Setting Goals

Okay, so we're still having problems where we literally can't find anyone new to teach. It's frustrating... but at the same time I know I haven't done everything to find new people... 

So this week I decided to set some goals for myself. (setting goals? yeah I know, weird right) But, I've been meaning to do it for some time. I feel like as missionaries we get off the plane with our bright white shirts, still smelling like pizza and cheeseburgers and we just give it everything we've got, even though we don't understand anything anyone is saying, or even what were supposed to teach.... 

But after eating about 300 plates of rice and frijoles, the smell wears off, the newness fades, and the shirts start turning more and more yellow. 

And so I was thinking a lot this week about how to become more like how I was before. I feel like I've lost a lot of that initial excitement. My shirts are starting to get that yellow tinge too. Gross, I know. 

Something came to my mind from back when I was in the MTC, from my teacher Savio. This guy, I feel like he had everything figured out. But I remember that one day we were sitting in class and he gave us six tips of advice that he felt were the most important for the mission. 

They are... 

1. Be internally and upwardly motivated

2. Avoid falling into the monotony of teaching

3. Base everything you do, say, and become, on Christ

4. Avoid the "i" pronoun 

5. Have yourself together before you try and put others together

6, Do and say what needs to be said and done when it needs to be said and done. 

Honestly,reading these things now that I have 11 months here, they mean a lot more than they did while I was still a scrub sitting in the MTC. 

And for that reason they're my goals for the last year of my mission :) I'll keep you posted. 

As far as other stuff, it's rainy season here. You know what that means? That about every single day we walk down the road and everything's all happy with bright fluffy white clouds. 

Then, at 6 o clock,  they all get mad and start turning black and just dump an entire years worth of stored water on our heads in the matter of 20 minutes. 

every.. single... day. 

It's fun and all till you step in a puddle and get wet socks. 

Also! birthdays in Mexico. You sing a song about little mornings then you get your faced smashed into a cake. So that was my week :p (Nick said they had about six cakes this week because it was his companions birthday too.  He got his face smashed about 3 times.  He says healthy eating starts, NOW!)

Love you all, thank you so much.

Elder Arvanitas