We had transfers! I am staying in Flores, and I am receiving Elder Castro. He is from el Salvador. He's got about two weeks more in the mission than I. He hasn't been a zone leader so I´m his zone leader dad. They added an area to our zone, so now we are 16, and I have been feeling the craziness and inefficiencies this past week. We had to go find a new house because they opened a new area. Add to the list of my new identities--Elder Toney the house negotiator. It was AWFUL and so very stressful, I do not have the knack for that. But we did it. And then one of my district leaders was getting an operation done so one of us had to stay with him, so I basically had no time to be with my companion or teach him anything. When the assistants called asking for things he didn't know what to do, they chopped his head off (figuratively now) and then they called me and chopped my head off (not so figurative). I´m already used to it, but my poor companion felt really bad. But moving forward! I apologized because it was pretty much my fault (preparing for marriage: everything is my fault) [also for those who don´t know, leadership in the mission: President scolds assistants, assistants scold zone leaders, zone leaders scold district leaders, and district leaders scold the regular missionaries, all things roll downhill].
The good news: lots of really fun lessons in humility. The bad? Lots of head chopping,(from momma J for not writing very much) and learning. But honestly, it´s a lot of fun having so many missionaries, it means that there´s a lot to do. I´m excited to be with my companion because he seems ready to learn. I am as well, so it should be an adventure. I really enjoy being Zone Leader because it REALLY forces me to grow. Like in planning and execution of plans, for example, how do I get eight missionaries and about 14 big suitcases to different locations in a couple of hours when only I know where things are at and we can only travel by bus? Lots of hard work and making split second decisions when things change fast, while withstanding dirty looks from the bus driver for bringing so many suitcases and getting charged for extra weight. Once again sorry for not writing, As a zone leader, a lot of things cut in on my time. Last week I was unable to write, but as the Assistant who just called me said, "Elder Toney you are the Elder I have most scolded this week, Elder usted es el elder que más he regañado esta semana". Yes I know, but it doesn't get me down at all and I just keep trying to do better! And Sorry!
Love you all!
Succinctly,
Elder Noah Michael Toney
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| Isidro y lorena! |
