When I was
called as office elder, I had this image in my head of being stuck
behind a computer 24/7 just typing away, but I couldn't be more wrong. I
learned very early on that, if anybody in the mission needs SOMETHING
to be done, we're the ones who get the call. I'd never taken so
many taxi rides in my life, going to pay bills, buy or cancel boat
tickets, look at houses for missionaries to move in to, you name it, we
do it! During the week though, we had a crazy sweet blessing, when we
met up with President and Sister Mathews to make an executive decision
on what sheets to buy for new missionaries, when President told us, 'you
know, for all the running around you guys do, you might as well use
that last senior couple's car that we still own', SO, we became the only
missionaries in the mission WITH THEIR OWN CAR :D it's really quite
powerful. With all the errands we have to run, it's easy to say that we
have to 'keep the car running', because there's ALWAYS something to do
:)
A lot of this week was about me learning my
new responsibilities here in the office, which are many. I learned how
to make online bank transfers to pay for housing rent, power, and water.
I also get to buy plane tickets and boat tickets when transfers come
around, or when President or the Assistants need to go anywhere,
aaaaaand deal with any missionaries that call needing things. I had no
clue so many people needed so many things. Sometimes my mind gets caught
up in it and then I get like super stressed and I wanna throw a tantrum
but then I realize I can't do that cuz like, I'm supposed to be an
adult so I guess that's just not socially acceptable?? I had a few days
this week where President came in and just sat at the computer with me
for hours teaching me things, and I can easily say I've never had a
relationship with my mission President like I do now, so that's pretty
rad.
One of the glories of being an office elder is, since we're running
around so much, we do pass by many of the best places in Praia to eat
quite often. There's a chain bakery here called Pão Quente, meaning hot
bread, and they have like EVERYTHING. it's basically like lame Tim's, and
we eat there quite frequently.
I'd easily say the best part
about this calling is being with Elder Penner (codename: Penbaby
Sunshine). When I found out I'd be his comp, I was like, stoked and
stuff, but I didn't realize how glorious it would be! It's quite easy to
say that we complete each other. He feeds me the music and TV
references I so dearly miss, and I cook him the stir-fries and grilled
cheese sandwiches that make him happy. It ain't easy being an office
elder, but I'm pretty sure I got the best comp in the mission for it.
Nightly planning sessions take a long time cuz we just go off into rants
or pop culture references that go for a while, and then we have to
bring it all back again.
 |
| Penbaby Sunshine - aka Elder Penner |
As for our actual
area and missionary work (cuz I AM a missionary still), we work in an
area called Casa Lata, but most of our investigators live in an area
called Tira Chápeu. I thought that Bela Vista was like a sketchier,
poorer area of Praia, but Casa Lata and Tira Chápeu are defs sketchier.
Not that anything crazy goes on, but it's sad to see some of the living
conditions of the people here. We had a humbling moment last night when
we contacted a guy who has his mattress just laying outside of a front
door, cuz that's where he lives and sleeps. Because of our miscellaneous
responsibilities, we are only able to get out to work after 6 or
sometimes 7pm, but with the time we have, we make it worth it. Being
with Elder Penner, I feel like I'm having the most enjoyable time while
teaching on my mission so far. It's been the first time for me since
being senior companion where I feel that everything we're doing is
completely equal, and the Spirit we have in our lessons is honestly so
cool; Penbaby and I are crushing it every opportunity we have. We don't
have many progressing investigators at the time, but we're finding new
people almost every single day, and we've found some people who are
genuinely interested. There's been quite a few times this week where we
walk out of lessons and look at each other like, 'that was really really good'. It's honestly so much fun. I freakin' love serving with Elder Penner.
On
a funnier side, I've been trying to start a small trend throughout the
mission. For a while now, I've being using the word 'powerful' as an
adjective to describe a majority of things in my life, and now that I
get to talk with a large part of the mission on a regular basis, I'm
getting it to spread even more. It really started last transfer, with
the sisters in my district, and now it's catching on like wild fire!
Every once and a while I hear tales of ZLs on other islands using it in
nightly calls. It's the little things that bring happiness in this life
:)
Love y'all! Have a swellllllll week :)
Elder Massey, Financial Secretary of the
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