Doing Well in Huel...va

This week I complete 6 months in the mission- I can´t believe it. I remember when my trainer, Hna. Cano told me she´d been out for 9 months, and I thought she was so mature and wise. (She was). Things are a little slow here still. The few investigators we had don´t really want anything at all, but there are a lot of less active members and part member families to work with, and I think that´s where Hna. Brown and I will focus our efforts.

I think it´s felt slower and harder here because I don´t have so many investigators to love, but I´ve decided to focus on the people I do love. To name a few:

There´s Cristal, a single member that begged the bishop to let us come live with her as soon as she knew we were coming, and who invites us to eat each week. She makes a large meal that she can´t eat, being diabetic, and sends what we don´t finish home with us.

Matthew and Joy are a less active Nigerian couple, who are only less active because they don´t have money for the bus to get them to church, but are now getting the help from the ward they need. Matthew speaks like Sir Percy from the Scarlet Pimpernel, but with a Nigerian accent, if that´s possible.

Galicia, Gabriel and Alina are a family from Colombia- and the son served in the same mission as Mark. They´re all very willing to help with missionary work, and all are very kind to us.

Our ward mission leader, Antonio, made sure we had the help we needed to get our gas line working so we didn´t have to take cold showers in the morning, and helps us in finding work and in our confidence.

And of course I love my companion. I feel like I´m being forced to face one of my demons this transfer- envy. Hna. Brown is everything I was jealous of growing up- a cute 4.0 student, who plays every sport, dances, and is a social butterfly. Really, the only solution I¨ve found to envy, surprisingly, is praising her, noting all of her good qualities and building her up in the one area she seems to be lacking (Spanish). Let´s see if I can keep my demons at bay.

Another thing that´s really helped me is focusing on what I have been blessed with- not talents, but the life I¨ve been given. Whenever I start pitying myself, I think of all of your faces and know that I could not have been blessed with a stronger or more loving family. I wouldn´t trade that for any other blessing- what good would any other blessing do me if I didn´t belong with each of you?

I thank you all for your letters and prayers- I love you and appreciate you all more than ever before. Give the kids a hug and a kiss from me and tell them I love them.

Love, Hna. Johnson