It hasn't been long since I last emailed; at least, it
doesn't seem to me.[1]
Let's see--what's happened since last week?
Well, Thursday night we sang in Spokane at a nativity
exhibit. Four of us stood outside the church singing the hymns from 201 to 214.
It was fun but we sang a lot. We weren't allowed to sing Primary songs :(. I
wanted to sing all of the hymns, and I was kind of the lead singer, so we would
turn the page and I would just start singing so no one had time to say they
didn't know the songs. That was OK; Elder L. caught on very well and another
elder wasn't on tune with the songs he did know (I don't know about the fourth;
I couldn't really hear him). "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"
was the only song I'd never really sung before, but I learned it by listening
to music last Christmas. We sang it in sacrament meeting yesterday, and no one
knew it there. The first counselor in the branch presidency announced it as
"While Shepherds Walked with Their Flocks" and everyone was
completely off. Back to Thursday, there we stood, in our red scarfs with green
hymnbooks, in front of a heater singing for three straight hours. Immediately
after I had to speak with a higher voice because through the evening I went
from being a bass to a tenor since I wanted to sing everything in the proper
key.
Friday evening we had interviews. President Clark told me
that when he and Sister Clark had come to the nativities Sister Clark didn't
recognize me because I'd lost weight, I had a smiley face (I don't know what
that's supposed to mean) and they didn't expect me to sing so loud. I imagine
my Elder L. haircut also contributed.[2] President told Elder L.
that he (President) has to make the decision whether he dies in this area or
goes elsewhere for his last three months. So after Christmas I'll either have a
new companion or I'll kill off a six-month companion.
Saturday we caroled on a street corner in Davenport in the
morning, and then went to a small town called Creston. We also explored a
resort settlement (it can't be called a town--not really any businesses, only
rich houses) called Lincoln. We drove down to the loading dock of Lake
Roosevelt. It was beautiful, but we didn't really do much in the area; we had
called or couldn't find the less-actives there, and the houses were
intimidating to tract, and we were running out of daylight.
Sunday we had a lesson with some girls who are in the
custody of their active grandmother. The older one will be adopted by her
grandma, but the younger will go back to her dad. The younger one said she
wanted to be baptized, but she needs parental permission, so she called her dad
and asked. They expected a no, but he said he'd let her know in a week. We're
praying his heart is softened.
That was our week. We have been highly enjoying the
"Rejoice and Be Merry!" CD. It's probably the best one we have. It
was worth the $18. Both of us love "Riu Riu Chiu." The only people
I've ever heard sing that are the King's Singers and the Monkees (I caught the
Christmas episode two years ago). I wonder why no one else performs it. I also
like "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and ordinarily I don't like that
song that much. Elder L. has an older MoTab CD where they sing all the verses
to different tunes, like "Stars and Stripes Forever" and the
Nutcracker suite. That one's dumb, but I like this version with the little
interludes for each of the gifts.
I was confused at your comment that you haven't been to a
concert since Dave got home from his mission. Do you not recall three years
ago, when we went to the MoTab dress rehearsal? It was a Thursday night (I
think), and we went with your sister. We got home late, and I stayed up to do
math homework and watch Mr. Krueger's Christmas.
As for the stick and the picture frame, I don't remember
seeing anything on my frame that would accept it.[3] But I'll look when we get
back home later this week. We have been gone from Ritzville since last Tuesday
night and probably won't get back until Thursday evening this week. All my
Christmas candy is back there. Since I've gained about seven or eight pounds in
the last month (making my net loss about thirty-five pounds), I have declined
doughnuts, apple pie, and cookies in the last week. I can eat holiday foods,
but after Christmas is over, it is impossible to find New Year candy,[4] and Valentine's season
doesn't start for a while.
I need Dave's new address. I'll see what I can do for
presents for the little ones. It is so weird to see five-year-olds now, because
I know that's Allie's age but it's so much older than the Allie I remember.
Franklin should be spinning in a few months, and they will need to make note of
the date he first does, since I remember when Allie and Franklin did (Dec 3,
2004, and Nov 27, 2005, respectively).
As for a shoe repair place, I doubt I'll find one when we
don't even have dry cleaning, but I'll look it up.
The Messianic Judaic investigator reads the Bible and
believes Christ to be the Messiah, but tries to practice the Judaic law, I
suppose because he feels that to be the most truthful. We meet all sorts.
Teaching part-member families and less-actives are the most fun because they
already have a foundation so we don't have to explain as much.[5]
Concerning the Austrian pine, if you had wanted to use it as
a Christmas tree, as was once discussed, I would have liked to be there. But if
you were just cutting it down, it would have been better while I was gone. I'm
glad you can keep it trimmed. It was fun to use the branches in 2006. If I had
kept the flocked tree in 2005, would it have been thrown out by now, or would
you have changed your mind?[6]
And about cats--it will be nice to have Jenny, but I don't
know if I'll want a cat again if she leaves, at least not soon. I have seen so
many cats and kittens in this area, and seen and smelled the homes with
colossal numbers, and they're not as appealing anymore. I've probably seen more
cats in this area of my mission than I've seen the rest of my life combined.
The only thing that may make that a false statement is when we went to the
pound to get Jenny.[7]
I can't think of anything else, but maybe I'll write a snail
mail. Next week I should be sending out Christmas cards, so if there's anyone
you think I should send them to, give me their address.
Love,
Elder Melville
[1]
The title of my letter was a parody of “within five years” from the “Samuel
Tells of the Baby Jesus” song. I think I did it because my previous email was
five days earlier?
[2]
My companion had accidentally given me a super short haircut.
[3]
My mom sent me a flash drive with pictures to put in my electronic picture frame,
but I don’t think it had a USB port.
[4]
It was this very year (2008) that I decided to allow myself whatever candy I
wanted for the New Year season, which I still practice.
[5]
My mom’s email asked, “Is you investigator the " tries to practice the
Messianic Judaic law" Jewish or did he just pick that up as what he wanted
to do? It must be interesting to teach
some of your investigators. I know I
would learn a lot and have to study a lot to be able to hold my own.”
[6]
We had an Austrian pine in our yard that was growing too big. We discussed
cutting it for Christmas sometime. In 2006, I cut some branches and made a kind
of weird decoration. My family cut it one summer while I was in college because
the ward offered to cut it one day, so it never became a Christmas tree. My
grandparents owned an artificial flocked tree that I inherited when they moved
out of their house. In 2005, my family made me get rid of it because it took
too much space, and I was very sad about it. They told me if I kept it, they
would get rid of it when I was on my mission anyway, so I reluctantly agreed to
get rid of it so I could keep my sister’s old tree. I just got rid of my sister’s
tree this year (2018).
[7]
My mom’s email said, “Did you cat encounters make you miss Jenny? Dad would be more than willing to send her to
you. Do you think your mission pres.
would mind? Actually Dad had to admit the other day that he still thought Jenny
was better than a dog and now that I am trying to be good about emptying the
cat box he will like her better.” After my mission, I didn’t like cats that
much. But now I love them again.
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