Elder Yarrington

So once again I find myself without my charger for my camera. I'm starting to get a little frustrated with how slowly things move around in the mission....but I have to remember that I am in outer darkness of Fortaleza.  Oh well, but as far as news of the week, the work was normal, and basically the only thing that changed was that I had to do a lot more of it than I was used to!

Elder Yarrington is my new comp and he's from Washington DC. He was serving in LA for 6 months, and now I'm training his language here in Siqueira! I was pretty excited (and still am) but I have never been so tired since I was learning Portuguese myself.... He speaks pretty well, but as far as understanding the language.... just imagine Elder Calhoun from “The Best two Years”, and that's the look on his face when he hears people speaking! haha He's already getting a ton better after only a week, but the culture shock is pretty tough for anyone. Anyways, his dad works in the pentagon. Yeah, that's pretty cool. He doesn't really know what he does because his dad has literally said to him  'if I told you, I would have to kill you'. Anyways, he went to school at BYUI for a year before his mission and he does a lot of ballroom dancing. Also, his family comes from a long ling of master-class stringed instrument players, and his gift is the guitar!!!! We're going to see if he can buy one on the mission and maybe he'll teach me a little bit. Let's just say that he borrowed the guitar from one of the other members down here, and I've never heard anyone play so well before in my life. He's been playing ever since he was 7. Super cool.

There isn't any other big news... Just the fact that I'm tired and that we're working hard, and looking for a lot of families to bring to the gospel! The usual. BUT, I'm finding joy in every day, and I'm also sleeping very very well at night because I go out like a light at the end of the day. I love you guys, and I keep you in my prayers! Just before I leave, I would like to share a cool little tidbit that I found in my literature of the Book of Mormon in the Isaiah part. Isaiah had already prophesied that Christ would bear the marks of our sins of the world on his hands.

 “15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should nothave compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget,yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.  16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thywalls are continually before me.”

Added later after finding his journal miraculously

September 21, 2014

         This week has been crazy.  I have basically been teaching alone all week because Elder Yarrington is struggling with the language.  Elder Benitez is training Elder Percival.  This is very hard for them because Elder Benitez is still having problems with the language himself.  But I think that it is going well so far. Elder Yarrington is from Washington D.C. He studied at BYUI and dances well and comes from a long line of master-class stringed instrument players.  He is the BOSS on guitar!  I am going to try to convince him to teach me how to play.  I am finding out how hard it is to teach someone how to speak Portuguese, but I love doing it.  I remember how hard it was for me when I first started with the language and I am going to make it easier on my companion that it was for me.  Our missionary work is going really well. 

         I got my package and shared all of my Jolly Ranchers with my zone and they love me even more now!  I am really fitting in here, loving my area, loving the people, and I am starting to feel comfortable as a missionary.  It is a good stage to be at and I am looking forward to the this last part of my mission.

I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Colvin