January 7th, 2013

Mi querida familia,

This week has been AWESOME! I am so sorry I have not been able to write you all lately. I just never feel like I have time on Mondays. I have dedicated a lot of my time to making informes (pamphlets) and handy formats for our zone. It seems to be working too, because we had an awesome zone training meeting on Friday, following the Zone Leader council from Tuesday and Wednesday, in which I got to share one of the checklists I made for the Elders to help them focus every day. President seemed to love it, when we presented it as part of our one plan for the month here in Zapata. Things are looking bright here in Zapata in January. Takes a lot of planning, which we still fault a lot of, but we're getting there I feel it.

Things are going well here in the mission. Things are changing still, a lot. But I feel like I'm finally starting to understand everything and get the handle of things. Elder Randolph and I get along really well, but almost too well. We are both way too sarcastic with each other. (Dad, I thought I had changed, but Elder Randolph just brought the sarcasm right back out of me..ha ha) And sometimes the sarcasm just goes over border crazy(We are literally on the other side of the border, btw). Christmas was awesome, we found some chispitas and other fun stuff and played with them on the roof Christmas night. We then had our late Christmas after bringing our packages home from Villa on Wednesday, Elder Randolph's family sent him the 12 days of Christmas with tons of packages, and a stocking for me too. It was crazy. and I got the best package ever from my loving family. Thank you so much for everything. Haley, O Holy Night is also one of my favorite Christmas songs, don't you worry! I made a sick Motab CD with pure Christmas music and we've been listening to it ever since October (I was so prepared for Christmas, right?)

Well we've been working alot, but in new ways, and we see it working a lot here in our area. Along with teaching investigators, we have a list of 50 families in our ward, with whom we also make priority to visit and edify every day. It is working! And strangely (more like miraculously, because the Lord is not strange in His work) it works all around! We had more investigators in church than normal, and the attendance went up this week in church! We had 8 investigators in the sacrament meeting, and 12 less-actives. There's an easy 20 more people coming closer to Christ this week. It was way cool. We usually count just the investigators, but as of last week I started counting the recent converts and less-actives too, and keeping track of them. It is so cool to see them progressing! But now the only thing that worries us is keeping them here, because we are trying so hard to convert people to Christ (and NOT to us). Like instead of having them come for us, they know that they're coming for the Lord, and that is what makes it count. That is what makes me want to stay in the mission, is seeing these people PROGRESS. Even if they're already members, it is just so awesome seeing them come back into the fold. Now, seriously, our only hard part is to make sure they feel good about the transition of returning to the branch again and interacting with the members and leaders. If you think there's drama in your wards in the states, WOOO its nothing compared to MY branch here. I guess there's drama anywhere you go, but this is like a straight up novela some times. I swear, I feel like we are in a novela some days with the stuff that happens here.

Bad news: Elder Carpio came back from his mission, I guess he didn't feel worthy there in the mission, and is coming back. In fact his plane flight should be coming back at this very second landing in Villa. His parents were way upset when they heard the news, President's wife called us and told us, and so we went and comforted his family that day (Friday). Who knows how the branch will react. If you have any helping or comforting words, feel free to share them with me (to share with him), it would be very much appreciated. I check my email often, for emails from the elders and secretaries, so you can send it soon (if you feel so). I know there are a few Elders who have had to return early too, and your counsel could be more helpful than mine for him because you've been in his shoes. Thank you.

I love you all. 2 months and we'll all be working together at home. Lots of people to help over there too, ya know :)

Love, Elder Knight

P.S. I found this quote last night on the back of a DVD box.  It's called "On the Lord's Errand", its about the life of President Thomas S. Monson.  I borrowed it and watched it today in between washing clothes this morning at Atilana's house.  Here' the marvelous quote that I love (note: there is an edit....)

" The sweetest experience I know in life is to feel a prompting and act upon it and later find out that is was the fulfillment of someone's prayer or someone's need.  And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, [Trevor Knight] will run that errand for Him."