Finally Transfered!

Al fin! No mas un greenie!

I have finally been transferred from my first area! I have had such a blast in Los Cocos and have so many great memories and experiences there and will miss it, but I was so ready to leave and take on a new area!

I am extra stoked because not only did I get transferred to a new area, but I got transferred to literally the most dangerous, sketchy area of all my mission and possibly the country... Sweet!! There are riots and shoot outs and crazy stuff going on all the time. Apparently hearing gun shots outside our window is a norm. There is supposed to be a two day long huge riot on the 14th and 15th, so we aren't allowed to leave those two days straight! Luckily I have plenty of studying to do and church movies to watch! Right before I came here, and elder was telling me about how when he was here in this area, he saw a lady chop a guys arm off with a machete! My house that I live in also got broken into a few months back while the elders who lived here were sleeping. So now we are missing a window and have to cover it with a big wooden board and block it with my study desk so people cant climb through again... Just a few minutes ago, we were walking the streets for my first time and within 2 minutes, I saw a bullet hole in one of the stores metal walls. On top of being super sketch, I am also the first white missionary in this area since a while ago. So I should have an interesting time here for sure. I am so excited and stoked though! Crazy, dangerous area?? Heck yeah! ;P I live in a house of four now, so that should be way fun. My new companion is a big, dark Dominican from the capital. He seems way nice and a pretty loving guy, but I think I was specifically sent to him for a reason. Apparently he isn´t the most easy to be companions with, but I am up for the challenge! The other two Elders are awesome too. One is from Utah and he is training a brand new missionary (Greeny) who is from Mexico. He definitely looks like a new, excited greeny ready to take on this crazy place!

The following takes place while I was still in Los Cocos.

So last Friday, my companion and I didn´t have any one to teach specifically because it was a week off for everyone here so everyone was gone or doing things. So we decided to go to Salamanca, an area that is apart of our area but is like an hour and a half away on foot. My convert Ruth and her family have family there so they went with us. We left in the morning and traveled there by walking beside the river that leads there. It was a super fun walk there. We brought a ton of pamphlets and Books of Mormon and things to give away and were going to share the Easter video with every one and see if anyone from there was interested. However, apparently Salamanca, which is usually super calm and quite, is the place for everyone from Los Cocos to go party at on Holiday´s. So when we got there, everyone was drunk and swimming in the river and all that stuff. So we shared with Ruth´s family that lives there, they fed us, then we were unsuccessful in finding really anyone to teach, so we headed back. On our way, we walked past the main party spot only to find our progressing investigator with a baptism date for this month drunk and fighting some other drunk dude. So you could say that was super devastating and didn´t make our unsuccessful day better. So we laye it down on him hard when we went and visited him this week. He felt really bad and said he just needs a little help to change. So Friday was kind of a waist of a day, but kind of a fun little adventure, especially with Ruth and her family (Minus the part where we saw our drunk investigator.)

Then Saturday and Sunday we had General conference which was AWESOME! I especially loved the talk by Dallin H Oaks when he just laid it down hard on people and especially teens using there phones during church and sacrament instead of paying attention like they should.

Easter was great, except it didn´t at all seem like Easter. Just another normal day in the mission. We got to have dinner at Ruth´s house with her family, so that was fun. Her birthday was on Monday, so I made German Chocolate cake mix cookies and they were so impressed! Cookies, or really any dessert, aren´t really a thing here... 

Then on Tuesday we had transfer meetings! I was so nervous and jittery all morning. The when it came time to announcing where I was going, my zone leaders played a prank on me and said that Elder Haws was leaving instead of me. When I heard that I was absolutely devastated and super bummed. Everyone was just silent and looked at me as I probably looked super sad/mad haha. But then they were like, "JK! You´re going to Salcedo!" So then I was super happy and dancing and stuff. Not that I don´t like my area, I was just very ready to explore more of this island and get to know more people and all that. Then I went home, packed my bags, and said my goodbyes so my family and people of Los Cocos. I am for sure going to miss them all. Especially Ruth´s family who are now my family too. Her mom cried as I said goodbye and walked away. But I´ll visit when I can!

Anyway, lots of things have happened this week and I am so excited to take on this crazy place called Salcedo! Wish me luck and that I don't die! ;)

Elder Greer