Dear Elder Slavens: Even If You're On the Right Track, You'll Still Get Run Over If You Just Sit There

I'm back!! And better than ever!

How is everyone?? I know I ask that every week, and I can't actually get any legit responses, but just know that I care!!

Anyway, this has been such an awesome week! Lots of changes, and I really am doing better than ever. I got transferred this past Wednesday to a little town called Wendell, Idaho! It's teeny-tiny. Like, I thought Buhl was small. This is like half of Buhl, for realz. I didn't even know towns like this existed, but you learn something new every day, don'tcha? But anyway, Wendell is stinking great! Despite the tininess. There's actually more cows residing in Wendell than people, so that got a chuckle out of me.

My new companion is Elder Johnson from Georgia. Coolest dude in the world. He just loves this work and is helping me so much to really appreciate why I'm here. I've only known him for a couple days, but I just know we're gonna get a ton done together! We really take excellent advantage of our time and do our best to visit people who we feel truly need our help at that moment, so I feel like I'm being much more efficient than I was last transfer.

I've already met so many cool people here in Wendell and can't wait to get to know all of them! The interesting thing about this area is that Elder Johnson and I are only covering Spanish (unlike Buhl, in which I covered one English ward and all the Spanish-speakers), yet the area doesn't have an actual branch in Spanish. Basically, all we've got is like a group of Spanish-speaking members who don't belong to any ward or branch, and we're trying to figure out what to do with them! On top of that, Elder Johnson and I aren't even assigned to a specific ward ourselves, so we're all just a bunch of vagabonds trying to find a place in this world. It's quite the adventure. But I'm learning lots from it! Learning how to be resourceful and not waste time on the unimportant stuff.

So I WAS ON CONFERENCE!! Oh my gosh, did you guys see that?? I kinda freaked out a little. It was pretty darn funny. So Elder Valenzuela from the Quorum of the Seventy started showing pictures of the Mexico City MTC, right? And I was like 'Oh, that's where I went! Cool!' So he showed a picture of the courtyard of the MTC, then he showed a picture of a couple of sister missionaries walking along, and I elbowed Elder Johnson and was like "I bet you he'll show a picture of me!" And then the next picture WAS OF ME! I was laughing so hard, I couldn't even focus on like the next three talks. So yeah, I suppose I'm famous!!

Anyway, things are going so well right now, and I can't wait to get to work! I love my mission and the opportunity it's giving me to learn how the spirit works for me, and how the Atonement of Christ applies to me personally. And I love helping others apply those things to themselves as well. Everyone have a beautiful week, and I'll talk to you soon! Muah!

-Elder Slavens