Week 28 (Good Morning Sun...)

Hey! Welcome to Maricopa, ARizona! That is where I currently am. It is kind of small but I like it. We cover a small branch of about 30 people and our area goes all the way down to the border. The temperatures are rising but I guess that is expected. We have a Wal-Mart opening on the 20th and we're excited because we can be freed from the tyranny of Fry's and Basha's. Everything is SO expensive there, but they're the only places to shop. Not for long! haha. I am looking forward to being able to serve here. There is a lot of work to be done here, so it will keep us busy. My companion's name is Elder Maldonado. He's from Maryland. My birthday was great fun and so was the Mother's Day phone call. It is a unique experience to be on your mission during your birthday, serving the Lord. I look forward to the next one I have. Coming here, I thought I would not like it because of the slowness of the work here. Because when things got slow in Queen Creek and you had nobody to teach, you felt like junk. You felt useless. However, coming here, I have found it quite the opposite. I am excited for the chance to be able to give my best every day and make some good things happen here. Whether I see the fruits of my labors here or not, I know I will be moving the work along and making a difference. Two people from my last area will be getting baptized this weekend; a Mother and her daughter, Aracely and Citlaly. Hopefully I can go back for that. This work is great if you give it your all no matter what. Challenges always come in our lives. The important thing is not that we get them, but how we handle them. With faith in God that we can overcome, nothing is impossible. This life is a time to grow. Every moment can make us a better person. All we have to do, is take a quick step back and try to see what God is making out of us. I love this life, this work and these people. I hope that all of your Mothers had a wonderful Mother's Day!! Until next time ;)

-Elder LaPorte =)