Last week I logically did not think I would be transferred
but I just had a feeling I would be. It turns out my feelings were correct.
I'm staying in Idaho, but just barely. I am going down to Lewiston, which is right on the border of Idaho and Washington. Just on the other side of the border is Clarkston, the two cities being named for Lewis and Clark.
I didn't know much about Lewiston, but announcing my transfer, the members have educated me. Here's what I have heard:
It is in a valley, or a pit, and is only about 700 feet above sea level.
It is a warm climate. I was hoping to spend the summer someplace up north since I don't like heat, and since last year I was in the Wenatchee Valley, another hot place. I've heard Wenatchee's hotter, but I don't know.
The Clearwater and Snake rivers cut through it.
A paper mill operates in the city, and it emits a foul odor.
When I got my call, President Clark said, "Thanks for being willing to go where the Lord wants you." I don't know what he meant by that. Hayden has become my shortest area, which is all right, because I didn't really feel at home here, and I don't know why. At least I didn't get sucked in the Coeur d'Alene blackhole. I once again am exploring a totally different area of the mission. It will be my fifth area and my fifth zone. There are a total of eight zones in the mission, and the only ones I haven't been to (not counting Palouse, where I'm going now) are the Sandpoint zone in the northernmost part of Idaho, the Temple zone in Spokane Valley (where the temple and mission office are), and the En Fuego zone, which is the Spanish zone, but I kind of have been there, since it basically shares the same boundaries as the Columbia River zone (and the location of Wenatchee was officially in both zones--it's basically just social boundaries).
This may also be my last area, since seven month areas are becoming more and more common. My packing has been easier this time, since I have sent home more stuff in this area than I acquired. Losing the boots and especially History of the Church is really nice. I also sent home another small package today. Included are surplus clothing, a book, and those Easter eggs you sent.[1] I know you don't need or want them and I don't either, but then I thought of them sitting in a landfill someplace and it seemed wasteful for me to throw them away.
I am leaving Elder K. and getting Elder L. Both of them are from Las Vegas. They didn't know each other, but Elder L.'s uncle is Elder K.'s bishop. They also happen to be the missionaries I've been the most familiar with before I became their companions. Elder L. was in Medical Lake when I was in Ritzville and Davenport. I saw him weekly at district meeting and on P-days. Once we stayed the night at their house because we had zone conference the next day. I think he thinks I'm pretty weird.[2]
I will be covering the Lewiston 2nd Ward, and also a YSA branch (often the YSA units are shared units, so I don't know if that's entirely ours or not). I always feel uncomfortable with singles wards.
I wanted to have a baptism in every area. I didn't achieve that here. But what is more important than a silly baptismal statistic is that I left the area stronger than I found it, which is what Preach My Gospel says to strive to do. We are teaching about three times as many lessons as when I got here--mostly to less-active members, but that's better than nothing. The kids of one of the families we're teaching got a ride to church yesterday, so it shouldn't be long before they're baptized. The other family always commits to church but they never come. It's really annoying. But they're not my problem anymore.
I can't think of anything more at the moment. Next week you'll learn all about my new area.
Love,
Elder Melville
I'm staying in Idaho, but just barely. I am going down to Lewiston, which is right on the border of Idaho and Washington. Just on the other side of the border is Clarkston, the two cities being named for Lewis and Clark.
I didn't know much about Lewiston, but announcing my transfer, the members have educated me. Here's what I have heard:
It is in a valley, or a pit, and is only about 700 feet above sea level.
It is a warm climate. I was hoping to spend the summer someplace up north since I don't like heat, and since last year I was in the Wenatchee Valley, another hot place. I've heard Wenatchee's hotter, but I don't know.
The Clearwater and Snake rivers cut through it.
A paper mill operates in the city, and it emits a foul odor.
When I got my call, President Clark said, "Thanks for being willing to go where the Lord wants you." I don't know what he meant by that. Hayden has become my shortest area, which is all right, because I didn't really feel at home here, and I don't know why. At least I didn't get sucked in the Coeur d'Alene blackhole. I once again am exploring a totally different area of the mission. It will be my fifth area and my fifth zone. There are a total of eight zones in the mission, and the only ones I haven't been to (not counting Palouse, where I'm going now) are the Sandpoint zone in the northernmost part of Idaho, the Temple zone in Spokane Valley (where the temple and mission office are), and the En Fuego zone, which is the Spanish zone, but I kind of have been there, since it basically shares the same boundaries as the Columbia River zone (and the location of Wenatchee was officially in both zones--it's basically just social boundaries).
This may also be my last area, since seven month areas are becoming more and more common. My packing has been easier this time, since I have sent home more stuff in this area than I acquired. Losing the boots and especially History of the Church is really nice. I also sent home another small package today. Included are surplus clothing, a book, and those Easter eggs you sent.[1] I know you don't need or want them and I don't either, but then I thought of them sitting in a landfill someplace and it seemed wasteful for me to throw them away.
I am leaving Elder K. and getting Elder L. Both of them are from Las Vegas. They didn't know each other, but Elder L.'s uncle is Elder K.'s bishop. They also happen to be the missionaries I've been the most familiar with before I became their companions. Elder L. was in Medical Lake when I was in Ritzville and Davenport. I saw him weekly at district meeting and on P-days. Once we stayed the night at their house because we had zone conference the next day. I think he thinks I'm pretty weird.[2]
I will be covering the Lewiston 2nd Ward, and also a YSA branch (often the YSA units are shared units, so I don't know if that's entirely ours or not). I always feel uncomfortable with singles wards.
I wanted to have a baptism in every area. I didn't achieve that here. But what is more important than a silly baptismal statistic is that I left the area stronger than I found it, which is what Preach My Gospel says to strive to do. We are teaching about three times as many lessons as when I got here--mostly to less-active members, but that's better than nothing. The kids of one of the families we're teaching got a ride to church yesterday, so it shouldn't be long before they're baptized. The other family always commits to church but they never come. It's really annoying. But they're not my problem anymore.
I can't think of anything more at the moment. Next week you'll learn all about my new area.
Love,
Elder Melville
[1] My
mom sent me Noah’s Ark animal eggs for Easter.
[2] Ugh.
I was trying to tone it down here. When my companion was transferred from Ritzville,
this Elder L. said something implying he was sad I wasn’t the one who was transferred.
Looking back, I can’t get over what a horrible person this guy was. Not that he
did anything specifically terrible, just one of those inherently terrible
people. He’s basically Donald Trump.
No comments:
Post a Comment