Phone Call Home: Monday, January 24, 2022

Wowza...today was EARLY. Like so early I was messaging these two missionaries on the floor in my office curled up because trying to sit in the chair and type on the computer screen was hurting my eyeballs I was so tired. :/ But...I wouldn't change any of it. I love being able to catch up with them every Monday.

Elder Garcia is happy this week and is happy to be back in Anfame. He is indeed training his new companion, Elder Meline, who is from California and things seem to be going really well. He and I talked some about the tricky things that could come up from having an American companion, especially when it comes to the language. Elder Garcia is 100% responsible for whatever French Elder Meline is going to get right out the gate is going to be what Elder Garcia gives him. I reminded Elder Garcia what his first companion experience was like and to do his best to 1: not let that happen for Elder Meline, 2: work his hardest to ensure that Elder Meline doesn't walk away from his trainer feeling like he has no clue what to do as a missionary, and 3: remember to keep the Lord at his side so that as he is basically teaching French to Elder Meline he can do it in the ways of the Lord. I cannot even imagine the weight of any of this being as fresh as a missionary as Elder Garcia is. 

Sister Garcia was able to jump in on our call and it is interesting each week when this happens. I sit back a lot and just listen. They talk mission stuff to one another and ask about differences between the countries they are in. This week Sister Garcia gave Elder Garcia some sound advice in regards to training a fellow American. She simply said "speak French as much as possible. Do whatever you can to not fall into the easy of English". She would for sure know because as she has been training Sister Bradbeer it has been her biggest challenge. I pray that Elder Garcia will heed this advice and do all he can to be the best trainer possible.

Elder Garcia is thriving and seems to be happy. He continues to work hard and is excited to be back in the area he loves.

As a Mom I wonder often what each day holds for Elder Garcia. I wonder what his mornings look like, how he is processing the very different culture and country he is living in. I wonder what influences he has in his day to day and how he is addressing them. I know he tries to shy away from saying he is still messaging/email the girl that has caused so much drama and so many problems and yet I know that he is still actively involved there. I also am aware that Elder Garcia knows exactly how many transfers he has left and what day that makes it so he would fly home. As a Mom I worry that these distractions aren't allowing him to fully embrace the mission and be the missionary that I know he can be and that the Lord knows and NEEDS him to be. Elder Garcia has been in Africa now for 5 months and he has plenty of days still to go. My prayers this week are specifically for him as a missionary and as his desire and intent as a missionary. That he will be able to see that these distractions are stopping him from doing his best work and from doing that which he agreed to do when he accepted his mission call. Being a Mom is hard. Being a missionary Mom is even harder! 

I know the capabilities. I know the testimony of Elder Garcia. I know the good that is waiting to come from him as he serves in Africa. I am so proud of all he is doing.

Until next Monday,
Mom