Sep 13th 2011

Hello!!!

This week was very awesome!! Monday and Tuesday were a little slow but come Wednesday was transfers, I spent practically the whole day with my zone leader, Elder Bartholomew (love that kid) and 2 other zone leaders in the zone next to us, we just pretty much just chilled at his apartment, they had a big load of star burst candy and we started to throw them at each other. Well sooner than later, it was a huge war between us all and when we get hit, it hurts, really badly. Good times..... After that, we had to give someone at a cancer treatment a blessing, when we got to the building, it looked like a casino, it was huge!! and get this, they even had valet parking, at a cancer treatment place! what the heck!? when we gave the man a blessing, the spirit was so strong there, I wish the best for him. When we left, valet worker went to grab our car and when it came, Elder Bartholomew, said thanks man! and shook his hand and in the process tried to slip a dollar bill in his hand in a cool way like they do in the movies and the worker said sorry sir, we don't accept tips. Elder Bartholomew said are you serious! Man, I wanted to look cool and you shot me down. I was laughing so hard. It did look pretty cool, tho.

So when the last transfer loop came around, Elder Chriss was there. It was around 4:30 of so, I was sort of nervous to meet him, I was thinking to myself: "Ah man, what is he going to be like, is he going to be a cocky punk? is he going to be really homesick and not want to do anything? man I hope everything goes okay." Well when I met him, he was happy to see me and as was I. He is super awesome. He has only been out for almost 4 months and is super excited to work. I'm follow up training him, which means that missionaries are transferred for 2 transfers and follow up trained for 1. So, in a way I'm sort of training him, then again, net really. There are a few differences in being a senior companion and a junior companion. The Senior gets to drive (boo ya!) and also has to plan for everything, especially if you are in a area for a while and know the place and people. There are other stuff to do as well. So I have to do a lot of work. When I told my zone leaders and my ward mission leader that there are going to be changes in this area this transfer, I wasn't kidding one bit. Ever since Elder Chriss came in, we have been working our butts off like it's on fire. We have hardly been home, only for lunch and when we retire for bed. We taught a LOT more people then we have in the past. Put it this way, in the 4 days Elder Chriss has been here, we have taught more people then we have in a entire week. So, it's amazing. My ward mission leader is very impressed! He even told me last week that he is very excited for me becoming the Senior companion and he says that he and the entire ward expect a lot out of me. No pressure, right? Lol.

So, a month ago, we got a referral from another set of missionaries in a town called Gore. a man in that area moved to our area, so we visited the man and he is awesome, has read the Book of Mormon and really believes in it and loves it. So we thought he was solid! Well he was asking for some money from the church to get his prescriptions and I gave him the bishops number and told him to call him. Well I guess that there is a new church wide rule that we can no longer give out money to non members (people have stolen money from us) So in a way, the man got offended and didn't want to really see us anymore. Well when Elder Chriss came in, found out that his last area was Gore! and he know the man, he taught him! so we stopped by and the man opened the door just wide enough to see me and he said that today isn't a good day and was starting to shut the door. Before he did, Elder Chriss said: "Hi Ron!" He opened the door wider and saw Elder Chriss and the man said what are you doing here!?!? he came out and started talking to us. I explained to him about the new rule and sincerely apologized to him. He said that there is no reason to apologize, he said that he shouldn't of been so rude last time we met and he apologized to us. Well, long story short, he is a new investigator now!!!! Man, If Elder Chriss wasn't here, then we wouldn't of been able to get through. Talk about fate, huh?

Well, I'm almost out of time, but I have to get going, I am having a blast here and Love every bit of it. Tell Dwight that I got his letter and I'll write him this week. Love you!!!

Elder Daniel Stuart