Nashville, Tennessee: Megan's Baptism

Megan was baptized in December! We taught Megan while I was in Murray but she decided to get baptized just after I left for Nashville. Miraculously, I made it back to Murray for her baptism. Megan is truly converted and I am so excited for her to be a member. Of course we hit up Don Sol restaurant while I was in town to see my amigos! 

Nashville is an amazing city but so different from Murray, Kentucky. My new companion, Elder Carpenter, and I have been working hard to learn how to be effective missionaries in a big city! It is so cool to drive in downtown Nashville with the windows down and hear all the music playing. Literally there are artists playing in all the restaurants downtown. Elder Carpenter and I are driving a transit van and have gotten really good at getting dressed for airport drop offs in a quick two minutes at 4 am! We've had crazy airport moments when I feel like my Dad, scrambling to get missionaries checked in and through security while pumping them up and telling them they've got this. I'm amazed at the resilience and faith of the missionaries that I pick up and drop off to fly back to their original assignments at the drop of a hat. I know the look in their eyes all too well as I have had my fair share of airport goodbyes. 

Being in Nashville has given me the opportunity to work alongside President Weaver. He is such a wonderful man, inspired and led by the Spirit. He has personal relationships with all the missionaries and cares so deeply about every one of us. I am grateful for his example and what he has taught me in just a short seven weeks. President and Sister Weaver are true disciples of Christ and I love them! 

We had a Christmas miracle! David Archuleta came to our chapel to sing to our mission for our Christmas program. The parents sent packages to the mission office and we were determined to deliver every single package before Christmas day so every missionary had something to open on Christmas. I felt like Santa! We ended up driving 10 hours in one day to reach every zone in the mission.

Three weeks ago in a transfer meeting, President Weaver asked me to move all the missionaries to one side of the transfer board that will be leaving the Nashville mission to go back to their original assignments. When I finished he told me to move one more missionary over, it was my picture. I laughed and said, "That's a funny joke, President!" Then with tears in his eyes he told me that he had just received an email that I would be returning to Chile on January 7th. President Weaver hugged me and said, "The Lord needs you in Chile!"

 
For the past few months, I had put Chile out of my mind and planned on finishing my mission in Nashville.  I have grown to love my new mission and all the missionaries I have become so close with. I just found Costa Vida in Nashville! Nate Orchard moved here to play for the Tennessee Titans and took me to Top Golf on my P day. Just when I thought I had things figured out!  

Let's just say I'm getting really good at goodbyes. I'm going to miss President and Sister Weaver and all the incredible missionaries of the Tennessee Nashville Mission. I never imagined it would be just as hard to leave Nashville as it was to leave Chile in April 2020. I will be in the first group of North American missionaries to return to Chile.

Love, 
Elder Zwick