One step at a time

Hello Everyone!

My new area, San Pedro de Poas, is about an hour away from San José where the mission home is located.  It is absolutely GREAT! I love it here so much; I just know that they won´t leave me here long. They have asked me to be District Leader here, which is a little strange, because usually the district leader is in a ward or centrally located.  Here in Poas we are flying solo. But it´s pretty awesome.

The meeting house is our apartment!  That´s right!  I live in the chapel.  Better said, my house is the chapel. Here we have a group, which means that there are few people that come--a group is the smallest congregational unit in the church, which is pretty cool because I get to see the church in the growing phase.  The downside is that there are basically no leaders to help. But we´ll see how we do. I have a feeling that pretty soon here we will be making this group a branch, then a ward, then a stake. But honestly, this area is ready to explode.  This past week we found 41 new investigators. 

Although I keenly feel my faults as a missionary, knowing that I lack many things, I feel a confidence, or assurance, that if I do everything I can, that the Man upstairs will work miracles. I have a wonderful companion who teaches really well.  He has about two months less than me, but we are making up for lack of experience by working until we drop. 

In this area we are the only missionaries, but in my district there are four, as well as the zone leaders (who are my leader as well, kinda confusing) That makes eight, so I'm kept fairly busy calling, and encouraging, and bothering.

Something funny that happened yesterday, I just about got kissed. Here it´s a custom to kiss on the cheek when you are saying hi, but as missionaries, we can´t do that. So I´m sitting in this chair talking with a family we just met, and in walks the daughter and tries to give me a kiss. It´s always a bit awkward trying to explain things after that, but the mom then made us food, so I guess it was all ok.

Zone Meeting Birthdays!

Although here it´s a tad more civilized, there are still a lot of problems that the people have. I struggle with seeing all of the pain. I want so bad to help, but sometimes I just can´t. I see so many unjust things that I want to cry, I know better than to blame God, but all the same, the pain, bitter, raw, festering, is still there. As a missionary people confide things to us, I only wish we could help more. That being said, the only balm for the hurt I feel, is being a missionary. I know without a doubt that this message is the answer. That if they would grab a hold of it they would find relief. My relief is in being able to offer the help, knowing that in reality, none of this has anything to do with me, other than the change that happens in my heart. What is important is helping them create a relationship with our Heavenly Father. For this I work hard, knowing that I have got to do everything within my power to help, believing that it can make a difference. 

I believe that I am changing the world, one person at a time.

I believe that everyone within reach of my words are world changers as well. And that one step at a time, we´ll walk into the future together.

Auspiciously,

Elder Noah M. Toney

Root Beer!

Visiting a shoemaker