T4W1 Transferred to the Woodlands

Dear Family,

How is everyone? Thanks for the letter, Rae, and for the update, Mom. It has been quite a week and it sounds like everyone is keeping their summer full. Emma, I want to hear about John's visit. Miriam, you need to tell me about all of your adventures too!

I was transferred from Bear Creek on Wednesday. It was a busy last couple days in the area just saying goodbye to some families and individuals that I had grown close to. An especially good experience was being present for a blessing given to E. Picaso, Antonio's mother. She found out last week that she has cancer and as I bore my last testimony to her, everyone was crying. Hermana Dewey called me this week to let me know that three boys from the Alcantara family that we reactivated are going to be baptized July 5th. I will be returning back to Bear Creek for that. I am excited for that baptism. She also told me that Antonio, who was really progressing and suddenly left for Mexico, was back to take care of his mom in this difficult time. It sounds like Hermana Dewey is keeping Bear Creek in good shape.

The Woodlands is very different from Bear Creek. The first couple days were very hard. Thursday we did weekly planning and only had three, very iffy investigators to plan for. In Bear Creek our list of investigators could go on forever. It seems like last transfer almost nobody was found and the ward has lost all expectations for the sisters' area. The elders area however has the work very strong. We got a talking to, saying we wanted to see more names on our progress record.

My companion is Hermana Marsh who has had difficulties with several of her previous companions. She is from Bend, OR and is a very different sister. She is reserved but strict since day 1 in the area, though I have been overly peppy, excited, and friendly. We've gotten along well I think because of my efforts in that area. Friday after district meeting, we still hadn't taught one investigator all week and she refused to talk to me. She had lost all hope for the area, being here 6 months and having little success. After trying to pry and tell her the importance of communication, we (the zone leaders and I) eventually had to ask the help of President. Apparently she has worked closely with President in the past so they are good friends. He gave her no choice of leaving the area and said she needed to learn to love the area, and some other things that I think made her rethink her attitude.

I talked to President and told him I really think we can baptize here. I have so much faith and hope that there are people in this area that need the gospel at this time. The area is very big because most people are white and rich but there are a few areas we can find Hispanics. We went out and worked and found a couple people that have a lot of potential.

We talked to President again this morning because he called to check up on us and I told him about 3 men we found and taught for the first time last night, a very interested family we taught, and a man we were able to get to church that we tracted into a couple days ago. Hermana Marsh is starting to find it hard to not believe me that this area has potential. I think my silliness and my light humor about baptizing everyone we talk to has helped her. President expressed his gratitude and trust in me this morning for helping take care of Hermana Marsh and the area. He said he knew I was just what was needed here.

I met a lot of the ward members and am very positive about this coming week. I know that we will find success. I have never spent so many hours out in the sun knocking doors but I am learning to love it and to help my companion love me as much as I do her.

We ate dinner at the Bishop's home yesterday. His name is Bishop Good and he is white and the wife is from Argentina. They have 3 teenage kids that I got to be good friends with. They moved to Texas from Pennsylvania a year ago, so they are a very East Coast family. It made me feel at home.

That was pretty much this week. I have some interesting stories of people we knocked into this week but I'll just have to write those to Rae. The district seems cool. It's a lot of new Elders I don't know. We are going to keep working hard this next week and hopefully see some better numbers.

I hope everyone is well. Pray for us and the area please.

Love you.

Camille