Eleven months in the Field

Will standing in front of the Logan temple where he took out his endowments almost one year ago today. We all went through with him. Bill & Amy Heaven and Ben & Angie Bates (his two sisters and their husbands) and mom and dad.

July 20, 2009
Hola familia mia,
It’s been another good and busy week, Monday night, we caught a flight to Bucaramanga my tierra querida (beloved land) we then spent the next two days there with President Hacking interviewing all of the missionaries in the 2 zones there. I am always happy to go to Bucaramanga, I really grew to love the people and that beautiful city. Both days we spent the mornings and afternoons running the interviews etc. and then left to work with the missionaries there both nights.
Thursday morning we had the Zone Conference with the 2 zones in Bucaramanga and the missionaries from San gil and Barranca. (40 in total) It went very well and the plans we had made turned out great. It was very spiritual but we also did activities so there was laughing. I think we accomplished just what we wanted which was to re emphasize out purpose and leave all of us inspired to work harder. The usual zone conference has the following schedule
Hymn and Prayer
Talk by missionary (President chooses a few topics that we announce a while before that everyone has to study, when we get to the conference he randomly chooses someone to talk so we have to all be ready.)
Time for the Assistantes (we prepare what we will talk about and do. This lasts about an hour. Rather than stand at the pulpit we walk around among the missionaries as we talk and do activities.
A break to stretch legs and have a snack
Time for President Hacking
Testimonies of missionaries who are new or about to leave.
Hymn and Prayer

So anyway the conference went great there. Thursday afternoon we caught a flight to Cucuta (a city of about 600,000 on the border of Venezuela) We met up with the Zone Leaders and stayed with them for the night.
The next day we pulled a double header and did the Conference and Interviews there in one day, which meant being in the chapel from 8 to 4. The conference there is smaller because there is only 1 zone (14 missionaries) so the ambient is always different but it also went very well. We worked (tracted) with missionaries there that night and then in the morning took a flight back to Bucaramanga (Saturday).
Some missionaries had moved into a new house with nothing so we went with Hna Hacking to buy dishes, an iron, blankets, cleaning supplies etc. for their new house. President Hacking was invited to speak at a fireside and Elder Corro and I went to a Noche Blanca (white night, which is a night when a District or Zone plans all their baptisms together in one church) I got to see some of the members of Real de Minas my first ward which was nice and the baptisms were great.
Elder Corro and I are always monitoring the baptisms and how all the Zones are working as we talk with the Zone leaders every night. This week was very good and next week should be even better so we will see how that goes, but back to the story.
On Sunday President Hacking was invited to a ward conference. He interviewed and called his other counselor from there. Then we caught an afternoon flight back to Bogotá and finished up Sunday night working in our area. So it was a long week with 4 flights, living out of my little suitcase and planning and making last minute adjustments, on the run everywhere. I love getting to travel and see other parts of the mission and work but it’s also nice to be "home" and unpack my bag and breathe for a second.
I have caught a cold so right now I have a congested, sore throat but nothing at all serious. Today the Camargos invited the missionaries from the office and the Hackings to visit them and have a lunch together. It went very well and it was nice to see the Camargos again.
Also, Elder Corro will be leaving the office this transfer (August 12) to go to the field and train a new American Elder to finish his last 3 months. Six gringos and four Latin sisters will get here this transfer so Elder Corro will get to be in the field training before he goes home.
I can’t believe how fast the time has passed. I've been on a mission almost 11 months now and can hardly believe that it is about half over. The time really passes fast when you stay busy and these last few weeks have been especially that way. I don't want it to go so fast - I love being a missionary.
Ha I think I’m finally comfortable with all the responsibilities of being assistant to a new Mission President. I really have no idea how long Pres Hacking will keep me here, but I am happy both ways. I miss being out in the streets more and finding the Lords elect, but where I am, I am learning a ton and it’s an incredible experience and it’s exciting because every day there is something new that presents itself or a new problem to try to solve. So I really can say wherever I am I will be happy. (Our church authorities say that the A.P.’s term of service varies but is usually no more than six months.)
As far as the dear elder letters either way is fine with me. I like to get them and I commonly use stuff from them in Zone conferences etc. You are all in my prayers. That’s awesome about the Heavens and their new house. And Ben (brother-in-law who has a second tumor on his back) is especially in my prayers.
Thanks for everything, mucho amor hasta la proxima. Elder B.