Life in Muleshoe

Sawyer's second area is Muleshoe, Texas. It's on the western side of the state, bordering New Mexico. It's a small, dairy town of only 5000 people. He's been there since the end of October, and he really likes it. He's been having a lot more opportunity to use spanish there. Elder Walker has been his companion there the whole time, but he just found out this week that Elder Walker is being transferred to a different area, but Sawyer is staying. They've had a lot of success in Muleshoe, but it's always frustrating success. They set an area record with 8 baptismal commitments, but the investigators have to go to church for two consecutive weeks before they can get baptized. That's where the hang up is. The people don't want to take the time to drive into town, spend three hours at church, and then drive home. He's trying to stay positive, but sometimes he feels like he isn't being a successful missionary. I just want him to realize that being a successful missionary is about so much more than baptisms!

Elder Walker shot gunning a can of soda….well trying anyways.

Sawyer shot gunning a can of soda. He's a pro :)!

Sawyer thinks Lake Muleshoe is so funny, so he sent us a video of it.

Lake Muleshoe!

The Clovis District after the first transfers.

Elder Cunliffe with Katniss at Subway.

They thought the spanish is this was funny.

Here's an excerpt from his last letter:

Since I haven't had any success in my mission I have just been assuming that the Lord is testing my patience, and it has finally paid off! We were out knocking at the beginning of the transfer and we met a girl who tells us to come back later so we can teach her. So we try a couple of times, but she is never there. We decide to try one last time, and instead her boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend) was there, and he said he would love to learn from us. We had been teaching him for awhile, and then one day his brother was there so we taught them both. Afterwards, his brother asked if we could go over to his house and teach him and his girlfriend because what we were saying just made sense to him. So we go over there a couple times but he is never there, but we did meet his girlfriend. So one day we just get the impression to go by and see if he is home and his car was there! It turns out he was sick so we didn't teach him, but this girl answers the door that I have never seen before. I got hit with a ton of bricks so to speak. This girl was like Laura Larsen! She had such a light about her that she literally glowed! It turns out that it was the girlfriend's sister.We taught her on the doorstep and she loved it and we invited her out to church the very next day and she came!!! My first investigator to come to church! She committed to be baptized this month and I am so excited! So my first baptism is going to be the ex-girlfriend's ex-boyfriend's brother's girlfriend's sister :)! Yay!

So we are now just praying that this one actually works out! I was so glad he didn't get transferred because I want him to have the chance to see this through. He'll be in Muleshoe for at least 6 more weeks, so we're praying good things continue to happen!