Week 44 - Hello my friends & family!

What a change to be in the city and being a Zone leader! It definitely brings a lot of different experiences that are so new to me as a missionary! I guess first thing is, the amount of people I see every day! ha It is nice to be around the city and being in these big neighborhoods and whatnot. The area I am really in is pretty much how it was like at home, just suburbs and park, etc. I like it. It is different than the country in we don't have to schedule travel time for anything, but it gets traded out by different responsibilities we have with being Zone Leaders. Pretty much we have a lot of different things we plan for and everything, schedule in exchanges and meetings, get all those types of things figured out. There are not too many things that are stressful though, okay not really anything so far has been stressful. We look after 10 other companionships, but within that 10 it includes the Assistants, the Sister Training Leaders, then three companionships with District Leaders, then the rest are pretty much training, with two of those training just dropped from being Zone Leaders, so honestly our life right now isn't too bad. There are a few things that inevitably come up, and everyone still needs to have that help and motivation--which we can bring! But for the most part, they know what they need to be doing!

This week was basically filled with tracting and trying to find new people to teach. This last week we did find 3 people to teach, one of which I was here to actually find. We found this guy named David sittin' in the park. We were just walking around the park talking to everyone trying to just chat. We ended up sitting next to him, talking to him for like 45 minutes in the middle of the park on the grass! The conversation was basically us emphasizing and testifying that God loves us, and that through Christ we can overcome our addictions and pains. We ended up teaching him how to pray right there, and he said a prayer! It was pretty cool! At the end of it all, he was just talking and said, "Usually when guys like you come up to me and try to talk to me, I would get up and probably swear at you and try to fight you. But there is something different about you, I really can feel something when I chat with you." So that was a great testament to the spiritual integrity that we can bring so long as we do our part! Anyways, we were in the area the next day, and ran into him again as he was walking his dog! It was something else! He really is a great guy! He said he wanted to come to church and things were lookin' so promising, but then Saturday he basically said, yano, I gotta think about all this.. gimme some time and I will call you.. NEVER a good sign. So honestly, not sure what to think about all of that. We will follow up and see what goes on! 

Another thing I was thinking about this week as I was leaving my old area.. Why is it that you can be so close to some people after spending really so little time together? What I really believe is because the relationships you have when you are a missionary are built around the spirit, and the spirit is what binds us together. This is something that I once again think can be something that as a missionary we need to learn for the future. When you have relationships and friendships built around the gospel and spirit filled experiences, you are bound to become close as you are united in a great cause. 

This week will be lots of finding, going on exchanges, interviews with President Manion we got to put together, all sorts of fun! I am lookin forward to it!

OH!!!! My COMPANION! haha his name is Elder Laceste! What a guy he is! He is originally from the Philippines, but came from Vancouver! I will send a pic of him next week! We have a great time serving together as we have a lot of little things in common, but especially the way we go about missionary work. It makes it nice when you and your companion agree so readily and easily! I really look forward to serving with him for a while! I love you all! Talk to you next week!

Love, Elder McFall