacts on this area.  I tried to get all of us out to work but one of my companions was rather upset about where he was going to be transferred and with whom.  Ultimately, I am really excited to go to my new area and have a fresh start.

 

My new area is going to be awesome!  I am headed toward one of the colonies in the very center of Mexico City called Tacubaya.  I am going to take a taxi to Tacubaya in about two hours to meet up with my new companion.  I don't really know anything about him so I will have to wait until next week to let you know more.  Like I said, I am excited for the fresh start.  I made many specific goals that will make it easier for both me and my companion to always be obedient and diligent.  I have heard rumors that my new area is going to be hard, but in every mission there's a "hard" area.  These "hard" areas only mean that people go into them thinking they are "hard" and that with diligence, obedience, and faith I can fulfill my purpose in the area.  There was a talk in the MTC about "hard" areas and that all it is is a mind set.  I am choosing now to think of it as a challenge but something the Lord can help me conquer.  For all I know, the area could be really fruitful and all the rumors are just that, rumors!

 

So I have officially completely 6 months as of a few days ago.  That night I took the opportunity to relfect over the past 6 months and see just how much I have learned.  I realized that my progress from day to day seems slow or sometimes nonexsistant but with perspective I could see tons of progress.  I still have SO much to learn and part of this pondering included making goals for the future.  I thought I would share a couple of them with you.  I made goals to read the entire standard works (minus the Old Testament), the entire mission library, and the Book of Mormon two times by the end of the year.  I made day specific goals where I read from the Book of Mormon every day the whole year and then a designated amount of pages from one of the other books I am reading.  Right now I am reading the Book of Mormon, Our Search for Happiness, and Preach My Gospel.  I have learned so much from making this goal and my personal study has become more effective and useful.  Not only has my testimony been strengthened but I have found some scriptures and knowledge that has helped my investigators also.  I also made a goal to always kneel when I have a personal prayer and take time to think and ponder letting the Spirit guide me in what I say in my prayers.  I have had some very special experiences recently because of this goal and have felt an increase in real and divine desire to work in the vineyard of the Lord.

 

I got the package that Brother Fairbanks brought to me and man was I grateful.  Everything in the package was amazing and I really appreciate all the thought and effort my awesome family took to make it.  I am especially thankful to Bro. Fairbanks for his willingness to bring it straight from Dallas to Mexico City!

 

I love the working in the vineyard of the Lord and am SO excited to start a new area.  I know that Lord is on my right side and angels are all around me.  I know that I am protected and qualified by the Holy Ghost.  I know that I am a disciple of a living Christ and that His Atonement makes me someone I could never, ever be otherwise.  I love all of you oodles and pray for you.

 

Love,

Elder Janis