48. Ramoncita, Juvenal, Esteban - connected hearts for life

I have mixed feelings about being transferred. I’m sad that I left Ramoncita and Junvenal, but I’m also kind of happy for another fresh start.  We had kind of grown stagnant there and no one was really progressing like we wanted. I’m one zone over from Fowler I think, but I don’t know if he got changed... I don’t think so but who knows?

We came home last night and told Ramoncita that I had changes and she was shocked.  she thought my comp would be going and that I would stay. They both told me that they wish I stayed. She was almost crying it was so sad. But on Friday we went to Centro to buy her gifts for Mother’s Day since her kids don’t really visit her. We bought her a watch, some earrings and a picture frame to put the pics that we took to remember us. After we gave her the gifts then she started crying.  It was so sweet! I feel bad I couldn't get Juve anything else, but I’ll look here in Chihuahua and then add it to the package you send for him. But Ramoncita woke up early this morning too and made me a shake to take and some quesadillas to eat on the bus and then drove us to the bus station. She was crying when I had to get on the bus and she was waiting looking in when it passed. Ugh!  It made me so sad that she was so sad!  The both of them are people I need to come back and visit, either in the mission or after!  Would you be willing to come back with me?

ROMANCITA

ELDER JOHNSON, RAMONCITA, ELDER REQUENA

I gave Juve one of my ties. Or better said I left it with Elder Requena because I didn’t have a chance to give it to him yesterday or today, because I didn’t know I had changes, and I left at like 7 this morning for Chihuahua. I signed the tie and left it for him in Parral. I could tell he was super sad but he didn’t want to show it. He called me this morning too, right before I left and wished me luck and to keep working hard. He and Ramoncita both were really sad. Juve was never assigned to me technically but he was my companion for two weeks when Elder Morgan was sick.  Basically He would come with me almost every day to work but I would go back to the house of the Zone Leaders at night.  

So yeah he was my comp!  (I added him to the sidebar as one of Bryce’s mission companions)

ELDER RENQUENA, JUVENAL, ELDER JOHNSON

JUVENAL!!!

I didn’t get much sleep before transfers but that’s because I was talking to Ramoncita and packing, showering blah blah, and got up early, but that’s pretty normal for changes too. It does kind of feel like starting a new school except sometimes there are a few people you know that can help you out a bit.

Yeah it feels really weird to be the guy with more experience!  Yesterday I hit 11 months isn’t that crazy?!?! 

We will be really short on missionaries until the late summer months or early fall I think when the big rushes begin. But I’m just guessing I have no clue how many will actually be coming in in the next months, only that the mission is shrinking more and more each transfer.

And yes they have already closed some areas. I don’t know if they closed my area in specific, but the closed one close to there so it might have been added to that area. there are like 140-150 in our mission right now.

Last night 5/11/17 I (the Mom) received this message from a chef at the CCM via facebook instant message:

ELDER JOHNSON, ESTEBAN (CCM), ELDER BREWER

When you talk with Elder Johnson can tell him that I love him and that I miss him and that he will always be my favorite. I really appreciate him very much and during his time in the CCM we talked a lot of time of the meal and he left me to look to speak.

I really miss him.
It makes me sad that there are people that I will never see again but I will stay with u. Great memory and a great teaching of each one.

Seriously you have a great boy he has a big heart always made me feel special and everyday I was happy to talk to him.

He has a gift to offer comfort and love too many, that includes me.

He knows that I love him much. I hurt the soul when we said goodbye why I knew we would not see each other again.

I would love to receive a big hug from him.

I wrote him a letter by hand and I sent it with another missionary but I do not know if he received it. There I expressed how much it was worth to me.

Can you ask him if he received my letter written by hand?

I sent it in November last year with that missionary who went to Chihuahua

I wrote it by hand especially for the Johnson.

This is the first time I sent a letter to an elder and I asked that elder to give my letter to the Mission President so that he would give it to Elder Johnson.

The letter had its name Bryce  Johnson

Bryce has struggled with the fact that he has been out almost one year and still has not been part of or seen one baptism.  I read the accounts of these three people that he has made a forever connection with.  He has touched their lives in some way only they can understand and they have touched his.  Bryce was promised he was sent to find specific people that would know him by his heart and not his face or words.  I have to ask?  Are these those sweet people?  Are there more he will find? It's these forever connections and love for the friends of Chihuahua that are so precious.  I will always love Ramoncita that in my absence loved my son as a mother would.  She was the one that helped him when he was so sick, she fed him, lifted his heart, and took him in as a son.  As a mother how do I ever repay that debt? I have so much gratitude for this dear woman.  Then Juvenal!  Bryce found Juve when Juve was at a low and together, they did great things.  Bryce was able to lift Juvenal and in turn Juvenal and Bryce became best of friends.  They helped lift each other and I love that. Lifelong memories were made with those two.  Then Esteban, out of nowhere sends this letter of gratitude for Bryce.  I'm not sure what their connection was but it's another example of his heart blazing the trail.  (Sorry I sort of hijacked Bryce's blog there but it's a moment of peace I must journal).  The mission is about the journey and those touched and the seeds left behind.  Parral was the most difficult area Bryce has served in.  Through sickness, few leads, feeling left and abandoned at times, emergency zone changes, it put Bryce to the ultimate test.  I have learned although the most difficult thus far on his mission, this area was truly the most rewarding in regards to falling in love with the sweet spirits in Parral, Mexico. 

I love you Juvenal and Ramoncita.  I hope to meet you both one day.  

Johnson,  Fastaband, ?, Requena