Tomorrow are transfers. I'm staying in Mead and receiving an
Elder S. Co. (I don't know if that's correct spelling)[1] while Elder Ch. goes to Coeur d'Alene to be a zone
leader. I'm terrified about being left with an area. I know as far as my
benefit goes it's better than me going to a completely new area--then I'd feel
like it was my first day again--but it's really scary.
Last transfer everyone stayed the same and this time every
companionship is changing. It will be an interesting experience. Elder C. J.
has been out six months and this will be his first time as a district leader
and trainer. Elder Ch. doesn't really like my new companion but Elder J. does.
I don't know yet because I don't meet him until tomorrow. We are also getting
an elder with a lot of rumors--bad thing--and Sister S., the odd duck I wrote
about who showed me the video of her skirt flying up.[2] This will be a veeerry interesting transfer for Elder J. I
will officially be no longer green, which is both good and bad because I am
sick of being new but I no longer have an excuse for my mistakes.
I had my first baptism this week but I don't feel like it's anything special because I only taught
her two pre-baptism lessons--not the real lessons--and her dad baptized
her. It was a ten-year-old in a less-active family.[3]
We have a couple of new
investigators. Duane and Vickie are golden--they already are planning
for baptism and we just started teaching them. They know the Church is true and
Duane knew he had to quit coffee since the Church doesn't use it before we even
talked about baptism. There are so many fantastic things denoting their
readiness that I'm not even going to try.[4]
Mark is not so golden. Three of the four times we've met
with him he's been drunk. The other time he was going through withdrawals. We
gave a shave and a haircut to him (Elder Ch. did the hair, and yes, I shaved a
drunk man's beard) and he liked it then but last night when he was drunk he
told us he didn't like us and if we wouldn't get a book from the bookstore for
him he wouldn't let us keep coming over. We're going to see him tonight and see
what the case is with that. He is lonely
which is why we're meeting him and why he's an alcoholic. It just makes me
realize how inspired the Word of Wisdom is. Between the beer and the
cigarettes--LOTS of those--we leave his apartment smelling terrible.[5]
We teach a less-active woman's unbaptized ADHD kids who are
very funny. We need to take a tape recorder to the lessons. Last week the
ten-year-old boy was talking about how his mom has the Gift of the Holy Ghost
but sometimes she loses it when she yells at them. Elder Ch. was teaching
repentance and said, "Let's say you cheated on a test." His response
was, "How did you know?" When he saw "Another Testament of Jesus
Christ" on the Book of Mormon, not realizing it was the same as the one he
already had, he said, "This must be the second season!"
By the way, thanks for the package, although the g's are way
too big. I'm excited about the books and candy.[6] Regarding the History of
the Church, I know it's big, which is why I wasn't totally sure I wanted you to
send it. It would not be something that I would want to have one volume at a
time--I would like it for a reference, not for something just to read through
(I have enough of that).[7] I wonder if they have it
on CD. That would be less convenient as far as reference goes but would be easier for shipping and
carrying purposes. I still would like one of the said media but it's no big
rush, hurry or desire. I'm not asking for it now but next time you do send a
package I might like a Children's
Songbook both as the small book and the CDs. I really like some of the primary
songs--I just wish the CDs didn't have them sung by children since that can get
tiresome.[8]
It seems like there was something else I was going to write.
I know I'll think of it later and hopefully I can put it in my snail mail. Next
week you should get the installment concerning my new cpmpanion and taking the
reins of the area.
Love,
Elder Melville
P.S. If you want a laugh, read Mosiah 12:1.[9]
[1]
Remember that I am not including full names, or even unabbreviated names of my
companions, for privacy’s sake.
[3]
I don’t think they remained active. I wish I had done things differently in the
ensuing transfers, but I didn’t know any better.
[4]
Duane and Vickie are one of the great mysteries of my mission. They were golden
and very excited for baptism, but then they just quit really talking to us.
Duane was a recovering addict/criminal, and his probation was extended, which
delayed baptism, so that might have had something to do with it; but they were
really gung ho, and then stopped.
[5]
We started visiting Mark because his therapist was a member in a different
ward. Mark did later quit drinking, though after we had quit visiting. The
member would make comments about me being scared of him. I resented the
comment, but he was somewhat right. Thanks to Mark and other people, I can no
longer distinguish the smells of beer and cigarettes from each other. They just
go together.
[6]
She sent me the JST of the New Testament and Easter candy. Easter was on March
23 that year, the earliest I’ve ever seen it.
[7]
My mom had suggested she could send me one volume at a time of History of the Church and I could send
them back when I was done.
[8]
I did come to enjoy listening to the Children’s
Songbook CDs, since missionary music is limited. But the music on the CDs is
terrible! So bad!
[9]
“And it came to pass that after the space of two years that Abinadi came among
them in disguise, that they knew him not, and began to prophesy among them,
saying: Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and prophesy unto
this my people.” Pro tip: If you’re going to wear a disguise, don’t tell them
your name!
No comments:
Post a Comment