1/10/22: New Year, New Me

 I totally forgot to write and email last week which was sad cuz new years was an absolute blast. We had 4 dinners in one night and a sketchy Bolivian firework show. I ate so much pork that night and didn't regret it even when I was sick all the next day, but I gotta break and the stomach eventually I guess. Overall we got the full Bolivian Año Nuevo experience.

Another highlight was exchanges with Elder Davis. He's one of my buddies who came into the mission with me. Right now he's training an American with close to no Spanish so he's kinda on his own for teaching, and I working right now to help my companion find love for missionary work and some days get out the door, so it was awesome (and a bt relieving) to team up with Elder Davis for a day where we both could teach together and worked the entire day. I truly forgot how much could get done in a day. I thought for a moment, why doesnt the Lord just team us up as a companionship? We could get so much done. But in reality the Lord needs our strengths elsewhere. It's probably something my old trainer, Elder Peñaranda thought as he was my companion trying to teach me, helpless gringo, how to be a missionary. He probably could have been more effective with another comp but he made the sacrifice to help me learn how to be effective, and I sure am grateful for it. The ways of the Lord are the most effective, even when we can't see it. We just have to follow His will in the work and not our own.

Speaking of my own companion, Elder Callata, he really has take the philosophy "new year, new me" to heart. It actually incredible to watch his change in attitude towards to work for the better. I was absolutely blown away when we did weekly planning and he carefully went down the list of all the people were teaching and thoughtfully planned a lesson for each of them, something I normally would have had to attempt on my own. Also his teaching has life and excitement in it. I know this has been an answer to many prayers of my own and leaders. Ts strengthened my testimony of prayer and given me the knowledge that God really is with us in every moment we turn to him.

I hope everyone has had a great start to the year!! Talk to you all next week.



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