Phone Call Home: Monday, April 17, 2023

Never the highest quality but hey! It was a face to face call today so I will take it!

Monday...yay! And a Monday where an actual phone call face to face was able to happen. I can't think of anything better. Especially as things come to an end for this Elder of mine and his time that is being spent in Africa. 

Elder Garcia is in good spirits but is also dealing with some frustration with his current companion. Not that his companion is a horrible person or not a great missionary but he just lacks the drive to actually do missionary work. He has really made these last 5 weeks difficult for Elder Garcia and being able to talk to him was good and I hope that as we talked that we were able to find new ways to approach this final week as they head into transfers knowing that this companionship may also stick around to close out a mission for him as well. 

This companion of his, Elder Coulibaly, has gotten very complacent and is very lazy. He will make appointments for rendezvous to take place and then they never actually make them happen. He will be happy to leave the apartment but then somehow they always end up at the church building where he does nothing but just sit. None of his actions are doing missionary work and it is obviously very frustrating for Elder Garcia. He wants to go out and work, he wants to meet people, reconnect with ami's that are searching for the goodness of what the Gospel brings to life. He wants to be a missionary but his current situation is holding him back for sure. 

We talked about how maybe this is his time to 'shine'. Time to validate for President Proudfoot the reasoning behind him being called as a District Leader. Maybe now is the time for him to take the lead and be the senior companion and make the calls as to what each day will look like rather than allowing this other Elder to do so. We talked about how he will never get this time back and that I never want a day in his life to be one of questioning whether or not something more could have been done or 'if only I had done this or that'. There is so much still left to do in six (6) short weeks of his time in Africa and I know he is more than capable, I just needed to be certain to do what I could to help HIM see that too. 

I cannot believe we are down to our final transfer! This time next week he will know where he will spend his final few weeks, who his companion will be, and then it is time for him to come home. I am not kidding when I say that I feel like it was just yesterday that I was sending him off on an airplane! Time has (thankfully) flown by and I could not be more thrilled.

We will for certain keep our missionary in thoughts and prayers as he heads into a week of needing extra strength to push for a little more missionary work and working with the Lord instead of just doing their own things. 

**Never forget your voice matters. You don't have to be a jerk to get your point of view and wishes out there. You can be respectful but also confident too. Not just on a mission but in life as a whole**

I hope that Elder Garcia will become a little 'selfish' as he takes a look at what these final weeks look like for him and that he will not take 'no' for answer. I pray that he will find the courage and the strength to stand up for what he knows is right and that in his example he will be able to encourage and teach his companion what it is to be called and set apart to do the work of our Heavenly Father in their times as missionaries. I hope that Elder Garcia will be able to jot down some of the goals he wants to see happen in the next six weeks and that he does everything within himself to be able to make those happen. More importantly, I pray that Elder Garcia continues to thrive in Africa and that he is more mindful of his surroundings that have been home for the last two years and that he takes the time to burn images into his mind so he never forgets. 

I can't wait to talk next week and hear how this week goes and what his last six weeks will look like but for now I am just sure grateful that we had today. I still love Mondays and I love being able to see his face when I can. Keep up the good work!

I love you to the moon and back,

Mom