It's officially snowing like crazy in Billings! It hasn't stopped snowing since like 5 this morning, I love it! Although it caught me off guard when I went to take out the trash and I was barefoot...It was a wee bit cold haha.
So YES! I am actually getting transferred after 6 months here in the Rimrock YSA Ward. It's almost like I'm leaving for my mission all over again and saying bye to lifetime friends. Although, many of those who I got attached too, are now at Rexburg for school. But I am still going to miss lots of the members! They all signed one of my notebooks, it was pretty sweet, I promised I would come back and visit if they weren't all married haha. So, my new area is in Bigfork, MT. Just outside of Kalispell which is the prettiest zone in the mission! It is RIGHT next to Glacier National Park, so that will be sweet! Bigfork is a resort town, filled with rich people from what I hear haha. Right on Flathead Lake. It will be amazing! And my companion....drumroll...will be ELDER DENSLOW! For those who don't know, I was in primary with Elder Denslow, and his mom used to be my scout leader. I stayed the night at his house several times, but then we moved. He says he doesn't really remember me...after all that was like 10 years ago haha. But still it's pretty cool. Hopefully it will be a good experience :) I will be the new District Leader! As of right now, there are 8 missionaries in my District, including the Zone Leaders. Pretty pumped.
Not a lot went on this week, other than our sweet iPads! We spent a lot of the week moving records from paper, to digital Teaching Records. That way the SISTERS who are replacing us in the office will have an up-to-date area book!
For our P-day, we hiked the Rims in the morning, moved sandbags at the mission home, and then played dodge ball with like 20 missionaries haha. This was Wednesday night, and we didn't have a dinner so we went to Cafe Rio and a member paid for our dinner! Another member gave us a $20 gift card for next time! The perks of being a missionary :)
Thursday was one of the most productive days of my mission. We had appointments all day long! Which never happens. One of the lessons was with Mario, our most recent convert, and we discussed the Priesthood and what it means to have that authority and power. Yesterday, we conferred the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained him to the office of Priest! Elder Yeske got to do that which was sweet. We also got to meet with Eliza who has been all smiles since Sunday! Her countenance has changed and that has been an inspiration to me.
Bishop gave us probably 10 names of people to go see so we spent all day trying to find them. NO ONE was home, but we tried. We talked with a lot of their parents though. Afterwards we met up with Jason, who has a baptismal date for the 16th of November. But he doesn't come to church and hasn't retained any of the lessons...So the sisters will have to reteach everything.
Friday we did some service which was awesome! I never realized how much I love service. It was also nice to get rid of some stress and the to get exercise. We went to Joe Weitz's house and spread lots of mulch, dug holes for plants, and actually planted some. They fed us Wendy's right after :)
Saturday was horrible. Absolutely horrible. On Facebook, someone I've never even talked to and added 6 months ago because he was on the roles, sent me a link right after I posted that I was leaving. It was a link to anti-mormon stuff. This kid tried to convince me that he was once ass passionate about this church as I am. He served a mission, his dad is a Mission President, and he has sat down with Apostles. He then proceeded to attack my testimony of Joseph Smith and the church in general. He used arguments on Polygamy, and other extremes. I tore into this kid. Fortunately, I know my stuff and was able to counter attack every claim he made. He expected me to not be aware of Church History...Never have I been so frustrated. I stopped talking to him by saying that one day we'll meet the same maker and that I'd see him on the other side haha. It just amazes me that someone who once KNEW the church is true and has so much potential, that he went out of his way to try and dissuade a missionary called by God to share what I know. But that's that and I will never talk to him again.
On a happier note, Sunday was really good. There was a musical number that brought everyone to tears and Josh Smith, the Elders Quorum President spoke. It was a great meeting.
Well that was my week! Sounds like things are going great at home! I think that is SO COOL that there is a 5k for Emily's brother, and the funds go to Dom's mission fund! The Lord always provides a way for his servants to do His work. I called Elder Packham to tell him that because he was good friends with Dom too. Jesse was a Greaser for the dance huh? Hahahahahahah so funny. He would make a good greaser.
I will send you my address ASAP! Mom, I just bought gloves for every day wear (instead of just snow gloves) and bought a fleece mask to cover my nose haha. But could you send me more smartwool socks? I love you! Have a great week!
Billing Mt temple at night
Billings snow, October 2013
Hiking, sitting on The Rim in Billings
elders raking leaves in Billings
