Seasons greetings! 'Tis the season to preach the gospel!!! I just started my fifth transfer last wednesday! I'm still in the same area, Jefferson Park. My new companion is from Tucson, Arizona, and his name is Elder Karnes. He's a good guy. We get along pretty well. He is half Mexican, but was born in Arizona, so he is learning Spanish along with me. His dad is in the Air Force, so he lived in England for a year before he came out on his mission, so he's technically an "international missionary". We've been working hard together. They made me the senior companion! It is good. We've been finding lots of people to teach. We were tracting last week and we knocked on a woman's door and we asked if we could teach her out on her porch. So we taught her the Restoration, and we found out that some of her relatives are members of the church. We will be going back on Saturday to teach her and her husband together. And she accepted to go to church on Sunday! The Lord is definitely helping us find those who are ready!
Mom, you asked some questions. Yes, many many of the people here are illegal haha! It actually comes up a lot in conversations. There are thousands of illegal immigrants here. But they are really nice people. Sometimes we hear stories about family members getting deported and things like that. It is really hard on families. I talked to one man who walked and swam for 3 MONTHS from Peru to get to Los Angeles! Some of them like it here, but many of them like there home countries better, and they are just here for work.
I can't believe everything about the new house! What a blessing! I I'm excited to see the pictures! Dad, a cow would be awesome! Trees, streams, stars at night, open land, fresh air, deer, no nearby neighbors, and the canyon sound super awesome! Woo! When I come home I'm going to be a sheperd, and I will raise sheep on our property. I'm not going to college. I would rather tend to the animals. haha just kidding! But that sounds like a dream land!
The weather has been cooling off a lot lately. There has been a lot of light rain lately, and I heard it's going to be cool all week. I really like the weather right now!
I got a letter from Elder Larsen, and he sent me a picture of his city Crato! It looks way nice! He wrote me some Portuguese, and it is really similar to Spanish! I haven't heard from Elder Seitz from the Baltic mission yet though. I'll bet it takes forever for mail to get over here. I didn't get Elder Larsen's letter until 3 weeks after he sent it. I got a really nice package from the Horton family! They sent me a bunch of treats and a card! It was really good to hear from them!
Yesterday for p-day we had a zone activity, then afterward some of us got together and played some street soccer on an outdoor basketball court! It was really really fun! Definitely one of my favorite p-days! I feel like an old man today because I haven't played soccer in such a long time. My huge muscles are pretty sore.
We have been teaching some pretty awesome people here! It amazes me every day that we continue to find so many people who are willing to listen to us! Our investigator is progressing really well! He is going to get baptized on the 31st! He is a really awesome guy from Oaxaca, Mexico, and he has a really good fellowshipper! Pedro is doing well too! He is trying to quit drinking coffee so he can get baptized! But he is going back to El Salvador next week, and he won't be back until December. So we hope we will be able to help him get baptized when he gets back! This past Sunday was a really good day! We had so many people come to church!! Lots of the recent converts and less-actives we are working with came to church. We also have a new investigator. Her husband recently left her to go to Mexico, and she is looking for some happiness. She came to church on Sunday, and we will be meeting with her tonight! We hope everything goes well!
We are planning a big FHE activity for all the recent converts and investigators in our ward! We have three companionships that work in our ward, and we are having them invite their recent converts and investigators to a member's house, and we will have a big lesson, and activity, and some refreshments. We're hoping it will be good for new members and investigators to meet eachother and have a good time!
Guess what?! I found a Krispy Kream Doughnuts in our area!
I love you family! I pray for you every day! It's always good to hear from you! Estoy muy agradecido por su apoyo por mi, y la obra del Senor. Les agradezco por todo que me han dado! Mi mision no seria posible sin su ayuda. Cada dia yo doy gracias al Senor por ustedes. Les quiero mucho! Mi ruedo es que puedan seguir adelante en lo que el Senor nos ha establecido, lo qual es Su evangelio. Se que por medio sus ensenanzas, podemos vivir para siempre jamas en los cielos con nuestro Padre Celestial. Vayan con Dios! I love you all a ton! I know this church is true! I'm really glad you are all doing so well.
Love,
Elder R. Watkins
P.S.- If you send a package in the future, I would really like some regular "conservative" ties, they are nice. Dad, I wear your brown tie you wore on you mission! I wear it all the time and tell people my dad wore it on his mission! Orale pues, tengo que irme, andale! I also don't have my camera right now! I'll try to send some pics next week!
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