I'm Training a New Financial Secretary!

Dear Ward Clan,

Que me diciembre? Hey guys! Man, I feel like you guys were just waiting for one or two kids to leave the nest until you guys decided to go on vacation every week. No, I’m jk, really that’s awesome that you guys are spending lots of time with the family. Thanks for the pictures by the way, everyone looks pretty much the same except for those two little blonde girls that aren’t so little anymore.

Well...lots of news for this week. I’m training a new financial secretary! Mom, you’re right. Even though I’m ready to go back into the field and experience new things, I’m really going to miss this assignment and this area. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye to Elder Santana. I know I don’t talk a lot about my companions, but I have come to love and appreciate every one of them. Honestly, I think Elder Santana was one of my favorites, maybe just because he’s Nica. Not once did he get mad at me, he always went with me to do the tedious things that nobody else likes to do, he loved the people from his own country, and he changed a lot of lives. We had a family night with almost all of our converts in the area and just about everyone got up to say something about Elder Santana. I think that we were all in tears. The sweetest part was them promising that they would go to the temple and Elder Santana promising that we would go with them.

I think it was about equally as difficult saying goodbye to 25 missionaries on Thursday morning. Many of them had been in my district or zone, and Elder Leiva, one of my companions too. I felt a sweet spirit as our mission choir sang "God be With You Till We Meet Again".  It’s good to know that if we all continue faithful that we will not only be with our eternal families but with our eternal friends. It really hit me that that will be me in 3 months, and that I’ve really got to give my all in the time that I have left.

IT’S MILLER TIME! My new comp is Elder Miller from St. George, Utah. He has about 8 months in the mission and he just came from Las Flores, Masaya, my first area in the mission. He’s a very reserved, quiet, hard working missionary and I’m pounding every darn thing he needs to know about being a good financial secretary into his brain. By the way...something terrible has happened in my life. Eating the following foods ya no me gusta (I do not like): McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, and just about anything else that you can find in Nicaragua. I’m ready to go eat gallo pinto again.

This is starting to get long but let me just tell you guys about a little miracle that happened this week. I think I had told you guys about our convert, Magali, who started going to a different church right after her baptism. Well, last night we went over to Norma, Carlos, and Delvia’s house and Magali was there. She apologized for not having come to church and explained that her friend that was letting her stay in her house for free would kick her out of the house if she continued going to our church. Long story short, she dreamed about her baptism day and felt a strong desire to move out and continue going to church. I know that the Lord answers prayers and helps His children come back to the path when they get lost.

By the way Mom, it was tough seeing Elder Pace go. Also, when I said hi to Sister Pace the first thing she said was, "Hi, Elder Ward, how are you...I know that this isn’t really allowed but I promised your mom that I would give you a hug..." and boom she gave me hug...so whether it was allowed or not I didn’t have time to think hahaha. But, thanks for the hug, Mom. If I’m bright red in the pictures she sends, that’s why.

Love you guys a bunch!

Love,

Elder Ward