Hello, everyone.
Some big area changes have been happening this past week. As it turns out, Lakeland, the area next to Walnut Grove, is being shut down, and the missionaries from Lakeland are being moved to Walnut Grove. This is great because the member exchange program Elder Warren worked so hard to establish in the Walnut Grove and Germantown wards will be put to use. The program wouldn't be able to go forward if the Sisters were there next transfer [because Sisters are not permitted to do exchanges with men in the ward].
Elder Jarvis and Owen, the new Walnut Grove missionaries, will do a great job over there. Elder Owen has only been out 6 weeks longer than me (one transfer), and he's from ENGLAND. British accents all around. Elder Jarvis is really friendly, and seems to be a hard worker. We'll still work with some investigators Elder Warren was really close with in that area, but as far as covering wards, we're back to staying with Collierville 1st and 2nd wards only. But for a good week and a half on my mission, I covered 5 wards and 2 stakes (through the single's branch). Pretty unique!
Elder Warren has musical talent through his voice, on the piano and on the guitar. He likes to keep it hidden from the wards he attends, but of course, word spreads here like wildfire. Not only that, but he's dragged ME in with him. We sang a duet as a spiritual thought for the Gardner family, and since then, we've been asked a couple times to help sing to other people. Bluh. My comfort zone just got obliterated.
Elder Warren is a hard worker and a righteous guy. He's constantly astonished at how little time he has left in the mission, but that doesn't stop him from being a missionary, which is good. Tonight, we have a chance to meet with a referral we got last week. Her name is Paula. From the referral text it said that she wanted to read the Book of Mormon, and she wanted to come to church but didn't know if it was ok to just walk in. From setting up the appointment, we found out that she and her husband are from this area. They had just recently moved back from Arizona. Her daughter made a few Mormon friends, and they're now interested in the church. So keep Paula in your prayers, and we'll go in, enthusiastic to share with her what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is all about.
We also have 3 other referrals we've been attempting to contact last week that we'll push to see this week. It'll be a challenge to fulfill all our goals when we lose our car on Tuesday (since there are now missionaries in Walnut Grove, we're back on a car share D:), but with the aid of members, we'll be able to do it. I wrote a long list of names of people on Sunday that need some missionary attention, members and less-actives.
I'm pushing to be a better missionary. Elder Warren is helping me and I'm grateful for it. We'll only be together for 6 weeks before he goes back to Kaysville, but he's influenced me so much already. And then I'll "kill him off." :3
We've been helping a less-active member with some home improvements. Elder Warren was working for a landscaping company before he came out here, so his skills are greatly appreciated. Many people in our ward are happy to have Elder Warren here. He's a good guy.
Pray for our success with the referrals this week! Thanks for all the love and support from you guys! People of Provo, I need to hear from you. Let me know what's going on in your life. I need to know. Bundle up your letters or something, I don't care. Just tell me how it's going!
Love ya guys! Stay safe and warm! The coldest days of the year are ahead for me.
-Elder Staib
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