August 12, 2013

Awesome, questions, that means I can just answer those and I don't have to think about what to talk about. It's kind of like when we're teaching, I always love it when people have loads of questions, because it gives us that good base to teach off of, instead of just going through the motions.

It's finally getting a little bit warmer down here, so life is getting a little bit easier. Not that it ever really got that cold, but it was enough to make it no fun on the rare occasions that we have to bike. I've decided that I really hate driving down here though, because they use those stinking speed cameras. They like to put them in vans, and then park the van in those transition spots where the speed is going from 50 to 70 or whatever it is. Then it just clicks away when you're going 70 in at the end of the 50.. So annoying! I've gotten two tickets now from it. Apparently the second one happened back in May, but I didn't hear about it until this morning. Counting my blessings though at least it doesn't go on my driving record or anything, I just have to pay it, and if I get five the mission won't let me drive anymore. Which wouldn't be too bad, so long as I have a comp that can drive still.

As far as food goes, it's all pretty much exactly what we eat back home, just with a whole lot more meat. There's probably only been a handful of times when we've eaten at a member's home and it wasn't steak or ribs or something else that has to do with meat. One of the families makes the best lamb. So good.

I think the mission is getting 90 new missionaries in the next couple of months, so odds are I'll be a trainer coming up here, we'll see, but for now I'm still in the same place with the same comp. We have four week transfers this week on Thursday, then I think some weird mid transfers maybe next week as well, then the end of the regular six weeks after that. I think the members of our branch are more nervous about us getting transferred than we are. So cool how much they actually care about us. I'm really worried that a couple of the less active families we've been working with will go back to being totally less active again once we're gone. Hopefully not. I've really been trying to help everyone get their own testimony about the Church, instead of just a testimony about the missionaries.

Cost of living here is pretty pricey. I think if we didn't get fed and taken care of by the members like we do, we'd both be starved. As it is, I'm still sitting around 165, which is the most I've ever weighed I think.

For the most part, it's all fine and dandy round these parts. We're moving forward slowly, but we're still moving forward. It's really cool that all of these missionaries are coming in, because now there are a lot of new areas being opened. Places that haven't ever had their own missionaries are now getting them, and some wards are even going to be double covered. I think NZ should start being afraid, what with how the work is accelerating, this must be the first place to be sunk into the depths of the sea. haha.

 Love you!
  E. O'Neal