In Greer

November 18, 2018 

Okay well it hasn't been too long since the last email, but alas a lot has happened in these 4 or so days. Transfers was on Thursday, we had to get down to the stake center early in the morning and transfer up. I got elder Barrus right away and we went quickly into the area. That day not much happened because we had a whole debacle with the other elders not giving us the password to our phone and them being in the temple all day. But we did finally get it and we were also able to go over to the Bishops house that night. There at the Bishops house we talked about the vision for the Ward and the Hispanics in the ward. Here in Greenville 2nd we cover both English and Spanish. The bishop wants us to help campaign for more unity in the ward, so that's what we've been working on. Also something to note is that I had the great idea that when we go over to the bishop's house we should bring flowers for the wife. The Bishop was quite impressed with this and said it was the first time that it has happened in the 4.5 years that he has been bishop. 

The next day we went and tried to track down all the members that bishop had given us to see. We saw a couple of them, one of them being English and the other being Spanish. The Spanish family (the Lozanos ) fed us dinner of papas con chorizo y frijoles. They are a super cool family and has a son that has 17 years that can go out with us while he is preparing for his mission. 

Then the next day we spent the first part of the day seeing some less Actives, and surprisingly enough everyone that we went by to see was home and let us in, so that was super cool. Then at night we had one of the stake high councilors and his wife invite us to this Bi stake singles Thanksgiving dinner event. And normally we wouldn't go to that sort of thing, especially since we already had a bunch of plans, but I felt something tickling in the back of my brain that we should go. So we went there and helped set up and everything and the event starts and there are about 10 people there, all members, none in the Greenville 2nd ward. So I'm thinking great this was a waste of time. But then the lord chastised me for doubting and in walks in 6 Hispanics, 3 of them non members brought by their friends. One of them is named Ruben who has been coming to church in the 2nd ward for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Then there was Miguel who brought him who is the member in our ward. So we're like oh wow this is awesome. And it turns out that Ruben is so solid that he's signing up for these study groups with the singles and wants a triple combination and all this stuff. Then later we meet this Columbian member from the Simpsonville first ward and her friend that she brought and members were able to talk to her about the gospel and everything. Man super awesome and the lord works in mysterious ways.

Sunday was church we had ward council where we discussed our idea to bring unity to the ward by going over to members homes and sharing a message that we have already prepared centered around the talk One with Christ by Elder Soares. We met a bunch of members got invited to 20 different homes for Thanksgiving, although I limited myself to 3 dinner appointments. Don't want to get fed too much. We also went out with a member to do some ministering after church to a part member, child of record family. And that went very well and we got a return appointment to teach the family. That day we also had a dinner appointment with a member.

Today we are playing risk with some less Actives and my empire of Asia and Australia that I've been holding for a while is getting burnt Down and this next turn might be my last. How the prideful will fall. 

Elder Bertoch