New Cambio Same Companion

This week was the first of this cambio [transfer], and Hurtado and I set goals for this one so that through them we can progress much in the area.

One thing that makes the Envigado area harder than it already is is because we have the entire office working here too, and so the work of the ward that normally two or four missionaries handle is split between 9 and so we naturally have more hands working. But, for some reason many members think the office is filled with like the best elders of the mission, which isn't actually true at all, but the members give them the references and work with them more and kinda leave the two field elders behind, though we are the ones that actually dedicate the entire day to field work, and not just a couple hours. So, over the past couple weeks Hurtado and I have tried to build the trust of the members in us and now we are receiving many references and we have a whole bunch of first lessons that we are planning on having this week. References from members have a whole lot more potential to progress than street contacts normally, so it's always better that members give references.

One of those such references we met with on Saturday as I was on intercambios [exchanges] with Elder Crispín.  She committed to read and pray and attend church. She didn´t commit to a baptismal date though. But, she did attend church yesterday and brought her like 40 year old daughter also. After church, Isabel, (the reference) told us that her daughter (Luz Mary) has never enjoyed a church before but really enjoyed going this Sunday and we invited them to a Noche de Hogar [Family Night] that night in the Franco home.  They came and Luz Mary gave us her number and invited us to teach her and her family in her home and they both have loads of potential. We´ve got a couple first lessons coming up, and I hope I can give good updates on those in a week.

Hna Franco showed me the video of Talon coming home and I was like "Woah, weird". Also, another missionary in a different zone came up to me during cambios this week and told me that some hermana in his ward went up to him and was like ´I found a video of someone opening their call to Medellín!´ (she said it in Spanish) and it was me! She found my video on YouTube and showed it to the missionary and he approached me and told me and I laughed because it was funny.

Totally weird that Talon is home though. Give me the engagment updates. It´s weird partly because I was home and he was out for two years, and now he´s home and I´m out for two years. I expect when I get back we can all share mission stories and secrets in Spanish or whatever and have fun but still weird.

Swim team starts up in a couple weeks, doesn´t it? The first initial meeting should be pretty soon. Is Renen going to do it? I remember he wanted to when I left. 

Do something cool. 
People like cool.

 Pday Bowling!  It´s great to see Elder Tolman every couple weeks.

Bowling scores from pday. I got better! Make sure Mackenzie sees these. It´s important.

 We went to Hard Rock Cafe in Medellin to say farewell to Elder Ruiz

 

 Our own Best Two Years photo on our way to Hard Rock Cafe

 Elder Pastrana and me. 

Johnson baby, Johnson cowboy, Hicken, Hurtado

 "I get to eat American food"

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Always Great,

Élder Hicken