Comings and Goings

-No mail at transfer day...I should get some in about a week and a half

Well it's been an eventful week and I don't have a lot of time to write because I had to make a calendar for our district. Well Elder M. had mixed feelings about being transferred. It's always a bit exciting and a bit scary to get transferred to a brand new area, but surprisingly he was a bit sad!! We had an interesting conversation right before he left that was similar to an e-mail Elder Tenny sent home. He told me that when we first became companions he was so disappointed!! He told me he had hoped he would never have an American companion his whole mission because he thought all Americans were stuck up, rich, and belittle Filipino Elders. He told me he was sorry that he had not treated me well. He said that every time we went on splits he missed me but didn't want to say anything! All this was a bit shocking to me...but pretty cool. He said, "If I get an American companion, he better be like you! Our companionship was not an easy one, but it certainly ended well. I wished him all the best as he was headed to the Lucena Zone!

Well transfer day is always fun. I was a bit nervous because my Zone Leaders said I might be training a new missionary. So at transfer day, one of the Assistants calls out a name from the pulpit and says for example, "Elder Yost is transfered....your new companion will be...." Put some pauses in there and it can be a little nerve racking. Anyways, my new companion is fresh from the Provo MTC, Elder J.! Yes, he's American! They told me I'd never have an American companion my whole mission! He's 19, from Clinton, Utah, and get this, about 6'7. Yep. Quite a sight!

He's a really good Elder! He's apart of a new pilot program that they're testing out. His batch was only in the MTC for 6 weeks. They want to see the fastest way to get the missionaries set in Tagalog. Six weeks is not long at all for a language that used to be 12 weeks in the MTC. I've smiled as I've reminisced back on my first weeks in the Philippines! We were in our first lesson that we were teaching about tithing. We'd planned some parts that he could do in the lesson. When it came to his turned, I waited, and he didn't say anything. I then looked at him and will this awestruck look on his face, he said, "I haven't understood a word that's been said!" I've had to teach pretty much the whole lesson and he testifies and extends commitments. We're really going to work to get his Tagalog to where he can teach. I know how it is, it's not easy but it comes!!

In the 9 areas in our Zone, 5 have brand new missionaries!! We have a good zone, and especially District!

The two themes I picked out in conference were Forgiveness and Families. The two really go hand in hand. One of my favorite verses in the Book of Mormon is when Nephi says in 2 Nephi 4:

"Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul."

May we do as he did and say the same. I will give place no more, for the enemy of my soul. Our Father loves us. He sent his only Begotten Son to pay the price, to give the gift. And all we need to do is use it. Apply it. Feast on it. Cherish it. "Don't Delay, it's getting late."

Love,
Elder Yost