So today I'm writing you from Maricopa, Arizona.
Transfers were on Thursday and I found out late Wednesday morning that I was
leaving Casa Grande. Pretty much the entire mission stayed the same for
transfers. The group of missionaries that was supposed to go home on January 1,
is now going home December 18 because the church travel department didn't want
a bunch of conflicts with flights and everything for the holidays. So the only
changes were the missionaries going home, the missionaries coming in, and
changes to make accommodations for the missionaries leaving on December 18. The
reason I was transferred is because Hermana Sedgwick is training one of the
missionaries that just arrived. We found out Wednesday at about 9 a.m.
that Hermana Sedgwick was training, so we knew one of us
was leaving. At the time, we didn't know that basically the entire mission was
staying the same for transfers, so we thought for sure that Hermana Sedgwick
was going to leave and I was going to stay since she's been in Casa Grande for
6 months. We got a text at about 11:30 a.m. that the whole zone was staying the
same except myself and one other elder who were being transferred. It kind of
threw me for a loop because I wasn't anticipating leaving at all. I was pretty
sad to be leaving Casa Grande and Hermana Sedgwick and I are heartbroken that
we're not companions anymore.
So Maricopa! I'm
in a trio with Hermana Jensen from Indiana and Hermana Cloward from
Grantsville, Utah. Hermana Jensen is one of the missionaries going home on the
18th. The transfer ends on December 31, so when Hermana Jensen leaves, I'll
finish second half training Hermana Cloward for the last couple of weeks.
They're both really nice sisters and great missionaries. The Maricopa zone is
completely the same as last transfer besides the addition of myself and a brand
new missionary to replace an Elder who just finished his mission. Our area for
the Spanish branch is the whole city of Maricopa plus the surrounding desert.
Our zone has all of Maricopa plus Ajo and Gila Bend, which are 2 small towns in
the middle of nowhere. The sisters serving in each of those areas have to skype
in to most of our district meetings and weekly plannings, so we don't get to
see them very often. Since it's such a far drive for them, when they do come to
Maricopa for zone conferences and things like that, they drive up the night before
and sleep at our house so that will be fun. We live in a really nice house
[1484 square feet built in 2013] with a set of English speaking sisters. My new
address is 41188 W Barcelona Dr. Maricopa, Az 85138
Before leaving Casa Grande, on Wednesday, we had a lesson
with Myrna where we had planned to teach the Word of Wisdom. Before we even
started the lesson, she told us about her friend from work who is a member that
showed her LDS.org and how to find General Conference and stuff like that.
Thanks to her friend's awesome member missionary work, Myrna had listened to
multiple conference talks and loved them, printed out others that she is
reading and marking, printed out the Articles of Faith [13 basic beliefs of our
church] and was reading them, and already knew all about the Word of Wisdom and
has been living it ever since her friend told her about it! It was awesome!
Myrna is getting baptized this Saturday and I should be able to get permission
to attend. I'm so excited for her because she has completely changed her life
and is so ready to be baptized.
The Spanish branch in Maricopa is awesome! The members
are super helpful with everything missionary related. We had 2 investigators at
church on Sunday and literally everyone at church introduced themselves to them
and offered to sit by them.
There's a few people in the branch that don't speak
Spanish (if their spouse speaks Spanish and is more comfortable attending in
Spanish or they received a calling in the Primary or youth programs which are
in
English) so during Sacrament meeting, Sister Jensen
translates into English over headsets. On Sunday, one of the speakers from the
Stake gave a talk in English and we didn't know before hand that she would be
speaking English, so all the headsets were passed out to those receiving
English translation. When she started speaking, Hermana Jensen and I
frantically went and sat next to the members that only speak Spanish and
translated for them. I wasn't expecting to be doing translation and I'm sure I
said some things that didn't make sense, but overall, it wasn't that terrible.
It was kind of fun to see how much my Spanish has improved and how quickly I
was able to speak Spanish in order to keep up with the speaker.
Out of time for writing today, but have a good Thanksgiving.
Love,
Hermana Gubler
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