Mawwage

Happy day, everybody!! Is all's y'all having a good one? I sure hope so! I know I am!

This has been a sick nasty week. We didn't get huge numbers in terms of lessons taught and stuff like that, but a shortage on numbers has never really bothered me when it comes to missionary work. We've been focusing less on boosting the numbers and more on just helping those that need it, be they investigators or members or whatever. At least, that's what I've been focusing on personally. I really believe that I'm here just to help people, not so much to look good in the eyes of my Zone Leaders and whatnot. I've never really cared much about things like that, I guess. Anyway, this week ended up being more of a member-focused week: we did lots of service and formed stronger relationships with lots of the members in our area, which is always super fun and rewarding! We're hoping to see some referrals coming our way soon so we can hop to it and start teaching more people!! You have no idea how much I love these people, you guys. The Hispanic population here in Wendell is just the opposite of the pits. They're so loving and kind and humble and accepting and they love us. And for that reason, I WANT REFERRALS. I want to meet every single person here that I possibly can so that I can become best friends with them and have more crazy experiences and whatnot. Dang I love this work!

One thing has been coming up quite frequently, however, that has been throwing Elder Wright and I for like 5 loops. Pretty much every single investigator-couple that we've been teaching has recently admitted to us that they're not married. That's like 10 baptisms that could be happening sometime soon, which have been set back quite a ways because they have to go through that whole process. The world is definitely dropping the ball in that aspect - the idea of marriage just isn't important to people any more. "I mean, what's the difference, really? I've got my 'wife' here and 4 kids, and we are technically a 'family'. So what's the big deal about not getting married? It just costs us money and time." That's a pretty typical argument that I've had to learn to rebut. It's also pretty tough for them considering a good percentage of our investigators are probably illegal immigrants, so legal stuff does not work in their favor. Sheesh, Satan's a clever little bug. We'll squash him though. Anyway, that's definitely been a main focus recently: understanding and appreciating the true nature of marriage, lawful and spiritual, and the blessings that taking that step brings. It's a commandment, people.

I have some pretty crazy news. It might just be rumors getting tossed around and I may be getting overexcited about nothing, but I figure life is much more fun when you have hope. We recently were asked by our Zone Leaders to take some silly survey online about missionary work, because apparently the director of proselyting is coming within the next week to see our mission. I personally didn't even know that such a human existed, but apparently so. Anyway, since Elder Wright's the district leader, he's going to some training meeting that the director of proselyting is hosting this Thursday. We were just told about this like two days ago, so it's super last-minute, and it's going to be like an 8-hour long training meeting. On top of that the whole of the mission leadership is being super sketchy about it and won't tell us any information about what the point of all this is. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?? Well, I don't even know what this means personally. But I have a hunch: the Idaho Twin Falls Mission is gonna get iPads this Thursday!!!! Hooooohohohohoho!! This is seriously gonna make missionary work so much simpler, and it'll give us time to focus on the things that are really important. I am so beyond excited. But we'll see! Pray for me everyone, so I get an iPad!!

And I believe that's about it for me today!! I'mma sign off, but I hope you all have a wonderful week! You're in my thoughts and prayers and I love you all!

Elder Slavens