The Quarantine Life

   Dear Family, Friends, and others,

I hope you remember my promise from my last letter, explaining the likelihood of my having perished before this letter arrived. Lucky for me, it was not actually me who was initially in harms way this week, but rather the Elders in the South Lake ward who first contracted coronavirus. Their getting coronavirus has put the entire Zone into immediate quarantine lasting two weeks. If that wasn't enough, just last night two Sisters got terribly sick as well. I am not feeling any symptoms yet, but it is still kind of worrying. The announcement that one of the Elders had coronavirus was released on Thursday morning, and the mission nurse was flooded with calls minutes later. We were put in quarantine, but since Elder Leatherwood had a prescription he needed to fill that afternoon, we got permission to visit Walmart before entering quarantine. So we quickly called the bank, pooled our money and went to Walmart. We had a long list of foods we needed to get, including, but not limited to meat, bread, milk, and twenty boxes of pasta-roni. It has become quickly apparent that pasta-roni is the ramen noodles of missionary life. We got some toilet paper, a deck of cards and a couple of dice, and went home. We couldn't resist stopping at Braum's (for ice cream) on the way home though. 

Then we got home and started making phone calls. That's what we have been doing-- a lot of phone calls, and a lot of personal study. It actually hasn't been that boring yet. I miss the member meals, and going to the church to practice piano, but we have been doing okay so far. The members have actually been dropping off  the dinners, and they have been delicious all the same. 

About a week ago, I had the foresight to grab a travel set of chess from Walmart, and during or after dinner I will play a round with one of the other Elders. I can now proudly say that I have been walloped by everyone else in this apartment several times. Elder Leatherwood is teaching the other elders Mau, a game that is fun only because no one knows the rules to that game. It was played in Camp Bartlett and I didn't really like it, so I made black licorice while they played. Actually, I think they started to regret playing without me because one of the rules is that you can't speak while playing, so while making the licorice I began to vent about the difficulty of making it, and how it was made, and generally just started to ramble at them while they played in silence. They haven't played since. 

We got transfer sheets just last night, after an excruciatingly long wait. One Sister moved in, one moved out, and that was it. I'm pretty grateful that I'm not training after one transfer like Elder Bodily. I also am  beginning to regret joking about the cold. Not because it's cold, but because it was ninety degrees yesterday. At night. I think I offended someone, and they are trying to punish me. 

This week was a little lackluster other than the quarantine, and I just hope I have something to write about next week. I guess a highlight that did occur, I had my first piece of Domino's pepperoni pizza on the mission. I was missing that a lot. Aaron, I love how your printer model looks, its going to be amazing! I hope that you continue practicing your piano, and I'll try to keep up with you. Mom, thank you for your letter. I hope you guys still have time to play tennis in the evening. Send my best wishes to Rachel with the rest of her internship. I hope you all are safe and well. Best wishes, 

                                                                                                     Elder Peck.

Lego's, Hot Sauce, and Exchanges

 Hi Mom, Family, Everyone, Its Elder Peck. My previous prediction about spicy foods was fairly accurate. I took something hotter this week, and I will probably die this next one. But before that, I had exchanges. I exchanged with one of our zone leaders, Elder Spencer, who trained Elder Bodily.

He was pretty quiet, and worked diligently, but I will tell you now that if you respect various life and limb you had better not be distracted while backing him up. Elder Leatherwood had a great time with Elder Summers. Elder Leatherwood's back is doing a lot better, though I don't know if I can attribute that to the stretches or not as he was skeptical and a little noncommittal about doing them. Brother Ganshaw has done his best with his chiropractering to help him out and it seems to be working. Anyway, while on exchanges with Elder Spencer, he showed me a contact we hadn't seen in our area book. A man they had met with several times before. He smoked and drank, but wanted to learn about the Atonement. Despite curiosity, he usually blocked the missionaries numbers after a little while. Elder Spencer was excited to see my phone because it was a new number. Sure enough, we got through and he reluctantly agreed to meet us at seven on Wednesday at the church. He does have a history of not meeting appointments but we will see what comes. Driving home from dinner that night we made two stops. The first being a Lego shop we had passed several times and agreed we needed to see. 

That was pretty cool, and I found several sets I think Chris had as a kid, and we stayed there a while longer than we should have. Then, as we continued our drive home, Elder Youngstrom spotted a Lamborghini in a parking lot off the side of the highway. We peeled off to check it out, only breaking a few laws while doing it (see "taking a right turn at sixty miles an hour) and (Texas dive) but we made it over and got some pictures. 

We found out it was actually a car show that had just ended, and we had missed some crazy rides. It was still pretty great to get my picture next to a half million dollar car though. A few days later we were eating dinner at the Ganshaw's again. (Those guys are saints and fill in the empty days on our schedule.) By the way, someone asked me what my favorite part of missionary work so far was, and I answered "dinner with the members." It's great to see all of the families and their crazy kids, or teens in the online MTC, to talk about their work, (I have been able to discuss Command and Conquer and Retropie with three dads already!) and their hobbies. It makes every day pretty great and a good thing to look forward to. Funnily enough, and many of you guys may not know this, but my goal is actually to gain weight on my mission as I want to be able to enjoy the food. Just like every other missionary, my companions are on a strict (aka nonexistent) diet. As we have weighed ourselves every week, a saddening result is given. Since the start of this transfer, my companions have gained a few pounds and were annoyed. Imagine my dismay to find that I had lost four pounds since arriving in the mission. Now many would attribute this to my choices of foods, namely my dislike for many kinds before my mission, but I have been eating voraciously since my arrival, and have come to enjoy many kinds of meats and unique dishes. I am particularly fond of spicy Italian sausage at this point. I have been eating plenty, but I need to eat more apparently. I told my companions that we simply needed to switch goals and we'd be set, but they don't agree. Anyway, we were eating at Brother Ganshaw's when he brought out Insane Dave's something or other hot sauce. I politely declined, and the other Elders had some on a toothpick. They noted its spiciness, and I was convinced to try a taste. It was much hotter than anything I had tried before, and it took a while for us to recover. Then, as a joke, Elder Youngstrom said, " Elder Peck, if you eat a spoonful of that hot sauce, I'll buy you lunch anywhere you want." I can, at this moment, see my mom shaking her head, laughing, or putting her hand to her mouth in horror, probably all three. We all laughed a minute and continued eating our chili. I started thinking how I would love some ice cream from Braums again. So while the others were chatting, I grabbed the bottle, and poured out a spoonful. Only their son, Andrew, saw me, and I couldn't quite tell you if it was shock, horror, or excitement on his face. As I lifted the spoon, the others saw me and all yelled out "NO!" in unison. I had a moment of clarity. I put the spoon down and laughed it off and reached for my chili. Then Elder Leatherwood joked that we didn't have enough miles to drive to the hospital that night. I thought a second, grabbed a piece of bread, dipped and soaked it in the hot sauce, stuffed it into my mouth, then licked the spoon. Brother Ganshaw got out his camera. I knew better than to keep the sauce in my mouth so swallowed quickly and braced for impact. They all just watched. It turns out, maybe I shouldn't have swallowed. My mouth was nothing compared to the pain that burned in my stomach. I couldn't drink milk because I knew I was going to throw up. I had no time to pay attention to the permanent damage I had done to my mouth, my entire focus was not throwing up as I paced and cried over Brother Ganshaw's floor. I somehow lived through the eternity that I couldn't see through my tears, and Sister Ganshaw was kind enough to fetch some ice cream for me to suck on. My stomach was off kilter this whole week. But someday soon, I am going to get a double scoop ice cream cone, and maybe an order of fries, at Braums. In any case, going by this pattern, my next letter may come in the form of a death certificate from some hospital in Texas. I am missing all of you guys, and hope your weeks are going well. -Elder Peck

The spirit tells me to go forth, But without mountains where is north?

Dear Mom, I hope this missive finds you well. This week I had an even hotter pepper. If this pattern continues, I fear you may not receive a third letter. Other than that, I have really enjoyed all of the Mexican food. We had tacos last night and the family who gave them to us spoke only Spanish for their children to learn. Once they knew I had learned Portuguese instead, they didn't expect much of me but I got along okay. 

The night before that though, we went to a member who fed us chicken soup with rice, and it was delicious, when during discussion they slapped me upside the head with some knowledge that changed my perspective on how I see all of Texas. Plants simply grow. In Texas, they don't water, rarely fertilize, and only occasionally prune their plants. I was shocked. I am still shocked. There is so much water here that they can simply drop a seed in the ground and expect it to grow just fine without any interaction at all. She was growing a row of pepper bushes that simply sprang up out of the ground. Then she hit me with a second slap upside the head. It was a cayenne pepper. I was able to put the hot sauce freely on my taco the night after. We did capture the event on camera, and you will not be seeing it, ever. Later on, we tricked some of the other district members into eating some, and that was pretty funny. 

We have had member meals every day of the week, and they have become my favorite part of the day. I really enjoy them, talking to the members, meeting their family, usually a lot of little kids, it really is great. One family,  the Stevenson's, fed us soup, and the Father really reminds me of Dad. He teased all throughout dinner, to the great annoyance of his family. They had a teenage son named Bobby, who I really like. He acted like a stereotypical moody teen, even as he rocked his little sisters doll, and pulled her around in a wagon, and snuck her cookies. 

We went to a historical farm this week to do service. For the first two hours, we hauled wooden logs around the farm, as one of the large trees had fallen over. After that, we got a tour of the house and practiced threshing wheat by hand. It was really fun, and also really tiring. The place is stuck in the early eighteen hundreds and is a pretty cool place to see. 

The weather is becoming really cool as winter approaches, and we are shivering as the thermometer rattles around at seventy two degrees. Horror of horrors I heard it might get down to sixty five this week. The really surprising thing is that these temperatures really do feel cooler, and I have gotten pretty used to eighty five degrees plus humidity feeling like ninety two. I just also can't wait for the cold months. month. week. hour. (At this point I really had better not get cold, or I'm in trouble for my hubris.) I miss the mountains though. This P-day, we woke up at five (uggggggggggggg) and fished in a river that had no fish but about a hundred turtles in it. The river also has fountains. And pretty bridges. Not at all like fishing at home. 

All the other Elders played pickleball, but I enjoyed the morning instead. Then this afternoon we went to Walmart, and I got a lot of stuff I was looking for, like para cord, and all the ingredients for black licorice. I got a thermometer that looked good, went to the stake center to make some, and had a heart attack when seeing the thermometer only went up to two hundred twenty. After picking myself up off the floor, I discovered the dial still spun past the limit and gave accurate measurements past that. I still burnt the licorice though. Not even on purpose. 

Aaron, I have loved what you have been making, and I hope you continue, with both the painting, and the piano. It was so beautiful to hear this morning. Just remember, that bedroom will be mine when I get home. Hehehe. Thank you so much for the anise mom, I have already put it to good use.  And the food. (The other elders turned up their noses at the plums and the Spaghettios but I was so happy to see them.)  At Walmart I found the same company that made the tomato tortellini soup, but not that variety. I was a little saddened, but grabbed what I could. After all that, we went to a huge bass pro fishing shop that was just five minutes away from the apartment. The place was huge. I'll send pictures. 

Elder Leatherwood showed us a gun that he assembled himself as a job in Utah. Then we came here (to the stake center) and I wrote a letter that went: Dear Mom, ( I'll tell you more about what it says later ) Anyway, the weeks are full of Facebook work and mask wearing. I am so glad to be attending sacrament meeting, and it is good to hear that will be the standard at home too, soon. See all of you guys later. 

                                 Elder Peck.

P.S. I asked a farmer where he kept his hand line to water everything and he just looked confused. This place is unbelievable. 

This is the place, i don't think can be beat. Just don't let them tell you, that its a dry heat.

    Its an odd thing to wake up early in the morning, when its pitch black outside, to go on a jog, and its still twenty degrees hotter outside than in. The people here like to keep their houses as cold as a windy day in Utah, and as dry too, so every time i step outside i have a new appreciation for the brave souls who first said this would be a good place to build a home. Fortunately, such an event did take place, and the Grapevine Texas ward was established soon after. 

I'm over on the edge of Texas in a larger area named Colleyville, and a smaller area named Grapevine. I am serving with three other elders, of which one of these unlucky souls is my trainer. 

His name is Elder Leatherwood, and the names of the other pair are Elder Bodily, the other trainer, and Elder Youngstrom, the other greenie. Elder Bodily is only a transfer old, having just completed his own training, while Elder Leatherwood is a year into his own mission. We live in an apartment with two bedrooms and a kitchen plus living room.

When I got off the plane it was lightly drizzling as we drove to the stake center. Once we got there, met the mission president and left, it had become a monsoon. At least, it was a monsoon for a Utah fellow like myself. We dispensed with the umbrella and ran for our lives. We drove to the apartment, where we had only time to empty the car of the suitcases when we were going to a new members house together. We talked with her a while, got half a lesson in, and she helped us to participate in a missionary training ritual. She gave us a pepper, and some water, and stood and smiled as we collectively died and choked and felt pain. Then back home and bed. We had a spare blanket for that night but in the morning it was off to Walmart for materials. 

I got myself a blanket, a pillow, and all the soaps I needed. Got home and got to work again. That evening, we went to the members for dinner. Now i had heard many stories about first meals in general with new mission areas, so I was determined not to make any sort of scene of any kind. The meal was a lovely pot roast that was delicious, but I had a good coughing fit over a small sip of water. Later that night, I had a small pain, thought I had coughed a bit of pork too high in my throat, but nothing could dislodge it. I went to bed, and woke up with a sharp stab of pain running down my throat. I have had a terrible head cold all week long, and it's been messing with my sleep and my studies. We have been waking up every morning to exercise one of two exercises.  The first being a mile run, the other being a visit to the gym. In both scenarios the head cold has caused me a great deal of pain. I especially dislike the running, but at least in the gym there is an exercise bike that I think I've broken the record on. I maxed out it's difficulty and got the highest speed setting on that difficulty already. And that was with a mask on and a head cold. Then we would do breakfast, daily planning, studies, and then lunch, the make some calls, work Facebook, and after a while, usually dinner with a member. 

Only once yet have I had dinner at home. It was a slow quiet evening,  until someone pulled out Stratego. In the evening we do a little more study, Elder Leatherwood speaks fluent Spanish and by extension, Portuguese. Then we head to bed. On this fast Sunday, we had the zone leaders over to make cookies and play Monopoly during our empty lunch period. We got to visit testimony meeting and meet the members of the ward. Elder Leatherwood made his beautiful lemon cake to thank some members for something that was before my arrival, but all that good food in the apartment was torture. I lost Monopoly too. Anyway, that leads to today. It's still early morning and not much has happened yet. Can't wait to go shopping for stuff to make crepes, which was gonna be Sunday but it was fast Sunday. Can't wait to talk to my mom and see you all again! -Elder Peck.

Assigned to Grapevine, TX

Sister Chapman and I want you to know that we are enjoying working with your son, Elder Peck. We hope you enjoy the attached pictures of your son as well as know that he is in good hands here as he is in the Lord's service.
Your son's missionary assignment will be in Grapevine, TX.  He will be serving with Elder Leatherwood.

Their address is:

501 Turner Rd #1015, Grapevine, TX  76051 

 We know that he is always happy to hear from you and other family members as well. We appreciate your support.

 

And He's Off to Texas!

 Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Getting ready to leave for Texas came with all the good-bye's!

On Tuesday morning it was time to go. . .

When we arrived at the airport we were told that families couldn't enter the terminal.  We would have to say good-bye out in the parking garage.  Many other missionaries were there as well, most of them headed to Texas.

Landon was quite nervous about navigating the check-in process by himself -- and just at that moment his companion, Elder Mason arrived!  Heavenly Father takes care of his missionaries!

On Tuesday afternoon we received an email from the mission office saying their missionaries had arrived and that they would take good care of them!  We can't wait to hear about all of Landon's experiences.

Good Luck, Elder Peck!

The Waiting Game. . .

 So what does time look like between the MTC and the start of in-field missionary service?  We don't know.  This has never happened before.

For Landon, it was a cheese panini dinner at the Mad Moose -- one last time.  

It was printing a 3-D Mech.  And trading Maddy phones last minute since his screen broke. (Thanks Maddy!)

It was getting help packing his bags.

And cooking his favorite meals.

It was getting his temple/baptism pants hemmed. (Thanks, Grandma Swan!)

It was enjoying cousins at Trout and Berry Days.

It was seeing Aaron off on his first day of 5th grade.

It was helping Lindsay move into her new apartment.

It was biking 44 miles around Bear Lake. . .

And taking a nap while everyone else got to play in the lake.

It was fixing, cleaning, and packing up his computer equipment.

And moving pipe one last time, of course.

I think the last two weeks of August were some of the longest of the summer.  And some of the shortest as well.