Hello Everyone!

Hello Everybody!

Well, a crazy thing happened this last week that never really happens: I got myself another trainer. I'm now in a threesome with...Elder Nelson. The other one. So I have two Elder Nelsons as companions. Yeah, it's just that confusing. And Elder Nelson II is a spanish speaking missionary. So I'm trying to just learn a little spanish. I might as well since I'm going to be sitting through lessons where I can't understand much. Anyway, a change happened elsewhere so we lost the other spanish speaking elder so he could go train and kept Elder Nelson so we can push forward in the work with the spanish speaking people. So for conveniency and to lose confusion, Elder Nelson, the original, will be Papa Nelson, and the new one will be Senor Nelson. Comprende? Technically, we're not supposed to give nicknames to other missionaries, but how can you not when you have two with the same name? But yeah, we like to refer to ourselves as the Three Muscatines. (No clue if you know this or not, but it's pronounced Muskateen. Just in case.) I also have a firm belief that three people companionships is just an unnatural thing. It can be a lot more fun at times, though.

I guess now would be a good time to apologize for not being able to write yesterday. It was busy, because we were trying to finish moving in Senor Nelson, there was a ward picnic, and we may or may not have gone to the Nauvoo Temple. You see, we took Donald, a recent convert, and "stud" as Senor Nelson likes to call him, to do baptisms for the dead and got it okayed by President Talbot. So we left at 6 in the morning and drove the 1.5 hour drive to Nauvoo. It was so awesome to see my first baptism on my mission!! Even if the person being baptized wasn't who the ordinance was for, it was still way cool. Not to mention it was in one of the most historic temples! And the biggest font in the world. And it's just cool to be baptized for the dead anyway. Afterward we got some fudge from the Fudge Factory and got a couple souvenirs before heading back to the picnic. We never even got to shop yesterday, so we're going after this.

Not much has changed otherwise, it's just been kind of hectic trying to do the work of two separate companionships in one, but we're dealing. We're also pretty sure that there will only be one companionship in Muscatine from now on, for our district has now been absorbed by another and we had to move all of the stuff out of the other apartment. So we're all wondering what will happen next transfer, whether Papa Nelson will go and I'll be finished training with Senor Nelson, or if we'll stay in a threesome or what, because Greenies don't transfer out of their original area until after at least three transfers here.

Other news: Last week, before the Three Muscatines were formed, I went to Iowa City with Papa Nelson because he had District Leader Council. So while he was there, I went with one elder who came out with me, Elder Knapp, and one who has been out only one transfer, Elder Perazzo, and drove to downtown Iowa City (it was weird being in a legitimate city again) and OYMed (open your mouth, meaning to go and talk to random people about the gospel as they are mosying on through their day) people. Now THAT was a good and odd experience. Nobody was really receptive, but it was good to get practice of talking to all sorts of people. I think I prefer small towns or suburbs though. It also gave me a chance to drive! I also stayed in Iowa City that night and got to go on an exchange with one of our zone leaders, Elder Hall. He's a way cool guy.

I'm getting more used to talking to people, but it's still something I'm getting used to. I can more easily say what I need to, but I'd so much more prefer just sitting back and observing while tracting or OYMing. The ten hours of tracting a week we're supposed to do is helping, though. I can also do much better with lessons now, but only when I'm comfortable, but my comfort area is growing for sure. Or else dissolving completely, who knows. I'm becoming a better and more vocal missinary for sure. I think this is something that all greenies have to go through to a point. I hope.

Little unimportant things: I'm definitely still adjusting to Iowa. It's weird having to talk over the sounds of cicadas. And when Taffee, Sister Chapman's, the sister whose basement we live in, cat, brought a cicada in last night, it made the weirdest noise. Well, they always do, but even weirder in person. What a funky bug. The climate is weird, too. It can get so muggy at times, and this year is a much nicer one than most. And for an idea of what most of Iowa looks like, watch Lord of the Rings. It's the shire, thousands of years in the future.

I believe things are pretty much summed up now. The seventeen-year-old guy is still pushing forward. We talked to his mom and she's really supportive of him coming to church and talking to us, so at least there's no actual pressure on him about staying catholic. He really wants to be baptized, and I really hope things work out with him. He even came to church and mutual and has signed up to do certain things in mutual this next week.

I've really come to realize how satan can get in the way of people doing what they should. Certainly, people live lives and can't do everything we expect of him, but I've seen people fall through a lot on appointments and such, and it's just the way it is I think. Things come up, and get in the way, and it's sad. I also met my first anti, and all it did was increase my faith. He'd be really mad to find out that's what he accomplished. Still don't get why people would try so hard to fight us, but it doesn't get to me as much anymore. Papa Nelson even told me he likes it when people fight him, for it's exactly what people did to the prophets of old, and even the savior. I still think that's crazy to like it, but at least he has a good attitude towards it, and I'm tryin to be the same way.

Remember, the message I've been sent forth to share is true. I know it. I know it will bring so much happiness and peace to everyone who accepts it in their life, because it has in mine, and I've seen it in others. Never forget that it's true. And those who don't know, find out for yourself. Ask God if it is. He'll let you know.

Love,
Elder Charlie Gates