"God puts people in your life for a reason..."

The Slick Coat Crew. I found mine in the trash and now everyone is whippin out their raincoats.

Hey!

It was another sad week, as we had to say goodbye to the other district that came in the same time as us. They all went to Costa Rica except for two who went to South Carolina.

My old district.

At the temple with my district.

Probably my best friend here so far, Elder Downing, got changed last minute to leave Saturday morning, so we got up at 5:00 am for that. Monday Morning we got up at 2:00 to take Elder Clawson to the travel office, then at 5:00 to take Elder Donaldson, then at 6:00  to take Elder Winsor...so I got no sleep that night. Then, I was companions with Elder Millet from Gilbert that whole day.

On Tuesday morning we got up at 2:00 again to say goodbye to the Costa Ricans and then Elder Millet left at 3:00. Me and one of my new companions, Elder Hewitt, went with him and when we got back to our building we realized neither of us had our keys, then it started hailing and we were locked outside. So we banged on windows for half an hour until we heard somebody leaving on the other side of the building. So no sleep again that night- haha! I haven’t missed walking to the travel office with anyone yet, it’s super fun and sad and definitely worth not sleeping for.

Trying to get back in the building.

I’m in the same zone, but I had to switch rooms across the hall with Elder Tolman and Hewitt, who are going to Bakersfield and Dallas. It’s too hard to move all my stuff, so I just sleep in there and then have all my stuff in my old room. We’re keeping it to have slumber parties in.

I am a solo missionary now! I get a sticker that literally means I’m exempt from all the rules. Not really, but I get to go with any companionship I want or I can be with two sisters. Hermana Hulme is the only other left from my district and she has another week for Visitors Center training and gets a new companion today, so I’ll hang out with them so I don’t have to re-learn Spanish in the beginner classes. But other than that I’m with my new roommates most of the time…who are awesome!

Flying Solo!

I’m trying not to waste my time here so I’ve been going into lessons with the beginner guys to help and literally my Spanish is like unto a freaking rabbit. So fast and I can understand everything. It’s so fun!

Elder Kaufusi, who’s been teaching me Tongan, got his departure date moved up a week for El Salvador/Belize so I’ve been trying to help him with him Spanish because he doesn’t know squat. We went to the native speaker floor and talked to people and I found a few going to San Fernando, so I told them to go to Woodland Hills. Then after that we played a game where one of us is blind and the other has to guide you around the MTC describing what’s around you all in Spanish. It worked until I accidentally punched my friend Hermana Laursen who walked in front of me and I got scared.

Oh My Gosh… Kate going to Tonga is the best thing ever. Tell her to start learning Tongan right now… I have a book I’ll send her. There’s no easy way to do it, you just have to start because it’s all phrases and no conjugations. I love being white, but I think that I am a Poly at heart. I’m friends with all of them here and they come to our building at night to play uke and sing, its super fun. I still don’t know a lot of Tongan so my default phrase when I’m stuck in a convo is "faikava", and everyone like cheers and laughs. It means "lets drink kava". Which is, as they describe it, a cultural drink that makes you chill. It’s basically alcohol that you get from a root or something. But literally, Tonga is so cool and like half the island is Mormon and you have to catch every meal. I’ll probably live there someday so that I don’t have to pay taxes or have any responsibilities.

Also it’s snowing like heck here!!!!!!! Probably not to the people that live here, but to me it’s a freaking blizzard. We had snowball fight on the way to the temple this morning and it was so fun. This was probably the reason I’m here for two more weeks. Actually, I know why I’ve been here so long. I’ve just really noticed since I’ve gotten here, that God puts people in your life for a reason. I could have left 4 weeks ago and probably would have been fine, but I’m super stoked that I’ve met all the people I have here because of my extension, and they’ve all really helped with my testimony and with just making me happy. So Instead of being bummed about things like being here for eight weeks, I found out that it’s better to focus on the blessings I’m receiving from it.

Elder Hewitt about to eat it on the way back from the temple.

First snowball fight of the year!

That’s it for this week.

Love you,
Elder Green