Wow... (1/28/08)

This is a letter I wrote the week I learned of the birth of my nephew Franklin.

Dear Family,

This will be interesting because I already wrote you a letter but you will be reading this before you read the letter. It usually does work better the  other way around because I know what you'll read first but we had some extra time this morning so I decided to go ahead and write with the pen before on the keyboard.

So I have another nephew! Wow...I wish I could see little Arnold...I mean Wilbur...I mean Franklin![1] January 24--I'll have to store that date in my memory. It will be a little harder than with Allie and Preston because  I remember the days they were born and instantly ingrained the date into my head. Let's see...what  was I doing on the 24th? I think that was the day I had to go stay with Elder S. while Elder C. took Elder J. out working in their area. Elder Spahr had to have foot surgery from an injury before his mission and then he hurt it again so he had to get something else done to it and he was/is sore. This Thursday he has another doctor's appointment and will learn if he will have to be sent home for further surgery. Also on the 24th we taught an investigator who is going through the Book of Mormon and has questions about his reading. Our ward mission leader came out with us and  answered his  questions--very detailed, very slowly, very lengthy, and Elder C. was falling asleep. But I think the investigator understood the explanations, even if they were a little more detailed than he needed.[2]

Elder L. Tom Perry was going to come out this week to speak to ward mission leaders, although that might change with everything going on with President Hinckley.[3] It is transfer week, which usually happens on Tuesday but because of an apostle in the area it was switched to Wednesday. But regardless of the day of the week, my first transfer is pretty much over. It was exactly two months ago today I entered the MTC. I still feel very green but I'm sure I'm better than when I started. Our district stayed the same, which is good because I really like everyone else, even though one companionship is kind of distant from the rest of us. It might change with Elder S. and his ankle but that's not really part of the transfer process.

Oh, today as we were coming into the library we saw nuns driving in a car. I don't know if I've ever seen nuns in real life before. We brought the sisters with us and Sister (or Queen) M.[4] said she's always wanted to get a picture taken with fellow sisters. Hopefully, then, one day they'll meet some nuns and she can get her wish. Just a random tidbit that doesn't have to do with anything...

The fact that I'm using so many ellipses kind of indicates the less serious nature of my letter. It's been a slow couple of weeks, but hopefully things will look up with fewer illnesses and warmer weather. Not only did I have to eldersit Elder S. this week, I had to stay at the apartment of Elder Cl. and Elder W. because Elder Cl. was sick. That wasn't as fun because Elder Cl. slept the whole time. On my last exchange with him I gave him my belt that fits me (since he forgot his) and wore the one that is a little too big for me and WAY too big for him. Then I forgot to get it back from him--even though we were at their  apartment for a while! I did add an extra hole to my  big belt, but still...

Before you die from choking on ellipses and before my library time expires, I will close this letter with my love, best wishes for the new baby, and looking forward to writing--and being written by--you again.

Elder Richard Mark Melville

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[1] My niece, Allie, apparently began calling baby Franklin by the name of Wilbur. She also had a pet pig named Wilbur, but I would call it Arnold after the pig on Green Acres.

[2] This is my journal entry for January 24, 2008: “This morning we had to go over to Elder J.’s and Elder S.’s house because Elder S. had ankle surgery and couldn’t leave, so I stayed with him while Elder C. taught with Elder J. We had dinner with the Gibby’s and they brought their less-active daughter and her non-member boyfriend. That was kind of an awkward situation. We taught Shane and Brother Palmer talked and talked. We barely even said anything. So that was interesting. Oh, well. Then Elder C. told me I can’t do anything related to vampirism or lycanthropy anymore.”

[3] Gordon B. Hinckley died the day before I wrote this letter.

[4] See this letter.

Hey! I'm back online! (1/7/08)

I have been pulling these letters from my mom's email account before I post them here. This letter was buried because of my mom forwarding it at a later date, so this letter actually came before the previous post.

What kind of letter was that..."love  Rick"?! I understand "Pops," "Vatti" or simply "Dad," but what's with this "Rick" thing?![1]

                                                         

And I suppose I don't have a problem with you forwarding my emails.

Anyway...

Now that the holidays are over hopefully I will be able to email on a more consistent basis. At  first I thought we couldn't email because we were doing too much on those P-days but now I realize that on New Year's Day the library wouldn't have been open and Christmas Eve it probably would have closed earlier.

We had an interesting week. On Friday we came home for  lunch and were up cooking and talking with Sister  W., the member with whom we live.[2] We three were the only ones home at the time (maybe H., the ex-con son, was down in his room--I'm not sure). The phone rang so Sister W. went into the other room to answer it. Elder C. went downstairs, leaving  me up in the kitchen.  Soon Sister W. comes out of the room calling, "Missionaries!" She found me and told me she  had a feeling something terrible had happened and she wanted me with her (one of her sons was on the phone and he'd told her he didn't want her to be alone). She grabbed my hand and brought me onto the couch. She squeezed my hand  as she cried, hearing the news, and when Brother W. came home (while she was on the phone) she met him and they went into their  room. It is because of this phone call that on Saturday they left us with an empty house. The three Ws are down in Salt Lake now because their youngest son was electrocuted in a construction accident. The incredibly sad irony is that he was working at the Capitol on  Utah's birthday.[3] So if you see or have seen an obituary for a J. W., that is who it is. That evening some people from the ward came to give them blessings. We came home from appointments too late so we barely missed giving Sister W. a blessing but we were able to help with Brother W. and H.[4]

Yesterday was also a bit of a downer. One of our members is responsible for two of the people we're working with. Sister Cunningham started having her friend Debbie take the lessons before  I came. I believe I told you about her in my last letter, how she and her boyfriend's kids are on date for baptism, but she must get married before she can be baptized. A few weeks ago we discussed marriage with her but Elder C. did not tell her that she had to get married to be baptized(separation is not our first preference because she is so close to Walt's kids). We called Sister Cunningham the other day to make sure she knew. She said she thought she understood but she'd call to make sure. Well, yesterday we found out that the news of that came as quite a blow. She didn't come to church because she was so upset. We stopped by her apartment briefly yesterday, and she said we were still on for our meeting on Thursday, but she was crying and clearly not overly happy with the news. I can't decide if it's good or bad she's so distraught--it makes it a delicate and awkward situation, but it shows her desire to be baptized.

Sister Cunningham also referred us to her less-active brother, complete with earring and sleeveless shirts. He has complete faith in God and knows the truth but he was struggling with some deeper doctrine. Through meeting with him we were able to answer his questions, or at least lead him to answer his own. He is trying to quit smoking and wanted to come to church at the new year. Some of his biggest problems  reside with the fact that his wife is a philanderer and had her first of two (known) affairs three days after baptism. He is ready to be a father (they have two or three kids) but she can't abandon the party life. We gave him the bishop's number and he agreed to meet with him for marriage counseling.[5] Yesterday was the day for him to meet with the bishop. We called Sister Cunningham to ask how it went. All I know is that he was not happy with it. I think we're still on to meet with him this week, but I hope everything's not lost with him.

You know that street I told you about on Christmas where three people told us to come back? Well, we haven't had much luck. I'll write you perhaps in more detail in my letter today but I have to end my letter for now.[6]

Love,

Elder Melville.

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[1] My dad had sent me an email that he signed with his real name, which I found ridiculous. We usually called him “Pops” because my niece did. “Vatti” started when my brother took junior high German.

[2] “With whom we live”...ugh. I erroneously believed you couldn’t end a sentence with a preposition.

[3] See here and here.

[4] The ward members used oil in the blessings, but I didn’t think it was the time to point out that wasn’t necessary.

[5] I’m 90 percent certain the bishop was a professional counselor, but I can’t find his practice online.

[6] We tracted a street where only three people answered, but they all said we could come back. But I don’t think any of them were serious. (Actually, one might have been, but we didn’t get far with him.)

It looks like not emailing is a holiday thing (1/14/08)

This is the third installment of me reprinting my mission emails. There was a hiatus for a few weeks because I couldn’t email at Christmas and New Year’s, but I did still write home in the meantime.

Hello family!

I don't feel like writing anything coherent today so I'll just throw some stuff around. I'll start off with the missionary work and let the letter digress from there. Our investigators who were on date are no longer meeting with us. The nefarious boyfriend told them they couldn't visit with us anymore because he says it's none of our business if they're married or not. Sometimes I wonder if the Great Apostasy's really ended.[1]

On the other hand, we picked up four new investigators. We were meeting with a lady who knows the Church is true but years later hasn't been baptized because she won't give up smoking. Her son's 15-year-old girlfriend was there so we gave her a BoM and taught her about it and we're teaching her tomorrow. Then the lady's son's friend's mom and her mom and daughter came over and we taught them later. The girlfriend has been reading the BoM. The friend's mom, Michelle, wanted to meet with us kind of to bash but she said she feels less inclined to after meeting with us. We hope she continues to improve her opinion of us.

Now for the stuff I don't know how to organize...

I thought it was funny the other day when I was on exchanges. I saw a shop that was called Old Testament Bicycles, complete with a Christian fish on the front sign. Shortly thereafter was a billboard for Living Water Lawncare, including a quote from Proverbs. I'm not in Utah anymore, where we don't usually associate the Savior with green lawns...[2]

Yesterday was a musical day. We sang with the sister missionaries, Sister S. and Sister M., in their ward. We sang "Sweet Hour of Prayer" a cappella, SATB. All the ward members liked it, and it was good for the sisters because they have been having trouble with the members in that ward. Then Elder C. and I sang in the ward choir for ward conference. I was the only one singing bass, because I don't really know what the only other bass was singing. I don't think we sounded very good...

Speaking of sisters, I really like our female counterparts. I feel more comfortable with them than with other elders. On New Year's Day we spent a few hours at their house, eating crêpes, playing games and practicing our song. They went on exchanges the other day with another district, and Sister M.'s temporary companion, [another] Sister S., it seems is one of those people everyone knows for being weird. It was quite funny (to me at least). We had to open the stake center doors for them,[3] and while they waited for us Sister S. (from South Carolina) decided to jump backwards into the snow. She had Sister M. take a video on her camera (I guess cameras with video are permissible because everyone has them),[4] and then decided to show me. However, she had not previously viewed it and she was insanely embarrassed when her skirt flew up almost halfway up her thighs. Nothing was visible but I thought she was going to take up sackcloth and ashes, not for mourning or repentance but for embarrassment. Later we learned that other elders gave them blessings—[this second] Sister S. because she hurt her back jumping in the snow, and Sister M. because she was annoyed with Sister S.![5]

I had an amusing dream in which Sister M., Elder C. and I, and unknown elders were at a meeting (I couldn't figure out where [the first] Sister S. had gone) and Elder C. suggested that instead of calling them Sister we should call them Mother. Another elder said that instead of Mother  we should call them Queen. Sister M. said, "Queen--I like that." Everyone was pretty much joking in the dream, but it still makes a funny story, and Elder C. and I have occasionally thrown out a "Queen M." at her (you just don't keep a funny dream like that to yourself!).

Well, my email time is almost up, so I will close this cluttered letter. I know I was going to write more but I don't remember what. Whatever it was will be my subject material for my paper letter.

Love,

Elder Melville

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[1] With a decade of hindsight, I can see the boyfriend’s point, even if I disagree. We were teaching the lady and her boyfriend’s two kids, if I remember right.

[2] I was mistaken if I thought this was unique to Christianity, since we have many nonreligious businesses with Mormon names in Utah. There was a restaurant called the Steak Center, and Provo has a place called Called to Surf.

[3] I think the first Sister S. had taken the church keys with her when she left the area for the exchange.

[4] I had worried if I would be able to have my digital camera, since it could take video, which was forbidden in the instructions that came with my mission call. I recently looked at that again, and I have realized that it is impossible to follow every rule given to missionaries, because some of them contradict.

[5] This Sister S. requested blessings all the time, and the mission president eventually had to say, “You don’t use cancer treatment to cure a cold.”