I'M FINALLY TRAINING!!!

January 30, 2016

On Wednesday I received Elder Reeves to start training here in my spot in the office. I called him on Monday night and told him. He seemed way excited! He is from Washington but he lived in California for his senior year. He is all about track which I love. But he's a thrower, haha, so a little bit different than my track. He is on scholarship to UVU after the mission to throw for them. He actually met Savanna once while up there on his official visit!! So they will totally throw together and be way tight. I am already in process of setting them up! ;) Hahaha. He took 8th in state in California!! So he is serious. And he came on the mission with 315 pounds, and in a year on his mission he has lost 100 pounds!!! Crazy! And he is gonna continue to lose because he wants to run with me and committed to run with me every morning which is a huge blessing because my other companion, Elder Gonzalez has quit on me! >:(

So on Wednesday Elder Castillo left and got transferred to Puerto Plata to be a "Step Dad" (Second companion) to his new companion. He also has to finish training his new companion because his new companion's old comp had problems with him, so President took him out and put Elder Castillo in to finish his training. He is also now a District Leader. He was so excited about his new calling. He left so pumped up and ready to go. I am really happy for him. I am way sad he is gone though. We were together for 7 and a half months! That has never before happened with any other companionship before. SO much time together haha. So you could say we are (he left out the word here, I'm assuming maybe tight or close?-Susie) He is my best friend and literal brother and we know literally everything there is to know about each other. From the flaws to the perfectness ;) haha. But it is a good change for us and it is one step closer to being outta here (the office) haha. But it really has been great here.

Elder Castillo called me his second day being in his new area and was so pumped to tell me he is loving it and having the greatest time and had an amazing lesson with the spirit so strong and he set a baptism date! I was so pumped for him!

So the start of this week Elder Castillo said goodbye to everyone and prepared to leave. After being here in this same area for a year and 2 months (his whole mission) Elder Castillo had lots of people to say goodbye to. He was first a regular missionary in this ward and in Pueblo Nuevo which is our area and ward too. Then he got called to the office as an office elder after 7 and a half months in his first area. So since he was already in the same ward and the bordering area as the office elders, he pretty much never left his whole mission and has pretty much only had one area his whole mission. But he has loved it and made the most of everything. But he was stoked to be in a new area and new ward and everything. Stress free and all haha.

So quick, crazy experience: So on Thursday, we went to go have a lesson with one of our progressing family investigators. When I knocked on their door, the wife opened it super panicked and said " I am so happy you are here, I think my husband is going to die! We have to get him to the hospital!" So we ran in and Carlos, her husband, was laying lifeless on the bed. Elder Gonzalez was slapping him and shaking him and yelling his name, but he was completely lifeless. I checked for a pulse but I didn't feel anything at all. I legit thought he was dead. His 3-year-old daughter was sitting by him yelling his name. We hurried and tried to lift him up, I felt him move a little and then he started breathing again. But had no strength. We carried him out to the car and called our President to tell him we were going to take him to the hospital because it was urgent. We flew to the hospital and he started moving again and he ended up throwing up in the truck a couple times. We got to the ER and they did the rest. Oh, we also gave him a blessing. The doctors, after like 30 minutes, told us he was just completely drunk and his body couldn't handle all the alcohol. He really probably needed to get his stomach pumped, but we don't have that technology here. But he ended up being okay and we went and visited him yesterday to see how he was doing. Man, it was scary. I thought for sure he was dead. And he probably would have died if we hadn't gotten him up and moving. Pretty Crazy. So I am way thankful for and have a big testimony in planning every night for the next day because we often get inspired to go to certain places or do certain things. Something told us to go there at that exact time. Pretty cool how that works.

Well, I always have lots to say but such little time, we are off to a baptism, so gotta get going! I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Greer

PS: Shout out to Paige Reilly for having her baby! I think 5 years ago we would all be pretty scared for the baby! ;) hahaha. Just kidding, best of luck to ya! Love you.