May 18 (5/18/09)

In ten days, May 28, I will hit eighteen months as a missionary. At that point I want to acquire no more possessions, so anything I acquire I would like to get in the next ten days (now, if it is something I really need, of course I can make an exception). So, if possible, I would like my package within the next ten days.

The only thing now I can think of wanting would be more music. I have a fair amount but music can get stagnant fairly fast. Last week I bought a CD by Jessie Clark (now Jessie Clark Funk) called "Clay in His Hands" from the local LDS bookstore (I was surprised--I've only been to three LDS stores on my mission and this was the best one, even though it's the furthest from the temple). She is an acquired taste; I didn't like her that much at the start of my mission but now I like her. Elder Betenson had a CD called "If I Only Had Today" by Hilary Weeks. That was the first time I'd ever heard her but it was pretty good. I also like the Christian artist Michelle Tumes (I have "The Very Best of" her), but you'll probably have to go to a Christian store for her. So any additional music would be good, but these are some suggestions.

I can't think of anything else I really want--preferably no candy, unless it's patriotic candy, since Memorial Day is next week.[1] Since it is a holiday, I don't know if I'll be able to email next week.

Our address is
[redacted] 15th St E
Lewiston, ID [redacted]

They'll probably send it to the front door first before we get the box, since our apartment is in the back. It is a strange setup.[2]

The address is important to get right. The Northwest has crazy streets, but Lewiston is the worst. The "E" is not for east. There is 15th St, 15th St C, and 15th St E. I found an old thing where the mission office had printed up our address as "3532 East 15th St." Our address is actually a north/south address (I don't know if we're north or south). I at least think if they're going to have different streets, they should avoid using "E"--they should use F, or D, or something that can't easily be confused. But that's North Idaho for you![3]

It's been fairly warm lately, but fortunately we've had the car the last few days. Yesterday we came home and our apartment was an oven--even when it hasn't been too warm our dwelling gets too hot--so we installed our window AC. I'm quite worried. It was probably only in the 70s yesterday, maybe 80s, and our place was quite warm. We kept the AC and the fans on all night, and it wasn't that cold this morning. So, when we hit daytime hours, in July and August, it will probably be way too warm. We won't have a refuge from heat in the summer, unless we go take a break at the church, which I think I may very well be doing. I detest heat!

In Lewiston I get less computer time than in Hayden so I'll start wrapping it up, but I may get an extension.

Love,

Elder Melville

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[1] My family did send me nonseasonal things, like mint Milano cookies. They also sent me a little package of Jelly Bellys, and I wondered if they thought it was patriotic because the mascot on the package had a flag.

[2] We lived in the apartment above the garage of a house where inactive Seventh-day Adventists lived. We shared a mailbox. It was kind of awkward.

[3] The main north–south streets were numbered: 10th Street, 11th Street, etc. The east–west streets were named: Cedar Avenue, Birch Avenue, etc. But there were smaller streets as well. If it was a north–south street between the main streets, they would just tag on a letter at the end: 14th Street A, 14th Street C, 14th Street E. If it was a smaller east–west street, they would keep the name of the nearby main avenue but give it a different ending. So Birch Avenue was the main road but Birch Drive and Birch Court were smaller roads in the same block. At first, I found it really confusing and annoying; but later I learned that it had its benefits. You could give me an address and I would know exactly where to find it. But I do think it was shortsighted to tag an “E” on the end of the street names.