Hey everyone!
Right now I'm feeling a little bit inadequate, I'll have to admit! My trainer Elder Cortes is going to a different area to be a Zone leader, and in a dangerous zone too! I will therefore be staying in the same area, Ermita, and be gaining a second trainer for these next six weeks (every change is six weeks). His name is Elder Cruz, super new, having had 5 months in the mission so far, he will be district leader in the area we are serving, and he does not know a word in English. But that is all I know. I bet he is going to be awesome, and I have heard he is "super pilas," and he will know how to navigate once I show him around. It will be a bit awkward at first, and I'm probably going to have many awkward moments with those who I have visited up to this point. But I feel like I have improved a lot just in these past six weeks, and I will be a fully trained missionary by the end of these 12 weeks.
Just this past week, I have only experienced some sickness, and we have only had two days where almost all of our appointments fell through. "Que chafa!" This really doesn't happen a lot but we have done great work, and I owe all of my success as a missionary secondarily to my trainer Elder Cortes who has served me well, and primarily to God. These next few weeks I will have the opportunity to be more responsable for the progress of everyone I know, because I will be showing my trainer around to everything. I would be vain to not ask for a prayer nonetheless because I know that this will be a challenge and I am going to need lots of help in helping my new companion around with only so much knowledge of my area, acquired by my sufficient but limited Spanish. But whether this turns out to be a smooth transition or a rough and challenging one, this will be for my good. And those who have known me to be a little bit unsure of myself, a little less definite in my answers, and remember a little less than is convenient, will rejoice to know that these are things that the Lord will be improving from within me, gradually.
Besides changes coming up, this week has been a little bit less uneventful. But I will follow up with more.
Besides these news, I just want to remind everyone--I want to remind you, to remember your talents. You have a mission to fulfill, and you have been given gifts, some which you have had even before being born. Jeremiah 1:5 accounts that we had a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father before birth. I know that God is your Heavenly Father and He loves you. And by His grace, He has given you talents, that you might have your own unique way to serve your fellow men. Whether it is playing an instrument, or working hard, or having good memory, or being a good listener, or being able to lift someone's spirits, or being a leader, or being obedient, or being thoughtful, or being patient and accepting of others, it is a gift from God, and is given to you because He loves you and knows that you can use the gift for the benefit of others out of the goodness of your heart. So before you try and figure out how to improve your weaknesses, remember your gifts, and think of how to improve these things. Read books, ask others. And then help others with their own gifts, and share yours as you do so. I know that in my life, I have benefited much from the gift of patience that God has bestowed in others. I have benefited also from the gift of being accepting, and the gift of being a good teacher, and the gift of being thoughtful. Many of my friends and those that I know have this gift, and I am ultimately grateful for this.
I love you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week.
Elder "Pues, es como Derecho pero sin la O al termino" Dredge
Elder Braden K. Dredge
Guatemala Guatemala City East Mission
P.S. I almost forgot, we have keyboards too!!! This is super exciting! This made the last piano lesson actually really efficient. I'm going to be staying in this area probably for a while, just so that I could get at least one member to play hymns well. But that is all good to me, it is a service that I am happy to give. And thanks to this convenience, teaching the piano will be a lot easier, and the ward will much sooner have more piano players. And... my new companion can learn the piano too if he hasn't yet, haha. (We are keeping one at home for preparing lessons... and for messing around too after 9pm).
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