Two Years Really Isn't Long Enough

Hey fam!

So, this past week was interesting, but great!  We had cambios, or transfers in English, on Wednesday. Well, Elder P had cambios so on Tuesday, we didn’t do much except pack up all his stuff, and visit some people in the area so he could say bye. Then, at night we went to play some soccer at the church with some of the young men, in the pouring rain! Afterwards, P went to stay at the ZL's house, and I went out to San Vicente with my Quantum Buddy Elder J, because his companion had changes too, and we were not allowed to go to the changes meeting.  So, I stayed there Tuesday night, and then we waited in San Vicente for the ZL's to call, and we went to meet our new companions!  My new companion is Latin, his name is Elder Q, and he is from Ecuador, and he speaks absolutely no English! But, I am finally comfortable enough with my Spanish to communicate normally, and I know it will only get better with a Latin companion!  I am sad that Elder P is gone, he is in Chitre, in the province of Herrera, and he loves it!  Sometimes, I forget my companion can’t speak English, so I will start rambling off something to him in English, and he just stares at me really weird.  My companion is a convert of four years, and no one else in his family are members.  Imagine telling your family that you are leaving for two years to serve a mission that they don’t know or want anything to do with?  He sure is smart in the gospel, and I respect him for his desire to serve! He goes home in December, so he will die (finish the mission) in Ciudad Bolivar.

So, this last week with Elder Q was great! We don’t have many people with baptismal dates right now, the area is pretty hard, and so we ended up contacting a TON! But, we met some really cool people, and it was great! We actually found Hermana Ledezma's sister in law, who is Catholic, but we talked to her for about an hour, and she invited us back this week, so we will see where that goes!

We had the opportunity to go to the temple again this week as well!  I have been able to go four or five times in the past change, which is more than most people get to go in their entire mission!  So, it has been a great blessing! I can finally understand the entire video in Spanish! We haven’t gotten the new video here yet, still the same one as before.  But every time I go, I learn something new and profound that I didn’t know before, and I love the temple!

So, Dad, check out the Titans whomping on the mighty Chargers! Any other time, I root for the Chargers. But, my titans are finally starting to play!  Also, did the Yankees win yesterday?  Mo's last game?  Also, Pettite is retiring too, right?  I don’t like the Yankees, but those guys are flipping legends!  Also, what happened with BYU?  I heard they lost to Utah!  What the heck?!!

Well, time is running short. We are cruising out to causeway for P Day today!  I love you all, and I am finding more happiness and strength in every day of the mission!  Time is flying by.  I hit three months in Panama this Wednesday!  Two years really isn’t long enough to give to the Lord. Well, I love you all!

Love,
Elder Austin Michael Kipp