Phone Call Home: Monday, September 26, 2022

Not only is it Monday and Pday but it is also the Monday where we get to find out what is next for Elder Garcia with transfers this week! Always exciting when this day comes around. Here are some highlights from our call:

- Elder Garcia is leaving Sanguera! He will be heading to a new place called Tabligbo where he will get a new companion that he doesn't know anything about, he will be in a 4 Elder apartment again, and he will no longer be a District Leader

- Elder Garcia said the new area he is headed to has a lot of young converts. Young being children who are under 18. This poses a tricky scenario in that Elder Garcia said the converts have not been coming to church since they got baptized since their parents aren't converts themselves. He is looking forward to finding these families and hopefully working with them.

- Elder Garcia had interviews with President Proudfoot this last week. He said usually he goes into them and is unsure of what to expect because President Proudfoot isn't always jovial and smiling. This time though he was and so it put Elder Garcia at ease a little. They were able to talk transfers coming up and also get some questions answered he said. Last time during interviews President Proudfoot asked Elder Garcia to be more intentional when he is praying rather than just going through motions and repeating himself. Elder Garcia said that has been helpful and that President Proudfoot acknowledged that he had made some changes there.

- Transfer news was hard for Elder Garcia but on the other hand he is ready for a change. He has been in Sanguera for quite some time and has needed something new to drive him. He was getting stagnant in a way and the work wasn't progressing so I think this will be good. Goodbyes are tricky and hard and relationships are going to go away because of the move but I believe Elder Garcia has learned a lot and he will be grateful for his time here

- I issued a challenge for Elder Garcia this week as he heads into a new area with a new, unknown, companion: as he goes into this new area where he knows nothing about anyone or even where he is going, I challenged him to approach those around him in a friendly, non religious way, asking if there was anything he could do to help them. Gain the trust, let them see that even though this American in a white shirt has a tag that says religion, it actually just means help. From there maybe doors will be open and invites for baptism take place. Elder Garcia reminds me that he is in Africa to help people so maybe this will be just the challenge he needs.

Elder Garcia is on a downhill stretch for sure at this point. He has 9 months left and will be home before he knows it. I pray that he will make the most of each day he has left and recognize the smallest of small blessings that he has in his life right now that will one day be looked back on and that he will be eternally grateful for. 

Love and prayers from home. I love you for forever, 

Mom