Another Busy Busy Week! Awesome Sunday!

(Emailed to Friends)
What a week it's been!  I believe I say that every week, but they all really are fantastic.

Monday - managed to snag a couple of lessons.  Not too shabby.  Normal though.

Tuesday - Solid day, with a lack of lessons though.  While contacting though, we did find a less active lady, named Marianna Nin.  She asked us if we worshipped Joseph Smith, or Paul, or Peter, because she needed more help than just from Christ.  Needless to say she's been inactive for a very very long time.  She's very open though, and I think from our visits has a desire to come back to church.  It's like teaching an investigator though, it's all new for her.  She's had a lot of challenges in her life, and I hope she sees the gospel can help her with them.

Wednesday - Solid lessons as well. Nothing too out of the ordinary.  Taught a contact named Angy.  As part of our district goals, we're trying to talk to as many new people between lessons as possible.  We stopped and contacted her house.  She's SUPER interested.  Started teaching her the Plan of Salvation and it was AWESOME.  She read everything, said it all made a ton of sense, and that she feels like she's had a hole in her life that needs to be filled.  We answered her questions that she has had for a long time, and it was just way super awesome.    I had a baptismal interview of a 12 year old kid that night.  It went well.  He ended up getting baptized this Saturday. Had to bail on some of our lessons because of it which was a bummer, but all's well.

Thursday - District meeting.  Went OK.  Not too exciting, or amazing. Just normal.  I was going to have to do another baptismal interview, but it never happened.  We taught a few less actives as well.  One guy was 21 and really knows his stuff.  Brought out his hymnbook and the whole nine yards.  We sang a few hymns with him.  Then we taught Marianna Nin again.  She read all the pamphlet and even filled in the questions in the back.  Next step is helping her make it to church.

Friday - OK morning.  Left with a member, and it went all right.  At lunch time we started some intercambios.  It was tight.  Way fun.  I got to be with my ZL, Elder Romero.  He was my comp before and it was cool to be with him again.  We worked way hard together.  Felt fantastic.  Visited a few references that I think could really pan out, and had some really good contacts as well.  Fun fun day.

Saturday - More contacting with Elder Romero.  Way fun once again.  That afternoon had a major headache and was struggling. We had a few OK lessons.  Taught Angel for the last time.  He's moving to a new house today I believe.

Sunday - AWESOME.  Church went so well.  We had 6 investigators in church which isn't anything super amazing, but it is pretty good.  The awesome thing is Calletano, who me and Elder Romero contacted came to church.  And Marlye, the Haitian inactive lady, was AT CHURCH. SHE CAME ON HER OWN.  What. A. Surprise.  I almost spazzed out when I saw her haha.  She brought her son, Sebastian, or his real name is Judaley.  Way awesome.  And Angel brought his whole family to church.  His wife is inactive and I've never seen them all at church.  Way awesome as well.  Overall I was just super super happy on Sunday.  Super super happy.  That night we visited some recent convert’s sisters.  There's two of them, and they are literally sisters.  Way nice people.  Unfortunately, one of them has major challenges in her life, and is just about done with the church.  So sad.  We tried what we could, but she wasn't listening too much to us.  So sad.

Monday - Cleaned.  Shopped.  And ya.  That was it.  Woohoo for P-day! Haha.

Other thoughts:

Easter or "semana santa" is nuts here.  We have to go in early on Friday since it's dangerous... They also do a lot of habiachulas con dulce or "sweet beans" which is like a drink with beans, cinnamon, and tons of sugar.  Not too bad actually.  The other day me and my comp were drinking some and started laughing and were struggling to not spill all over ourselves.  Fun stuff.

The other day I saw Elder Solis with a tie that's the same as one of mine.  I was like, "Hey that's way cool!  We have the same tie!"  Then I thought about it a little more, and looked at the tie a little harder, and it was my tie... Aww.

More intercambios this week.  The mission is also really pushing that we don't teach any women without a man present.  Very very very hard to do.  We don't teach any young women alone, but we have lots of ladies 30 or 40 years old who we teach.  Very hard to do, but we're working on it.

I believe that's about all for the week!  Enjoy your conference! Best time of the year. Oh, and Easter as well.  I guess.
Love y'all tons!
Elder Potokar.

(Emailed to Family)
Wow.  Quite the week. That's nuts with your calling too! I'm excited to hear what your new calling will be and who'll be the new bishopric.  You've been in their forever!  Haha as long as I can remember.  How soon are you going to know? I expect it'll be a similar feeling when it's time for me to get home.  Just kind of gut-wrenching haha.  Maybe if you get lucky thought you'll get called to the Primary, but I really don't expect that'll happen.  You'll do great in whatever they call you as.

Thank you for all the music you sent me.  I realize that was a lot of your time to go through it all, and it's been awesome.  It's just about always playing when we're inside the house.

But really the story about Garrett made me chuckle.  And Ash too.  Made me feel bad when Lydia didn't get her party, but I'm glad it all worked out. I'd be worried about Garrett too!  Haha.  I was never even close to that social.  I didn't even talk to like any girls as a 7th grader.  Oh how times have changed!  And the same for Ash.  She's looking a lot older in the pictures you guys send me!  She's growing up quick.

The baptismal date was for the 11th, but it's not going to happen.  We haven't been able to get her to church yet. I don't know.  I'm struggling that we've been working hard, but haven't had any fechas or anything.  Bother me a lot.

I also had a really cool talk to Romero about the 15-20 thing while I was with him.  He liked a lot of my ideas and I wouldn't be surprised if he implements them in the zone.  Super cool.

The members talked to Marlye a bunch at church.  I tried to introduce as many of them as I could to her.  I think she enjoyed it better.  She seemed happy while she was there.  The Relief Society president is going to visit her during the week.

Angel's Family

I'm going to miss teaching Angel.  We don’t' really have anything else to teach him though.  Haha he knows just about everything.  He just needs to get married, then he'll be an easy baptism.  He has a date to get married in May, he's just waiting for it.  He's already talked to the missionaries in his new area.  Looked them up himself.  They live super close to him.

District meeting was OK.  Not as good as the week before.  Numbers aren't really up much.  I don't think they're applying the goals much.  Elder Rasmussen they're trying and I think the numbers are going up a bit.  It'll definitely take time.

I getting to know the members a lot better.  They are helping with some referrals.  We got 3 this week I think and 1 of them was really good.  We'll see how it goes with him.

(So the Dominicans like to celebrate at any chance. Is it easier to talk about Christ this week or is it just about the party for them?) They party A LOT.  Like nightly.  It's nuts.  We'll see.  We just barely got the cards to do the Easter thing like we did for Christmas.  We'll see how it goes this week!

I think conference will just be at the church.  I hope we'll be able to hit all the sessions. I plan on it.   Not sure if I'll watch conference in English or in Spanish. I hope English, but we'll see how it goes. It's an awesome opportunity for investigators cuz there's so many sessions! They should at least be able to make it to one or two.The ward has an activity on Friday too so we might go to that.  We don't have details as of yet.

There's 6 sisters in the zone.  I think they'll put sisters in our area in the future cuz it's so safe.

Solis, Sebastian/Judaley, & Potokar

I think we'll have intercambios tomorrow as well.  Not sure who's going where yet. I'll stay the night with them.  Not sure if I'll stay in my area or if I'll leave to another area or who I'll be with.

This transfer has flow by.   Seems like forever ago I was worried about being DL and all that, and it's been almost 3 weeks now.  Absolutely nuts.  Sometimes I feel like I'll be here forever, but when I look back on it, things are flying.

I loved the pictures you sent me!  It looks like the kids are doing awesome.  Ash is sure growing up as are the other two.  Garrett tells me about someone he's trying to share the gospel with just about weekly which is way awesome.  Tons more than I ever did.

I believe that's about all!  Please feel free to ask questions.  I gave Angel your Facebook as well, so don't be surprised if you get a friend request! Haha.
Love you tons! Elder Easton Potokar.