Christ's name next to mine

Well, the week is over. This was probably one of the fastest of the transfer. Not sure why. Kinda strange week. Haha it was like a week in my last area. We had like one lesson every day and just did a lot of going around. I got to help some people out with stuff though.

I love trying to talk to Chinese people and people from Vietnam because it’s just fun to see how hard it is to communicate but it helps me see how far my Spanish has come. When I got here I really didn’t feel like I could speak any Spanish but now I can talk with people about really random things, work, school, animals, church family, etc. I don’t speak perfect by any means but you know what, I can communicate. I can tell people why we are here and that I want to help them. With the Chinese it’s different. You have to talk really simple but I got to help a little lady carry a big microwave up the stairs so that rocked! And I didn’t get my shirt dirty. It was great. I had a moment when I walked under a tree that was full of birds and one of them gave me a present (POOO) and it landed on my shirt. I was like, “NO way. Now it’s going to be a good day!” because as everyone knows when a bird poos on you, you’re lucky for the rest of the day. It all worked out. Elder D* is super legit and busted out his Tide to go pen and I got rid of the little poop marks and we were off. Yeah it was fun.

So the R*’s are doing soooo good. Hno R* got the priesthood and will get to baptize his daughters! (Hno = Brother just so you know.) The girls are super ready. All they need is one more interview and they are going to be full out members. I’m really excited. J* has dropped his date for the moment. He needs to come to church at the very least one more time but after that the next Saturday he will get baptized. I just hope I’m here for that. Vamos a ver.

I finally ate some strange food! It’s called menudo and it’s really ……… strange. I’ll leave it there. It’s kinda hard for a gringo to eat. I hear you have to be 200% Mexican to really love it so give me a little while and I’ll love it! But yeah it was fun to get to try it.

Well I want ya’ll to know that the church is true. I feel that every time I go to the R*’s (well I feel it more then that but I really feel it there). You can just see the way it’s pulling their family together, the new light that has been turned back on in that house. I love this work. It will never matter how many baptisms I get or how many families I can help come back. The number is so pointless. It’s the names; it’s the people that now have an understanding of who they are! That God has not left them, that we are only here to help them come back. I love to be a missionary. It’s a funny, sad thought. My nightmares are waking up without my tag by my bed. It really is scary to think the day will come when Christ’s name won’t be next to mine. So I’m going to work as hard as I can with what God has given me because the next time I blink I’ll be here again at email and when I take a breath I’ll have a new comp and when I try to look back, I’ll be home. So I guess I’ll see you soon. I love being a missionary and I love all of you. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers.

Love,

Elder Birks