In Raising a Boy

And so another week rolls by, and with it, more opportunities to do good! Heck yeah!

Is everybody happy this fine day? I sure hope so. Everybody, just make the choice right this instant to be happy and to always be upbeat and positive in all things! It makes life much more fun! Do it. I dare you.

I believe that I have gotten through this week by way of my ability to not let stuff get to me too much -- it's been a rough one. So I'm training my new baby boy, Elder Martinez!! He's a rock star: such strong faith, a huge desire to do good, and there's a fire in his eye when it comes to missionary work. That is EXACTLY what I was hoping for. Something I've seen a lot of on my mission, which drives me straight up the wall, is missionaries who just don't really care about what they're doing. I've seen a lot of missionaries stuck in ruts, unable to move because they think they're perfect already, or they just don't love these people, or they're trunky, or whatever the situation might be. Honestly, nothing bugs me in missionaries more than this. You gotta take a moment and decide why the heck you're really even here, you know? So...

Gosh dang it. I cut open my finger doing a service project earlier this week, and I just went to get something in my backpack and ripped it back open. Blah. Now I gotta type with one hand.

Anyway, if any of you reading this end up going on a mission, make sure you don't get stuck in a rut! Have fun with it! Enjoy yourself! And never let your own pride get in the way of another man's salvation, ya hear? You'll have me to answer to. And Christ, as well.

But like I said, Elder Martinez is awesome. He's from Dallas, TX, but his parents both speak Spanish, so he's already fluent, which has definitely been a plus. He's really natural with people and has found it very easy to connect. That's awesome. The only problem here is that every since this boy showed up, NOBODY is opening their doors to us. Not that people simply don't like us anymore, but it's just that nobody's been home and we really haven't gotten many lessons in at all. That stresses me out big time because I feel like Elder Martinez is getting pretty discouraged. But this very well may be a blessing from our Heavenly Father, as strange as that may sound. Elder Martinez might be having all of these experiences now so that he will be humbled and ready to serve whole-heartedly. I know that that's a tough thing to wrap the mind of a new missionary around - whole consecration - so in my opinion, better to learn that sooner than later, no?

I'm kinda stressed out at the moment, but I'm absolutely pumped about the way this transfer's gonna go, nonetheless. We've definitely got some rough edges to smooth out, but that comes with time. Everybody has something to work on every single day, so we'll just take it in baby steps to make Elder Martinez everything the Lord wants him to be! Woop!

I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I love you to bits! Muah!

-Elder Slavens

Elder Martinez