1/05/10

Hey!

So I had a great week this week and I have a lot of things to tell you all!

So New Years was okay... we didn’t really do anything at all... but I’m okay with it to be honest. I like being a missionary better than celebrating and plus I have all of my life to do all I what to. The least I can do is give all of me to the Lord for these short years. I can celebrate New Year’s next year. We went to bed like normal and got up the next morning like normal. It was funny though because when we left the house at 9:30am to teach people NO ONE was out and about. January 1st is a national Mexican holiday and NO ONE works. On Christmas people work and such, but NO ONE does on the 1^st of January. It was a slow morning but we taught still and found people and all, it was just funny to see the roads so empty and such.

Church went okay... the ward struggles a bit and we really need to help people take more initiative. It’s tough sometimes but we stayed positive and had a number of great lessons.

Then on Sunday at night we found out we had CHANGES!!! CRAZY! I was not expecting it to be honest and I am now in Cuauhtémoc! Its pronounced Qualtemac in English... I think. Not sure how to tell you how to pronounce it but it’s a bigger city with a lot of members. I moved to one of the best zones in the mission and have a great companion! I am in the city and we have a big ward of about 120 people who come to church each week! Cool huh? When I was traveling everyone told me all kinds of great things about the area and city and I’m stoked. I was also surprised to received a new calling. The mission has all the missionaries organized into groups of elders and every group has a district leader and over about 5-6 districts we have a zone leader and then the next people up are the assistants to the president. But there is always a senor zone leader and junior zone leader together, and the junior zone leader is also a district leader of the district where the leaders are at.

That’s me. I’m the junior zone leader and district leader and I have 6 missionaries in my district. That means I have to do baptism interview, interview the missionaries and also lead district meetings. I also call them each night and help them out and keep track of them and such. I’m their leader, crazy right!? I also have an amazing companion to teach me everything and also teach me how to help him with all the zone stuff. We have 32 missionaries in our zone and we call all of the district leaders to check on them and ask how their districts are going and such. I am WAY excited and feel VERY humbled by the opportunity I have. I have a lot to learn, but since yesterday I have already conducted, lead, and taught district meeting; interviewed some of the missionaries in my district(they had companionship problems) and made calls as a zone leader to the districts. It’s a lot all at once but I know I have so much to learn and am very excited and grateful for the chance I have front of me. To be able to work with and learn from my comp, work with the assistants to president, and work closer to President Flores. I know I am going to learn so much. I know I can’t do it alone, my own talents and abilities are not enough. But it’s taught me so much about humility and allowing the Lord to really make us so much greater than we are. It is the Lord who can make us into great missionaries.

Also I realized how much the Lord has prepared me during my time here in the mission and how many of the current leaders have taken me under their wing and have taught me a lot. But all-in-all I’m just here to buckle down and do my best at where ever I am or whatever I am doing. The only title we have that matters is the title of being a missionary. It’s the title we are here to represent. I have seen a lot of leaders who get so lost in the pride of being a "leader" that they forget who they are here to represent and that it does not mean someone is better than someone else. No matter where the Lord puts me or what He needs me to do, I’m here to forget about myself and go to work. There is not much more to it.

I am very grateful to be here and for all I have been able to learn and for all that a waits in front of me. I love the work and KNOW with a perfect surety that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and real. That He loves us and we are here to share the happiness he has in store for us.

I love you all so much and thank you for all of your love and support!

Elder Andrew Davidson