Transfer

Dear Family,

So this transfer has ended and for the first time I will be experiencing no change in my companion. I am really excited to be able to stay with Elder Rhoton for another transfer here in Camden. He is a really great guy and we get along really well so hopefully we will be able to keep it up for this next transfer and have some success.

This past transfer was quite a bit different from the others. I am not really quite sure if it was the cold, Camden, or being senior companion and district leader. I am sure that it was a combination of all of those put together. When the transfer started off I was really excited to be down here in Camden and really nervous to be senior companion. I kinda felt like I was not up to the task that I had been given. It really helped to have Elder Rhoton as a companion especially because he really likes to work and I didn't have to worry about him. It has been pretty overwhelming at points trying to communicate with people esspecially because my Spanish was not at the point I thought it should be to be senior companion. But fortunately through everything I learned fast enough just to keep my head above water. I have definitely learned a lot but I must say that I still don't quite feel I am at where I should be. I have been actually thinking about this a good amount, mainly just what I can do to be a better missionary, and I read a talk that really helped me out. It is in the last conference called "Lift where you stand" given by President Uchtdorf. It was really good about how what we need to do in our callings as church members. It talks about how everything that we are doing will help us become like our God and that our callings are for us. So we should work our hardest in the callings that we have; we should not shirk our responsibilities and not say if we had a 'higher' calling we would be able to do a better job at that. That talk by President Uchtdorf and the another talk by President Eyring (o ye that embark) have really helped me out alot.

All in all this past transfer has been a really good growing experience for me. I don't think that I have master what I need to do but I think that at least now I have a better idea of what needs to be done to be a good missionary and to work hard. So this next transfer should be a really good transfer and even though I am going into it with the same kinds of feelings that I had last transfer I hope that I can do better.

In other news it is cold, windy, and icy. But that is to be expected in New Jersey in the middle of January. I am staying plenty warm though and I don't really need anything else. Thanks to everyone for the letters and Mom, a large box of wheat thins or cheezits or gold fish sounds really good. Other that that I am all set. I feel that I understand how to combat the cold and it really doesn't bother me anymore, but I will be happy when spring rolls around. I will then have to learn how to deal with the hot humid summer so then it will be another adventure.

That is pretty much all of the news from Camden this week. I hope that everyone is doing well and that you are enjoying those harsh Southern Californian winters.

Love,
Elder Haslam