Things are going well here in Vista! Hermana Hawkins is doing
very well in her first week on the mission! Her Spanish is also really good for
the beginning as well! Hermana Terron and Hermana Hawkins get along very well!
They love each other, which is very good to see! :)
Last Tuesday, before transfers happened, our district went to go
make a Chicken Coop for a potential investigator, and it was so much fun! (Note: see photos at bottom of post) It
reminded me so much of scout projects and things that I'd go help Carl with. So
it was a lovely time for me! Hermana Young knows a lot about Chickens, and
Chicken Coops, so she had a huge part in constructing it! Since we both have
dealt with things like that before, it reminded both of us of home haha Then we
got Domino's Pizza from that family, and I was extremely happy! That also
reminded me of home! haha
Also, this past week, we had Spanish Conference!!! :D It wasn't
quite as extravagant as last time, but it was still fun! It's weird to think
that Emerick and I are 2 of the oldest spanish missionaries! *GAG* THAT'S SO
WEIRD!!!! I gave a discussion in the spanish conference about how spanish
missionaries can baptize more, so I decided to talk about studying the
language, living the culture, and being diligent! It went pretty well I
thought. I got a lot of participation! We didn't have mission wide exchanges
this time, but maybe for the one in October :)
We went to Escondido this past Sunday so that I could
confirm Johnathon, and there were such memories there! I saw so many members
that I loved being around! Many of them remembered me, and were so happy that I
was back! But I told them that I was only there for that day, and they said
"O...well hopefully you'll serve here again real soon!" So that made
me happy that they still remember me and want me back!
I learned recently that it's not just December 21st that's
the "black out" day, but that no missionaries will be going anywhere
from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve, because of the crazy holiday traffic, and
because of the recent attack in Belgium, they're wanting to keep missionaries
safe. So I'll either be coming home November 8, or in January, but I don't
know how true any of this is, but we'll find out. If that is true, I'm going to
try to come home in November to start getting things ready for the next chapter
of our lives.
I agree with you that the reason for leaving Arkansas is for
personal growth, but not by leaving the family. If God wants all of us to move,
that's the way it'll be. In the hispanic culture, it is extremely common that the
whole family either lives together, or at least very close to each other, and
if one moves, the rest go with them. I feel like there will be changes in our
lives when I return. Most especially para mi, because I've learned from
Arkansas all that I've needed to. I've been taught by the good men in
Morrilton, I got my Eagle Scout, and my high school education in an environment
that was conducive to the spirit (Home/Toadsuck), you taught me how to be
respectful to everyone, I got my first job from a member, I learned from
Dad(Carl) how to work hard and to do a good job at it, and I believe that I've
learned everything that I could up to this point. So now it's time to move on
to the next part of my life, new experiences, new people that can help me, and
that I can help, and learn what's next for me.
It's kinda interesting, when I think of Arkansas and staying
there, I think of the Hotel California song (the part that talks about when you
go in, you'll never leave), or in the Percy Jackson movie in the Lotus Casino,
when they lost so much time in there and didn't even realize it. I don't think
that Arkansas is a bad place, God is just telling me that my time is just
finished there. Arkansas will always be my home, a place where I know that I
can always return and be around those that have been a huge part of my life.
But right now, it's time to say "See ya later, alligator."
Please continue to write and email when you can, I love hearing
from you!
With much love,
Elder Patrick Wockenfuss
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| Elder W. and Elder E. - the (Mor)Men in Black |
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| Spanish Conference - the nice photo. Elder Wockenfuss is in the back row, fourth from left. |
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| Spanish Conference- the silly photo |
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| Elder Wockenfuss' district helping to build a chicken coop last week before transfers. |
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