Elder Zachary Gehring: Craziness

Hello my family.

This week was more crazy that the past one and it wasn't for cambios or anything. It was for the surprises and the work that we then have to do. This assignment as secretary isn't hard. It is just a ton of work with a ton of things that are unexpected. I spend tons of time on the phone getting asked questions and then working with tons of people to try and solve the little problems.

Here's a story. Well first, here's some advice. DONT FLY OR EVEN TRY TO GET ON A PLANE WITHOUT PHOTO ID!!!!! Becuase guess what, they wont let you get on. Just so you know. Now the story. So President went to Tarija this end of the week for a Zone Conference there. The Asistentes always go to the Zone Conferences too. So I had to book their flights. Thats easy. 5 min and ya its done. The part complicated is when one of them forgets the foto carnet. Hes from Bolivia so he doesn't need his passport and on thursday he flew to Tarija without problem. Friday they had the Zone Conference and that same afternoon they had a flight back to Santa Cruz. I get a call about 30 min before their flight. He then proceeds to tell me that he cant get into the plane. I then ask him why. He then tells me. Va a disculpar, pero me olvide me carnet de identidad. I asked him why he forget it. He doesn't know. I ask him how he got on the plane to go to Tarija. He says he doesn't know that either. I then spend literally hours trying to figure out how to get the two asistentes home from Tarija. They have to spend the night there in Tarija and I booked a flota to send his carnet to him and then the next day I booked a flight for the two of them. The next day I call the BCD Travel company to make sure we have the tickets and the lady working there told me "Perdon Elder, no compre a los vuelos ayer. Y ya no hay espacio. Que quiere hacer?" I asked her why she didn't buy the tickets. She says I don't know. I ask her what our options are. She says nothing. She then hangs up. I call her back. She hangs up.

Long story short, I was frustrated. I didn't cry. I wanted to. But I didn't. I then sang a song in my head. I felt better. I booked new flights. The asistentes were in Santa Cruz within 2 hours. I won. I felt like a champ.

Thats just one of the tons of stories from this week. Sisters in the Clinic that are sick. Informes al Presidente that he needed last minute. One of the worst lessons Iv'e ever taught. Tons and tons of phone calls. Tramites. And much more. But I wanted to share part of the week that was great.

This end of the week we had stake conference. Elder Waddell from the 70 came here directly and spoke to us. We had priesthood session this Satuday past and it was amazing to hear the council he gave to the leaders of priesthood. He also spoke to us Sunday after changing the stake presidency. We learned a ton and I'm excited to start working harder with the members of the wards here.

Also miracles this week. I don't think I could count them all. But here are a few.

1. I stopped a family in the street. I talked to them. Turns out they are having so many tons of problems with the church they attend. They sobbed during the lesson with them. They need what we have. And now we just need to give it to them.

2. A familly started their papers for marriage. They are getting married this thursday. She accpeted a fecha to be baptized the 23 of this month. They attented stake conference.

3. We met a family. They asked us questions. We responded. They want to know how we have such strong testimonies. They need the spirit. And we have the opportunity to share that spirit with them.

I know this work is hard. But like Jeffery R Holland said. Salvation was never easy. Why should the work of salvation be easy?

I love my Savior. I know His love. I have seen His love. I have felt His love. And every day my goal is to share His love.

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,
Elder Gehring