This past week has been crazy! To preface all of this it was transfer time, and Elder Mcllellan from Spanish East made his way home to Vegas this week. To say I didn't move would be a lie. While I am inside the same apartment, my area now covers almost all of Columbus (excluding the Northern 1/3). President closed Spanish East, and gave all of their area to Spanish West (Me). He also opened Spanish South, placing Elder Ramsey of the old Spanish East area, and moved in Elder Nelson from Cincinnati. Spanish South basically took Elder Klein and I's "honey hole". So the bulk of Hispanics that live in the city are in Spanish South's area. So they've picked up most of our investigators & potentials. We managed to keep Aracelli & Roland despite the fact they are in Spanish South's area. Other than that we are really starting from scratch since what's leftover really isn't progressing.
The funny part about all of this is that next month President is going to open Spanish East again... I have a feeling I will be in that apartment... It's also funny because Spanish South hasn't had an apartment since transfers on Thursday. So they’ve been chilling in our apartment for the past few days. So our front room is basically a mess from their stuff, and the stuff we acquired from an investigator. They are finally getting their own apartment today; complete with new beds. We also hit up Elder Duff (Senior Housing Missionary (Old Truck Driver) (Hilarious old "bum"))) for new beds. I cross my fingers because my bed is more of a "taco shell".
This transfer made for an interesting week, but just how things played out besides this fact were interesting too! One of our investigator's husbands got deported back to Mexico (It was "La Migra" rounding people up at his work). She decided that she wants to head back so she can be with him again. She has been selling her stuff for dirt cheap, but there was still a full apartment when it was time to go. Her "friends" wanted to take the keys to the apartment to "take care of it". Cynthia saw through their ploy. We had taken Hermana Lucero with us to an appointment, and they got talking about how to take care of all of this stuff. Hermana Lucero wound up with the keys, and promised to sell as much as she could to help Cynthia. As missionaries we tried to stay out of it as much as we could. Although Cynthia insisted that we take what we needed. I felt guilty doing it... but I knew that I would be hurting the situation by not taking anything. Hispanics are so giving. I had another case this week where a family gave me the shirt off their backs. We tried to plant a seed with Cynthia. We gave her a Book of Mormon, and sent her on her way. Her home is in Michoacán so she has quite a bit to work through to get home. I pray every night that she'll make it home and see her family.
Now I mentioned an experience where Hispanics gave me the shirt off their backs. We were with the Zuniga family for dinner before Elder Mcllellan headed off for home. They fed us cake and other goodies; which in itself was an amazing act of Charity. But before we headed out brother Zuniga gave Elder Mcllellan a Futbol jersey. One that he had played in for a league, but bore the semblance to a real Mexican team. I was slightly envious, but if anyone, Elder Mcllellan deserved it. Then Brother Zuniga started showing us more jerseys. I was intrigued. Then he started handing the other three Elders Jerseys. I was completely blown away by his generosity! You come to love the people, but with people like this you can't help but love them.
Aracelli & Rolan are coming around. While they didn't make it to church this week, and Elder Klein I were devastated. We had two great lessons this week, and it really seemed that we've just become great friends! We skulked from meeting to meeting, and during Hermano Parkus's lesson on Honesty (Blech) we got a call from Aracelli! We scurried out to the foyer to answer. She told us that she had a miscarriage threat the night before and spent the night in the hospital. (By the way she's pregnant) She told us this isn't the first time, that's she's had a miscarriage before... She was also feeling sick, so we gave a blessing to her since we had taught about the priesthood already. I anointed, and Elder Klein blessed. Although during the blessing she bolted to the bathroom to vomit, and came back. Elder Klein was a little confused on what to do, but I figured that since the anointing was good, we just needed to do the blessing again.
The work is having its ups and downs. Essentially Spanish West is a new area, so I will be buying a GPS to get around. I figure it will be a good idea to get it now rather than later. This week has been crazy but it's finally settling down.
The funny part about all of this is that next month President is going to open Spanish East again... I have a feeling I will be in that apartment... It's also funny because Spanish South hasn't had an apartment since transfers on Thursday. So they’ve been chilling in our apartment for the past few days. So our front room is basically a mess from their stuff, and the stuff we acquired from an investigator. They are finally getting their own apartment today; complete with new beds. We also hit up Elder Duff (Senior Housing Missionary (Old Truck Driver) (Hilarious old "bum"))) for new beds. I cross my fingers because my bed is more of a "taco shell".
This transfer made for an interesting week, but just how things played out besides this fact were interesting too! One of our investigator's husbands got deported back to Mexico (It was "La Migra" rounding people up at his work). She decided that she wants to head back so she can be with him again. She has been selling her stuff for dirt cheap, but there was still a full apartment when it was time to go. Her "friends" wanted to take the keys to the apartment to "take care of it". Cynthia saw through their ploy. We had taken Hermana Lucero with us to an appointment, and they got talking about how to take care of all of this stuff. Hermana Lucero wound up with the keys, and promised to sell as much as she could to help Cynthia. As missionaries we tried to stay out of it as much as we could. Although Cynthia insisted that we take what we needed. I felt guilty doing it... but I knew that I would be hurting the situation by not taking anything. Hispanics are so giving. I had another case this week where a family gave me the shirt off their backs. We tried to plant a seed with Cynthia. We gave her a Book of Mormon, and sent her on her way. Her home is in Michoacán so she has quite a bit to work through to get home. I pray every night that she'll make it home and see her family.
Now I mentioned an experience where Hispanics gave me the shirt off their backs. We were with the Zuniga family for dinner before Elder Mcllellan headed off for home. They fed us cake and other goodies; which in itself was an amazing act of Charity. But before we headed out brother Zuniga gave Elder Mcllellan a Futbol jersey. One that he had played in for a league, but bore the semblance to a real Mexican team. I was slightly envious, but if anyone, Elder Mcllellan deserved it. Then Brother Zuniga started showing us more jerseys. I was intrigued. Then he started handing the other three Elders Jerseys. I was completely blown away by his generosity! You come to love the people, but with people like this you can't help but love them.
Aracelli & Rolan are coming around. While they didn't make it to church this week, and Elder Klein I were devastated. We had two great lessons this week, and it really seemed that we've just become great friends! We skulked from meeting to meeting, and during Hermano Parkus's lesson on Honesty (Blech) we got a call from Aracelli! We scurried out to the foyer to answer. She told us that she had a miscarriage threat the night before and spent the night in the hospital. (By the way she's pregnant) She told us this isn't the first time, that's she's had a miscarriage before... She was also feeling sick, so we gave a blessing to her since we had taught about the priesthood already. I anointed, and Elder Klein blessed. Although during the blessing she bolted to the bathroom to vomit, and came back. Elder Klein was a little confused on what to do, but I figured that since the anointing was good, we just needed to do the blessing again.
The work is having its ups and downs. Essentially Spanish West is a new area, so I will be buying a GPS to get around. I figure it will be a good idea to get it now rather than later. This week has been crazy but it's finally settling down.
Love you all
Para Siempre,
Elder A. Ipson
The Great Ohio Columbus Mission
