The second transfer was especially interesting. Once we had wifi and I had brought out my ipod the first week was ultimately spent in out apartment doing nothing. It was interesting to me to see a valiant missionary, one whose faith was strong get sucked down with technology. I think for the first time I realized how influencial I could be. Little by little I've noticed we've been spending more and more time here in the apartment. I do not know if that's how my trainer actually did things, but I am not sure.
With the addition of Facebook and new cell phones, I have yet to really understand what this means for my mission. I already know several missionaries having trouble doing the work because they are stuck on Facebook all day. I secretly am glad that I didn't go out as often as before. Doing nothing is my strong suite, everyone's strong suite. Perhaps, things will get better? It was also around this time that the 'newness' of the mission really wore off. Things seemed boring to me and there was not a lot of motivation to really get things going or do anything in my opinion. Really at this point, it really set in that I didn't enjoy mission life as did the other missionaries. I was at the end of the scale where the mission seemed pointless as opposed to noble.
The zone conference was interesting to say the least. Once per transfer we have a zone conference. Essentially it's a get together we 2 or more zones where we listen to the president try to motivate us, or scold us. However this conference was interesting because we traded in our slide phones from the early 2000's, for modern J series samsungs. The phones are actually quite nice. These phones are actually better than the phone I had which was a galaxy grand prime. While I do praise them for choosing to use smartphones, one can't help but notice they aren't finished... For example, we actually still can't listen to voicemail because the app for voice mail is blocked. They still have a lot to do when it comes to making the phones actually work, but they're trying.
I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before, but missionary life can be very depressing. If you are with the wrong companion, things can go wrong. This transfer we spent a lot of time sitting around the apartment doing nothing. To someone who may feel guilty about it, they will be crushed. For someone like me, it becomes boring. There's only so much media I can consume before I miss my friends and want to do something new. the other reality is that if you want to do the work, it's very often that people will slam doors and ignore you. It's easy to place the blame on yourself while you are being rejected. Sometime it gets way too much.
It's honestly surprising to see how other's react to the idea of contraband. Just this day an elder discovered my ipod touch and a huge fuss was made about it. I don't think either the Elder would have an issue with it, but I honestly am not sure I care if they did. Whatever it may be, I just hope it really doesn't get out of hand.
If you haven't guessedI usually start a new paragraph when an event happens. Just recently I got an ipod touch that is plenty new in the mail. I am waiting for Saturday so that I can slap on a screen protector and case just to make sure. However during the process my bank thinks fraud happened so I have to lie or tell the truth to my parents about my actions. The end result could go many ways. The worst may be that I get kicked out of the mission and house. Or it may not matter and I'll be fine. It may sound trivial, but missions are serious to mormons...
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday or missionaries. At church the Sunday prior to thanksgiving, we were invited to seven different homes to enjoy dinner. If I'm quite honest, it's almost too much. But we relish in the good home cooked food, and we eat so much, it's almost sinful. Different families have different expectations when it comes to how missionaries behave on holidays. Some, want us knocking doors rather than having a Thanksgiving meal. Other's feel that it's more important to enjoy the holiday rather than to do our job. To me it feels that we should enjoy the holiday, and if someone asks about the church, tell them. This year we had Thanksgiving dinner at the new convert's house. The very same man we baptized had us at his place for dinner with his family. I felt a little bad having their food since both of them lost their jobs just the week prior. I made them some bread to go along with dinner as I grew up with manners. You always bring a dish to a family dinner, but I also thought that the extra food, even if it's a few Loaves of bread would help them greatly. I think, they may have spent money on us that could have been used to fix their only car, a beaten up minivan. Being a missionary puts you in tough places. Eating food that you know may be someone else's when it is presented to you can happen. We also get confided in often because the members and people know we either won't remember, or whisked away. We aren't counselors by anymeans, but it is often that a willing ear means more to someone than one might realize.
Soon the second transfer will come to an end. I have a few predictions as to what will occur between now and the next transfer. My current companion will get moved out, and I will be stuck with a highly 'valient' missionary. We find out this coming Saturday and the switch would occur this tuesday. Overall the second transfer was loaded with sitting on our devices being couch potatoes. Really it was glorious for me, I hate working. It will be interesting to see who my next companion is, and what he will be like.
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