New Companion

Hey there!

Finally I am here. After a really late start to the day (transfers are always really intense) I am here writing you guys. It's been a really hectic day, but we got all our shopping done and my new comp came, his name is elder Fleurima and he's haitian. He's so humble, nice and speaks english, spanish, creole and french. He's gonna teach me the last two. I plan to be able to share my testimony in creole at least by the time I get back to the house, and be able to hold a conversation. Trilinguality is a real possibility, because my comp says creole is super simple. There are only 3 tenses, past, present and future. It's so simple, and a dying language, but yet really handy in the mission because some investigators only know creole.

Anyway, he's really really nice my new comp. He has a year and 6 in the mission, so isn't dying yet (thank heavens), and has a true desire to share the gospel. I keep getting lucky with my comps.

So no one from my group moved up, but a lot from groups that aren't too much older than us did. Oh, I am still in La Yaguita, I forgot to mention that. It's rough here, but the members treat us well. They feed us, but admittedly they don't give us references. This could be a wake up call for you two (cough cough momma cough).. GIVE REFERENCES to the missionaries. Especially if they're as good as what you say. If they work, get to it!

We had a little get together with members here last night with my comp. It was nice.. some fried chicken, fried plantains and.. well very little flavor. But it was fine, the food isn't what's important here anymore to me. I honestly don't like the food from here very much (unless it's seafood, but we can't eat that), so it's the company of the good people here that I enjoy. I am teaching a member a little bit of guitar. I am good friends with a woman named gladis why always takes care of us. It's a really tight knit branch, kind of like in ada, but as far as the missionary work goes.. there really is only one ray of hope.

Ubaldo, the recent convert that we had, has a plan for the branch to work with the less actives and help with the missionaries. It's amazing how strong he is. And independent of the missionaries now. Wow. His wife is accepting everything now, so we're really pumped that we have something.

Well I don't know too much more I can say. I hit 9 months today. I am going to stop saying that I have more time than I have, for example when I have 8 months working on 9 months I just say I have 9. I am going to say I have these 9 months until I hit 10. That's easier on the mind. Ha but NOW my comp, who was making me unbearably trunky, is GONE! I'm so happy. I loved him, like a brother, but I was so ready for him to go home. He ended up being extremely nervous.. haha god bless him. He is strong and I hope the life on the street doesn't bring him down.

I am tired.. transfers wear me out, even when they don't involve me moving.

I will tell you more about my comp when I get to know him better, but for now I'm going to wrap this up.

I love you two. So much. And no momma, I'm not using my mosquito net, I haven't needed it, but I promise you that I will in the mission. You just wait till I go to an area like monte cristi or something, where you can ride the mosquitos.

Tell grandpa rufus i love him, if he remembers me.

Till next week, completely focused on the work and not a second wasted,

-elder c. rufus sweeney