Contacting Secret Ingredient: JELLO New Area: Neiva

People are interesting.  It has been some challenging weeks.  My comp and I are getting along better. It is frustrating when he doesn't and won't get out and work.  I had to call president one day because he just didn't want to work.  The next day was the same.  President just told me to have patience, and well I am trying.  We had a few knock down heart to hearts.  I may or may have not tried my wrestling cradle moves but now we laugh and make jokes now.  Maybe its because I started buying him KFC every night.  But maybe that's all he needs.  Hopefully the next few weeks can be like the past two days. 

There is much good even among the growing hard stuff so I'll share:

First to answer your questions.... I eat a lot of fried chicken, bacon, and I even found those yogurt bags dad told me about.  That's about it, and the usual rice and beans.

The ward mission leader here is awesome.  He can barely walk because his right leg is so swollen, but he walks like ten miles to the temple every Wednesday.  When he isn't in the temple he is with us... He's honestly my hero!!  His whole family is inactive but I have never met a man more dedicated than him.

Inspiring Ward Mission Leader

P day we actually got to go to the temple this morning!  I loved being there.  And well the rest the day I was cleaning the house and doing laundry.   The only other missionaries in our district are the zone leaders, and they are awesome, some days my comp just wont leave the house so they come over and do a division with us so I can leave and visit our appointments.

This week we had five people come to church which is really good here!!   One lady who I have been teaching for like 8 weeks is finally came with her whole family! Another family we have is getting married this week so hopefully they will be baptized soon! We found a bunch of less active members as well this week, almost all of them left because of gossip.. Hermano Triana, the mission leader, said whenever he hears gossip he asks the people to write their statements on a paper and then sign it. I think im going to put that theory in practice.

The other funny story in Bogota---its super hard to contact people so me and my zone leader were on divisions one day, and we made a bunch of jello and set up a table and then just gave out jello to try and contact. it actually worked a ton better.   I'll send you pictures of that too!

Just got moved this week.  6 hour bus ride to Neiva.  New comp from Las Vegas.  Smaller town, very hot.  Like 100 temps everyday.  I'll share more about this next week!

New Area Neiva

Your trip in the subway sounds awesome!  I wish I would've been there. Summer of 2019 we will have to do it.

This week I had a couple of spiritual experiences, but one thing was a talk by President Hinckley that I listened to. He said if you go on a mission "I cannot promise you fun, but I can promise you you will re evaluate your priorities in life."  How true that is.   I look back on how much I have grown in the mission, its incredible and its only been 8 months.  I haven't written a hundreth part of the things I have gone through here, but someday I will be able to share everything.


I love you lots and cant thank you enough for your prayers.   Thank you for all you do!!

And can you give a special thanks to the Bishop for me.   President Erying always talks of inspired priesthood leaders, and he was mine. Let him know that his sacrifices for the priests in little old Brigham city aren't in vain.

Keep me in your prayers and I'll keep you in mine!
Love,
Elder Donaldson