Well, things are different. So I no longer live in Idaho.
So the stake I cover now is in the very bottom of Idaho and covers Cokeville
Wyoming (where I am now living) so it’s pretty cool but way different. So
Cokeville, for those back home, is about the size of Gresham only even more
populated with Latter-Day Saints. It’s about 90% and most of them are active
members. We also cover the Geneva ward which is not a town it’s a stretch of
High way and a couple of farms make up the ward. Then there is dingle it’s like
Geneva only it’s a bit more populated. Then we have Montpelier which is like
the size of Clintonville, and we only cover half of the town. So it’s taking
some adapting from serving in the middle of the largest city in the mission
with the lowest percentage of Latter-day Saint, to where I am now.
Monday- I was still with Elder Magallon and we burned his
tie, played some b-ball for p-day, and saw a couple of families to let them
know I was heading out. Said good bye to my man Charles, funniest guy we taught
well, mark is right up there with him.
Tuesday was pretty busy, we had a district meeting before
transfers, it was pretty cool, and since everyone was training we focused it around
training. In the afternoon we did stuff but I don’t remember what. The evening
was crazy busy, we had said by to the Stoddards, Had a lesson with the
Nielsons, it’s a bummer to leave those two.
I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it back for her baptism. Then we had a
goodbye party kind of thing with Mark. We and his fellowshipper came over and
we had Pie and stuff, Mark is the funniest guy. He got us a Chocolate cream
whipped pie. Super rich. Any ways he cut it in fourths and decided to eat it
with us. And he's diabetic and that pie was like pure sugar. So we kept telling
him to stop, but he insisted because it was my last day there that he had to
eat all of it. So I hope he didnt end up dead shortly after I left.
Wednesday-Transfers!! It was crazy, so many new
missionaries I don’t think there is one companionship that stayed the same
except for the APs and the ones already training from last transfer and even
some of those changed. So we spent the day getting everything all organized and
people moved around. I met my new companion, Elder Curtis. He is a straight up
cowboy along with like 90% of Cokeville. It’s like real cowboys though they
ranch and herd cows and stuff. Elder
Curtis is a rancher from Wyoming so he basically is at home in Cokeville.
Thursday- Trying to figure out how this area works,
meeting a lot of the leaderships; stuff like that.
Friday- Zone training, it was super good and we have the
biggest zone I’ve ever seen. There are about 35 missionaries in it. That might
change soon but one of the exciting things is that living in this zone we will
have an awesome opportunity to work with the Star Valley temple! We did
have a lesson today and it went pretty well. We taught the Plan of Salvation. It’s
a strange part member family. The daughter is a member; mom isn’t and I don’t
think the rest of the kids are. Mom has been to a lot of different churches and
was always told crazy things about the Church. The kids are going to be helping
with the ceremonies for the temple. They are in one of the dance things for it.
Saturday- stuff happened I don’t really remember
Sunday- Good wards. Had some pretty good fast and
testimony meetings in Cokeville. It scared me at the start. This old lady got
up there and started talking about the election and how it was freaking her out
but the rest of them were more spiritual. After we taught the young women class
about how our words have effects. We had tried to plan for this a couple of
times but couldn't figure out what to do, then as we were about to start I got
an idea for a demonstration (thank the Spirit for that one) But I did a
missionary role play with the teacher. And sat there in silence for a bit.
Asked her how she felt, she just said awkward; handed her a Book of Mormon didn’t
say anything, same answer. Then bore testimony and talked about the gospel.
Asked her again. This time she said she felt the spirit, peace, joy (see fruits
of the spirit see Galatians 5:22). Then we talked about the influence our words
can have and how as much as they can bring the Holy Ghost they can bring the
spirit of contention. Hopefully it helped. Then we met the Farmers for dinner.
Cool family, they have like a prodigy son on the piano. He composes his own
music and has since he was 12 maybe even a little before that. Then we met with
one of the bishops. Turns out they were having a family reunion so we didn’t
get to talk to him as much as I would like to have. Then we crashed another family
reunion and the Grandma made sure everyone was gathered so we could leave with
a message. So we talked about the blessings of the gospel in our families. and
about how we can’t lose hope for any family members who have chosen a different
path. It was a pretty good Sunday.
A district farewell.
My man Charles
Dingle. Capitol of the world?
