Clinton - Week 12, week 36 Mission

My family,

This week was nuts. Every week has been super busy for the last month. Transfer text was today and I am staying here in Clinton for the next six weeks as trainer and district leader. Its good because we are truly starting to see things pick up in this area and we have some baptisms set for the first month of May. Its hard working with a new(ish) area. Not a lot of direction to go off but we do have a lot of potential to work with. 

We have been contacting like crazy. We are at the point now where we know pretty much everybody in Flemington. Well, every Hispanic in Flemington. We are driving or walking and we are always waving and seeing people that we know, either the interested ones or not.  We are going to try a new part of our area more and start expanding our searches. Our area is huge so there are small farm towns we have only been to probably once. We are really seeing some success though.

We went on an exchange this past week. I went with a member of my district to his area and his companion came here with Elder Class. Elder Class is pretty confident so it was funny to hear he was a little nervous for his first exchange leading the area. He did work though. So proud. He went to this potentials house  that we contacted a few weeks ago and he taught them a first lesson in Spanish by himself (his exchange companion, Elder Ragma, is and English elder) AND he set them with a baptismal date. So stoked for him. He was super happy on his first real exchange. We are truly seeing some miracles out here in this area.

I went with Elder Johnson to his area. Fun to be in an English area for a day. We taught in all English and went to this small town called Washington. Super small town. Elder Johnson is the best. Such a good teacher. He is a good friend, sad to see him leaving this next transfer. He has been in my district for two transfers. Don't know where he is going. He has been on the west side of the mission for a year now.  Im thinking he is probably going hood. 

Clinton is kind of up in the corner so we have had to drive so much this transfer. We drive to Princeton a few times a month, Morristown about 3 times a month, and Northbranch twice a week and Flemington everyday. Its a blessing we have a car! Have I ever told you about the driving here in Jersey? Craziest thing. Probably nothing like South America but for a first world country it is sketch. Pretty much cars just cut you off all the time but people do it so much that nobody cares. Nobody gets mad because its pretty much expected. The best is at red stop lights when you are going straight and there is a car in the oncoming traffic turning left in the turn lane. So right when the light turns green the car will just go and turn in front off you and its just  so expected that everybody goes slow off the line. Sketch. Its called the Jersey Juke. 

Our new branch is really picking up. We are seeing some good work. Our new branch mission leader is super hardworking and is really trying to help get people to come out with us to lessons. Its a little tough because we only have about 3 active families from the branch in our area so getting people to come out has been a struggle. We have been making more calls and working with the ward more to get people in the other area to come with us. Its been going well.

Things are going great out here. Its been raining like crazy. I keep telling my companion, we don/t have much rain in Utah.

Love you,

Elder Sumsion

Shoutouts:

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and cards!!!!!

Innis Family

Eisenbarths

Emily and Valerie

Sister Potter

Sumsion Family

Grandma and grandpa Montgomery

Jim and Christy Wilson

Nana

Max strong

Uncle Norm and Aunt Karma Rae

Thank you!!!! I feel so much love and support from you all. Thank you!!