Monday, November 14, 2016

Week 58 (11/7/2016)

Happy Monday!
 
This week was fairly normal. The zone leaders decided to torture me again and had me switch roles with Elder Antonio so for another week I was the district leader. The worst part of it was that I had to give the training in the district meeting again...Just like last time they threw the training on me at the last minute....
 
Being the last week of the change we tired to put in a lot of work with the investigators to prepare them for the next months. We have several prospects for the next few months. It is a little hard when I don't baptize but I'm glad that people I've found were baptized after I left the area. Even though I don't see the fruit of my labor I know that I'm planting seeds of faith. :)
Today marks the end of my time in Allende and also as junior companion. Tomorrow I take a bus to Monclova. My new companion is Elder Gomez. He was in the Acuña zone with us last change. He's really funny and good at staying excited. I think this next area will be really good. I mostly hope that my new house is clean and that we have hot water. It's not very fun when the houses are hard to live in.
I've learned a lot about my teaching style in this area. I know all the lessons and whatnot but I sometimes can't apply them as well as I need to. There are so many different parts to missionary work and it's really frustrating when you can't get it all right but It is a really great learning process. I am sure that being a missionary is better preparation for life than basically anything else.
This week I saw some Northern Cardenals and a bunch of crows. It's weird that being in the area with more birds than any other I haven't seen many of the birds I saw in Piedras. Well, I guess that's how it goes. Haha!
Well, that's all for this week. We'll see how it goes in Monclova this next week. I hope that you are all well and that you have a great week!
¡Les extraño y les quiero!
-Elder Steiner

Week 57 (10/31/2016)

Happy Halloween! 🎃

This week was pretty normal. A little busy but mostly normal. On Sunday night we went to Acuña and spent pday there, like I said in the last email. That night we worked with the zone leaders. Elder Hernandez, my companion from Saltillo, and I went and looked for some references. One of them turned out to be a family of Jehovah's Witnesses. Those contacts are always interesting... Haha!

On Tuesday we had our zone meeting. The zone leaders directed the meeting towards helping us set goals to improve. It was really good because we were able to set goals as a whole zone and work together on improving.

On Friday Elder Paredes came to work with us and help us improve as a companionship. He gave us lots of help in our area and helped us recognize how to improve individually and as a companions. One big thing I have seen as a missionary is how much change happens to each of us. More than ever in my life I have been able to apply the Atonement and work on cutting ever bad quality from my life. There are always things to improve but I know that as we come unto Christ and perfect ourselves in Him we truly can improve.

Halloween here is a lot less exciting than at home. Halloween was never really my favorite holiday but at least mom would put up a bunch of fall decorations and stuff. I haven't really seen any decorations up and there has been no pumpkin carving so that's kind of boring. I think we may go look for candy later today but other than that Halloween as a missionary is basically a normal day. Haha!

Again, no specail birds this week other than the ravens everywhere. I guess they kind of go with the Halloween theme. It's also not bad because they're my favorite bird.

That's about it for this week. I hope you are all well and that you all have a lovely Halloween! Thanks for everything!

-Elder Steiner

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Week 56 (10/24/2016)

Happy Monday!

I don't have a lot of time because we're in Acuña and we're cutting pday a little short to spend time with the other elders.

Not a lot different happened this week other than that the zone leaders made me district leader for a week. I had the chance to direct lessons and the area just like senior companion. It was a good learning experience because I got to work out my own teaching style rather than simply following my companion. I've been able to direct area a few times before and to lead in the lessons but for a whole week helped me learn how to be more effiecient and effective in lessons.

Today we came to Acuña to spend time with the zone leaders and to be here for the meeting tomorrow.

I didn't see any new birds this week but there was a huge flock of Chuhuhuan Ravens in Allende this whole week. There have always been a few the whole time I've been here but the number of crows this week was crazy. Almost everywhere we went we would see a group flying by.

Well, that's about it for this week. I hope that you've all had a good week and that all is well.

-Elder Steiner