Hump Day! December 16, 2010 "Here Comes Part 2!!"

Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:57 AM

Subject: Here Comes Part 2!!

Well today is "Hump Day" which means this is my year mark! After today I'll be on the "downhill slide" as they call it out here! I can't believe it's already been a year, let alone the fact that it's 9 days til Christmas! It's crazy how time doesn't really seem to matter in longterm periods. Just days and weeks and hours haha! That's what it seems like to me I guess. Now on to part 2 of my mission! 

So this past Saturday I got a phone call early in the morning from President Robison and instantly I knew something was up! He called me to be a trainer again and a District Leader as well. That means I have other missionaries that I get indicators from and follow up with them and help instruct them on how to be better missionaries. I'll have four one and a half hour district meetings this month where I'll instruct. Kinda weird now that I have more responsibility. Ha not only am I training this brand new greenie but I need to help 4 other missionaries too!

Sunday, Monday, and the first part of Tuesday were spent helping Elders Nelson and Crowder pack and clean the apartment as well as say their goodbyes. Elder Crowder is back in Lubbock and Elder Nelson went to open a new area in Tucemcari, New Mexico. He's excited and he's serving with Elder Bradley who came out with me and who I saw for the first time in a year haha!! Elder Colton (John) is now home and he texted me right after he was released haha! He also called me from the Denver airport cuz he had a long, boring layover! What a great friend hahah!

So on Sunday I spoke in sacrament meeting! After a 3 minute talk or so by a member coming back into activity, we sang as a choir and sang all three songs in a row. It sounded great and every part I was worried about cuz it sounded messy, but it went the best it ever had! It definitely wasn't the Garfield 3rd ward choir, but it was as close as Plainview is gonna get for now haha! Then I spoke for 25 minutes about happiness. Right before sacrament meeting the Lubbock stake presidency walked in (how convenient). Well I thought the talk went alright but the members loved it a lot more than I did. Part of my talk I spoke about singing and the closing hymn was better than ever. In Relief Society I guess one older sister said, "Well I better do what Elder Nix said and sing so I can be happy." First time she sang a hymn in years! So that made me feel good. A member also told me that I was "throwing rocks at them" while I was speaking. I spoke about how holding grudges and choosing to be offended (Elder Bednar) will hold you back from being happy. I guess that got to some people ha! Overall I'm really glad I spoke and it was the most comfortable talk I've ever given.

Oh we got a new truck on Monday too haha!  On Tuesday we went down to Lubbock to the transfer site. There I dropped off Elders Crowder and Nelson, got jumped on by Elder Colton cuz he was way excited to go home, and took pics with and met Elder Pennington, my new greenie or "son." I figured I'd start back up my journal writing again since I’ve slacked on that the past few months now. It's now gonna be a travel log anymore either. More of a "what I learned today" kinda deal.

Elder William Lee Pennington is six foot four (dang 2 inches) and is from Winlock, Washington, sixty miles south of Seattle. Number four of five children. Likes soccer and football but not really basketball, but i'll live with it! His family went way inactive when he was 10 but got active again when he was 16 thanks to some missionaries and so he has been close with the missionaries up there. He is excited to be here and willing to learn and talk ("yay" for me) and I'm happy to be training him. He's just gotta humble himself a little and get over his girlfriend back home haha. Yeah, lets just say that's a distraction hahah! But he'll get over it/her (hopefully) and focus more! He's really too much like me when I was a greenie, but that's probably why he's here haha! So president and Sister Roberts (branch pres.) totally know Elder Pennington! He lives in Sister Robert's mom's ward and they, the Roberts and him, have met and talked before! Weird huh! Kinda like the Esquibels and me in Amarillo!!! Anyway, I'm excited to work this Elder into the ground and help him be the best missionary he can!

A lot more responsibility this transfer but I’m grateful for it! It should really help me grow and learn even more! I have lots more meetings and phone calls and planning and following up and things to worry about haha but I'm excited haha!!!

Well, I think that's about it for this week! Hope ya'll are ready to have a great Holiday season! I am! It's been 60-70 degrees lately but supposed to snow a inch maybe tonight!!! Woo HOO!!!

Alright well love y'all!

Elder Nix