Monday, May 19, 2014

And Thus Begins Transfer 8....

Family!!

Hi!  Guess where I'm at?  If you guessed Dayton, then you're right!  Still here!  Yesterday at church the branch president said that he was just going to adopt me since I've been here so long, and a less active member asked if I was going to become the new branch president when Presidente Vilches leaves.  I think he was only half kidding...

My new companion is Elder Chandler.  He came out with me and was in the CCM the same time as I was.  He's from Idaho.  He's a Spanish master.  He is a firm believer in only speaking in Spanish.  My other companions and I talked a lot to each other in Spanish, but over this past week I can honestly say that I have probably talked to Elder Chandler about 95% of the time in Spanish.  I know that my Spanish is going to improve a ton during my time with him.

Not too many exciting things have happened this week.  We've been working extremely hard trying to find those that are ready, as always.  President Porter has promised us that every area in the mission has the potential to baptize a family during the month of June.  We are doing everything we can so that this can happen here in Dayton.  I know that as we throw ourselves into the work and always seek to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, the Lord will pick up the slack, and there will be a new family in the branch by the end of next month!  Stay tuned!

I want to tell you quickly about the miracle of the throat lozenge.  It might seem kind of cheesy, but it was super important to me, so I'll share it.  I started getting sick last week, and by Wednesday my throat hurt really bad.  It hurt to swallow anything, and I was pretty miserable.  I prayed for help and that I could get better, or at least feel good enough that I would be able to focus on the work.  I went downstairs to try and eat something, and I had the distinct impression to look in the medicine cupboard.  I had looked in there when I first got to the apartment (a long time ago), but it just contained old medicine left behind by other missionaries, so I had never really paid it any attention.  Well, I followed the prompting and went and looked in the cupboard, and right there in the front sat an unopened and unexpired package of throat lozenges.  They didn't take all the pain away from my throat, but they helped enough that I was able to focus on the things we had to do that day.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and cares about the things that are important to us, even if they're really small.  I know that he answers prayers.  I am so grateful for the love He has for me and for all of the ways He shows it, especially in the small moments when all I need is a throat lozenge.

I said it last week, but I'll say it again: prepare yourselves for more adventures from Dayton.  Baptisms and miracles are coming.  I know it!

Have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Foote   

PS  We taught some guys from Honduras how to pray in English, and this is the sheet we used.  We first wrote things out in Spanish, then gave the English translation, then wrote how to pronounce the English in a way that they could read.  At the end of the lesson they asked us how to say, "I want to go to church" in English.  So we taught them, and they repeated it over and over.  It made us super happy to hear people say that. :) 
Elder Foote and Elder Chandler
Praying in English Instructions