Okay so this week has been a long week filled with goodbyes as well as a nice fresh start.
Monday we didn't have any appointments with anyone and didn't have any miles on our car to go try for people, so we stayed at home with the English bike elders who can't go anywhere unless they have a ride because one of them has a torn meniscus. So we stayed with them and made a big dinner and had fun with them, while we still could all be together. One of the elders there continued to teach me on the guitar for a bit so that I can continue to be able to play it when I'm gone and all.
Tuesday was DDM and goose creek manner as usual in the morning. At DDM we had a really good testimony meeting all together, since every companionship in the district was being changed up. It was pretty sad knowing that it was one of the last times that all of us would be together, so a lot of tears were shed, since we had all grown so close together and each person there had become some of my best friends. Then we had time to sign everybody's airplane journals, which was just as sad. Then after that we decided to go get lunch with all of us together for the last time, so we went to Cook Out. There more good times were had until it was time to go off to the old folks home, where it was the last time that 4 of us would be singing there. We did the usual singing that we did each time, but once time was almost up the 4 that were departing sang God Be With You Till We Meet Again, which was probably one of the best performances that we had there I might add. Then later we had to say goodbye to everyone, and one of the best people there, Shirley. Once we all said goodbye to her it was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Shirley was so sad that everyone was leaving, and everyone who was leaving started to cry because we wouldn't be able to see her again. It was a very hard time, but at least I had gotten the chance to get to know her. That afternoon we went home and I started to pack a bit, before it was time to go out to my farewell dinner with one of the members and the hermanas. We had a really good dinner there and a super fun time. Then after the dinner it was off to English class, where it was the last time that I would be teaching it there, so I made sure to give it my all. We had another super good turn out for English class which was super cool, and another good turn out for the spiritual thought, so it was nice to end it on a bang. Then we went back home and hung out more with the other elders.
Wednesday was my last day in Charleston so we made sure to get appointments with everyone that I wanted to see. In the morning I finished packing and helped some of the other missionaries figure out everything with getting new mattresses for people who were getting a third companion and figuring other things such as that. Then in the afternoon I can't really remember what happened. But at night we went to a members house to help her get some appointments for her patriarchal blessing and for a temple recommend interview. Then I had her sign in my airplane journal and we said goodbye. Then we went over to Gustavo and Abigail's for the last time and we had a good time there. They wished me well in my new area and we watched some different bible videos to show them how we believe in the same Jesus and all. Then I had them write in my journal and then we left. Then we came home where we hung out with the elders for one last time at night before heading off to bed.
Thursday we woke up and waited until 8 o'clock when my ride was picking me and another elder up. We said some final goodbyes to everybody and all was good there. Then our ride picked us up and we were on our way to transfers. After arriving at transfers I went into a training meeting. Then after that was over the transfer meeting was just about to begin. I found some old missionary friends and sat down with them as we waited to see where we would all be going. Then the time had come when my name was brought up and I was told I was going to Columbia and my companion was Elder Mar. Elder Mar was born and raised in Mexico, and has been living in Provo for 2 years. He speaks pretty good english. He can understand almost everything, but he still has a pretty thick accent so it can get pretty difficult to understand him. So we were together and without a clue what to do in Columbia. We then said some goodbyes to the people in transfers and started on our way over to Columbia. When we got to Columbia we found out that we were moving into a different apartment, but the Elders in the apartment that we thought we were moving into, had no clue that we were moving into that apartment. So we had a whole ordeal with calling back and forth with the mission office to try and figure out which apartment we were moving into. Finally the zone leaders called president to see what we should do and he said that we should have the apartment that we thought we were moving into and that the zone leaders should move out immediately. So that was a whole debacle and everything and it took up quite some time. But after that was over we went all our different information that the other missionaries had left with us, we also started contacting all the different investigators that they were teaching and started setting up appointments with all of them. Then we were told that we had a soccer night that night so we went to the church, but there was no one there. So we called the lady in charge of it and she said that she had cancelled it because she knew that we were all being changed and the like. So we went back on home and talked a bit before going off to bed.
Friday we had a meeting with one of the hermanas that is an english stl that had served here in the branch before, to see what she could tell us about some of the different members and such. Then we had studies since we have a lot of those to do now since I'm training and that took up the whole afternoon. Then we went to knock some different former investigators, but none of them let us in. So we went down to an appointment that the other elders had apparently set up for us but she slammed the door in our faces once she saw who we were so we went to knock on some different formers around her instead. There we found Fidencio and David, two guys that live together and they were really excited that we had come by because they really want to go to church and change their lives. So we set up a return appointment with them for the next day and then left for english class. The english class here and the english class in Charleston are super different. Here we only have an attendance of 2-3 each week so its not nearly as exciting or anything. But it is cool because one of the people there is our most progressing investigator and everything, so that's at least cool. Then after english class the day was over and we went to bed.
Saturday we had a meeting with the senior couple that is in the branch in the morning where we got more informaiton on how the branch was being run and some of our investigators and all. Then after that meeting was over we went and did more studying before the baptism in Charleston that I was skyping into. The baptism was so awesome. It was super spiritual and was so awesome to see Raiana and Elmir get baptized and to see them so happy and everything was super awesome as well. It was pretty cool because there were 12 other missionaries skyping into it as well because those were all of the ones that played a part into them getting baptized. Watching the baptism definitely helped me out with some stress that I had working down here and everything. It really just made me a lot more happy and a lot more excited to work, although it did make me miss Charleston some more but I'm sure that I'll be able to go down there again a different time. Then after the baptism we went down to see Fidencio and David, but unfortunately they were completely wasted drunk, but my naive trainee not knowing any better tried talking to them and wanted to teach a lesson to them but I eventually got us away from them and then explained to my trainee that we don't waste our time with drunk people because there's no way that they will remember whatever we say to them. So we went to a taco stand and got dinner there and had a good time until it was time to go to one of our investigators that the hermanas had left us. But unfortunately they wouldn't answer the door, I'm thinking its because they didnt know who we are, so I called the hermana that had taught them last transfer to see if she couldnt contact them to let them know who we are or something.
Sunday was a super good day. We started the day off with a missionary correlation meeting, but our ward missionary leader didn't show up, so it didn't actually happen. Then later we had church. We first met the presidency who are all really cool. We got appointments with each of them as well so that was nice. Then church started with the classes first, so we had gospel principles which was super nice and was taught pretty well. I couldnt really follow along though.
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