Short Hills Week 1, Week 43 Mission

Hola Familia!!!!!

Let me first start out by saying that I am in heaven!!!! I love this place so much. I got transferred to Short Hills, New Jersey. I don't even know why I am so blessed to be here. Wow, where do I start! This place is so amazing. The first big change I am noticing is that there are people here!!!! I haven't seen this many people in a few months. There are houses and people everywhere. There is still a lot of trees and parks, but nothing like Clinton. Clinton was farm-town tiny. I'm not used to being around so many people all the time. Its so fun. So yes Short Hills is pretty much the good near the hood. We are in a super nice part of Jersey. There are some nice houses and its a super clean city. And about 20 minutes away is Maplewood and Irvington and Newark, which is just straight hood. So we get a nice part of Jersey but still lots of people. I love it. We are in the Spanish Branch which is even smaller than my old Branch. There is probably like 30 active members. I love these branches. They are small but big enough to be super functional. This branch is sooooo focused on missionary work too. They come out with us to lessons and love having us over. We are trying to work more with them to teach some of there friends.

Tons of Hispanics as well!!! We have this little area which we call Zona Hispana, which has a bunch of good investigators and potential. Okay get this though. This is crazy... I am in another 4-man apartment!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should have seen my face when I heard I was going to a four man apartment!!!! SO pumped. Its crazy the chances of that. There are over 120 companionships which means about 120 apartments minus the four-man apartments. And there are only 4 or 5 four man apartments left in the mission. So of those 4-5 I have been in 2 of them!!! Ha its the best. Just watch the "Best 2 Years" to get an idea. The cool part is that we are all super focused and super hard working and very obedient. So the work is super good here. But we do have fun talking and laughing at night after planning and during lunch. It is sooo fun. Being a missionary is the best decision ever. Everyday is a blast.

My companion's name is Elder Lundquist. He is the man!! He just finished being trained so this is his 3rd transfer in the field. Ha So this is my third young companion. I love it. Its fun to see the growth and how they rely on the Spirit to offset weaknesses. I think that's a problem with a lot of older missionaries. They start to get good. Good teachers. Good at Spanish. Good at leading. Good at talking to people. I think a lot of missionaries start to rely on their own skills instead of the Spirit. So I love being with the new missionaries to see how they try so hard and the Spirit really does cover the rest. I can learn a lot from them. So Elder Lundquist is from Payson, Utah and is the same age as me. Both graduated in 2013. He is so fun to be around. He is happy and positive, and he has no fear in missionary work. He just loves to do it despite the challenges or the lack of skills. We have so much fun together. We are laughing all the time throughout the day. We have the same kind of humor. We are getting along super well. And he is obedient!!! which makes all the difference.

So our are is doing good. We have 4 people on date right now. I have met most of the investigators and this area has a lot of potential. There are a few part-member families, and a bunch of families that we could teach. We are working hard to get people to church and make sure they stick to baptism. There is this one recent convert named Ruben and he is so awesome. He is super active and learns from the scriptures so well. His family is now starting to listen and learn as well. I am so excited to teach them and help them progress towards baptism and the temple. This other investigator, Oliver, is 17 and we are really working with him to get baptized. He has a girlfriend in Austria and she doesn't want him to get baptized. So we are teaching him tonight and helping him see how God's way is the right way. We also taught this member, Hermana Alverado, and she is starting to come to church again. She talked to her boss to change her hours and not work during church. Ha I swear, work is the biggest obstacle for Hispanics to be baptized. They work like crazy. 

I am loving this area. Thank you for the package. Loved it. And the beef Jerky. Its nice to be back in an area where we see success ha and people!!!! 

Still District leader as well. Loving the chance to serve. Its becoming so fun to be district leader.

Love you,

Elder Sumsion

Our friend who ran into him while visiting her daughter in the Short Hills ward.  She texted me this picture.

Bedroom of Short Hills - 4 man apartment!