Okay, so last week I wasn't able to share what was all going down as transfers with you guys. So here's the scoreboard. Elder Leatherwood moved out, headed to someplace called Denton. Elder Combs moved in. Elder Leonardo moved in. We now have five people here, and it is actually a little too cramped. We are lucky that our mission car, that previously was a Nissan Versa Note, (affectionately referred to as the Chicken Nugget), was replaced by a roomier Chevy Equinox. A very common missionary vehicle. Every time we meet up as missionaries I lose track of our car. It is still much too tight in the car, we can barely close the door with all of us in there, and putting on seat buckles is a nightmare. Anyways, Elder Combs came in Tuesday night. The other Elders are training him, Youngstrom specifically. When he came in we all had a bit of a party with dinner and games that night. After nine of course. He is in good hands with those two. They keep busy. Elder Leatherwood made a cake for the Nash farms staff and they gave him some jam and a t-shirt. We finished some stuff up and he gave me the keys and the SIM card for the area. Then next morning we did final packing, waited for the Zone Leaders, who also have their own trainee. We loaded up Leatherwood's bike and headed to the stake center. When we got there, there were already a ton of missionaries I had never met before, from all across the mission. There were a few people I got to see who had transferred out earlier. My first district leader Elder Wilkey, and my first ZL Elder Spencer. We all chatted and caught up while I was waiting for Elder Leonardo. Elder Leatherwood found his companion pretty early on and we said our goodbyes and he left. I was just sitting, waiting while hundreds of other missionaries mingled. Pretty soon the order came to leave if you could leave. The meeting for the departing missionaries would be starting soon. So the crowd thinned, and then Elder Leonardo came in.
We met up, and headed outside in order to load his stuff into our car. That's when I realized I didn't have the keys. Luckily, the car was unlocked and we loaded his stuff in there anyways and then talked to the APs. They called Elder Leatherwood and they started the journey back. We had to wait about forty five minutes for the keys. It was awkward as the departing missionaries all came in for their meeting. We got to say hi to Pres. Chapman though. We were the last missionaries out. When we finally got our keys we ran into another problem. Neither of us were registered on TIWI, the Tracking computer, as an authorized driver. It took us a long time to get in contact with Brother Neil, the vehicle coordinator for the mission. Funnily enough, we ran into a wrong number here. The poor fellow on the other end begged us to stop calling him. He was getting dozens of calls a week from missionaries looking for car help and he didn't even know what the church was. When we finally got connected to the proper number we were told I was the driver for the transfer. I didn't like this. We had a long drive home along a huge highway, and I hadn't driven a car in six months, and had barely any experience on the highway in any case. We pulled out just as Prez and all the departing missionaries were leaving for the airport. I actually wasn't looking as we started to pull out and I almost hit Prez pulling out. I was ready to die of embarrassment. Then we drove home on the highway, a death defying, absolutely terrifying experience. I forgot to mention that getting updated for TIWI takes about a day, so we were ordered to drive despite the warnings and Brother Neil would wave it through in headquarters. So our entire drive home was also filled with high pitched voice telling me to pull over constantly. It was a little stressful. Soon we were home and he got unpacked. Elder Leonardo has been out in the mission the same amount of time that I have, so we have to figure some things out on our own. We have been doing a good amount of facebook work and studies. Sometimes caroling and finding in the evening.
We visited a park this week hoping to start some conversations. No one approached us, except members. It's always good to hear uplifting comments from members in other places when we meet them on the street. If any of you guys see the missionaries anywhere, be sure to wave and say "Hello Elders!". It makes our day. What also makes my day is mangoes. Just letting you know, they are in season and delicious. Hopefully, all of you guys get the chance to make someone feel closer to Heavenly Father and his love at Christmas. We are trying over here. I hope that Christmas this week is wonderful. I hope that no matter how you join your ward in celebrating you may be able to enjoy it with others. Yesterday morning we had our Christmas sacrament meeting with piano music and singing that was absolutely beautiful. It lifted my soul. I hope you guys get to hear it too.
Best of luck, Elder Peck.
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