6 July 2022

 Once again, my mom reminded me that I haven't been sending out enough "weekly" emails. So I guess this may cover the last little bit.

About a month or so back, we got to visit Arizona together and spend time with our cousins out there. It was a great time, we had a baking competition, a pool party, a belated birthday for our mom, and got to pet emus through a strange visit with a friend of the Brinkerhof's. I got a brief visit with grandma Battraw, where there was a nice talk of her recent family history trip and a tour of things through the house.

The Fourth of July around here was nice, we had a trip to Connor Prairie, a fun smores roaster, and a nice evening at home. We thought we would be able to see a fireworks show from a nearby park, but we couldn't see too much of it, so fireworks weren't the most exciting part of that.

In service, there have been some nice opportunities lately to serve outside of the normal scheduled assignments. Most of the district got to help a nonmember woman move things out of her house, helping an elderly lady with gardening, and one activity that looks like it may become a district activity. Things have been going really well with service and I think I've been able to find greater joy in the Work.

In less pleasant news, I found that the weird grinding noise coming from my car as I drove it, was in fact, not a good thing. Just yesterday I started driving, then noticed that my brakes hardly worked. I quickly tried to return home, then tried to fill the car's brake fluid to see if that was the problem, which it wasn't. After contacting a member of the ward, he helped me with the car, and it looks like one of the brake pads is just about gone. Also, the strange liquid dripping from my car wasn't water. It was brake fluid.

Well, that's most of the news from this end. Mom has occasionally tried to remind me that my mission may be ending soon and that I may need to start thinking about my future, but... uhh... been out for about twenty months, so... I'd say that I'm almost halfway through. Plenty of time left!...right?

16 May 2022

 In the district, with our numbers down to four missionaries and two mission leaders, we've lost quite a few. Our mission leaders are supposed to be ending their missions within the month, too. But on our regular meetings, I did have some experiences that God really is aware of us and knows us during some of the lessons. A very strengthening experience.

As of service, I did get a funny experience with my Mission Leaders. We were talking about my schedule and they mentioned that I was supposed to be serving at the Temple on Thursdays, asking how it was going. I corrected them, letting them know it was just every other Thursday, only for them to turn it back on me, informing me that I alternated assignments, and did laundry every other Thursday. I looked at the clock after she said that.

"So... I'm supposed to be at the Temple... right now?!"

"Um... Oh, yes!... I'll end the meeting, get ready quick!"

Good thing it was a slow night and with a phone call, said they had the hands they need.

One last notable event that happened just a few hours ago, I was helping some nonmembers move donations and furniture from their house. I hated going into the basement. It smelled of campfire mingled with dead animals and death. I thought it was cigars, until I talked with one of the people helping us move stuff, and they clarified that the smell was weed.

Well, good thing that was my first confirmed scent of that.

18 April 2022

 We had two more missionaries finish their missions recently, leaving us with a district of four, and me as district leader. It is strange with a district over such a large geographic area, but so few missionaries among us. My mission leaders are finishing their missions soon, too.

Not much different with service, except that I think after replacing a Temple laundry shift, I went through a bit of "Temple withdrawal", noticing a tangible difference in my life, not having as much time in the Temple. Out of all the things to be addicted to, I'd say the Temple isn't bad, but I may need to be picking up some more shifts.

We had a mission activity recently, where the district went to some Native American mounds nearby. It was a nice park with interesting history bits in it. One I couldn't help but take notice to was that the guide said there were two civilizations, or just one with a cultural change. The change happened about 0 A.D. (give or take some), and I think they said the people fizzled out around 400 A.D., (give or take some), and I couldn't help but think "Hmm... I wonder what people would have a large cultural shift sometime after 0 A.D., something about some people experiencing several generations of peace after a very important visitation, then fizzling out..."

That's most of what's new with the mission. Easter was good, with Ben, Teresa, their kids, and Tom visiting. It was fun, with a nice Easter dinner and some time with family.

7 March 2022

 One thing a bit more exciting happened this week, when after a Sunday meeting, I was asked to be district leader. The previous district leader is about to be released, and I think in the service mission, since transfers don't happen the same as in a teaching mission, this may be a position I may hold until I am released. In addition to us losing more missionaries, I heard that my mission leaders were going to be released soon. They've been here since the beginning of my starting in the service mission and before, so it's going to be a much different experience to have them leave.

With some news on a different topic, we are having Stake Conference soon, and I heard that there is a Young Adult session where W. Christopher Waddell, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, will be presiding there, and we can submit questions to him. Sounds exciting to me! Other than that, things have been mostly going the same, but I have been seeing some really great missionary opportunities around as I serve!

28 February 2022

 Been a little bit since I last sent out an email. Over the last little bit, in the Temple, a YA session has been made once a month, and I have gotten to serve as an ordinance worker. Also, the district has lost a few missionaries at this point, with more on the way to be released. A lot of the missionaries I've gotten to being around are moving on now, but I've still got a fair amount of time left, so it just kind of reminds you to value the time you've got on the mission.

Things at the Bishop's Storehouse are interesting, too, because they are asking me to come in on Wednesday nights, which conflicts with the night I have at the Temple. But recently, I have noticed that really recognizing that the Lord's plans are greater than ours really brings a more enjoyable and successful mission.

24 January 2022

 This week my mission schedule got mixed up again. I`ve been asked to try several shifts at the Bishop`s Storehouse, which has displaced some other things, and haven`t been doing the Humane Society recently. The Bishop`s Storehouse requires me to get up real early... I`m supposed to be there at 5:30 AM. Does leave me a little tired in other parts of the day, but I`m still trying to figure a couple things out. Other than that, not much new happening.

17 January 2022

 This week has been going mostly the same, but I came down with a cold on Friday. I stayed in and did some indexing during that time while I recovered. I also heard that the Humane Society didn`t want to sign a missionary memorandum, so I won`t be able to do missionary service there the same anymore. There was a mission activity on Saturday, but I wasn`t able to go because I wasn`t feeling well. Other than that, not much new has been going on.

10 January 2022

 This week one of my supervisors got covid. At that location, she really knows what goes on, so things have been a little slower without her around. Some volunteers have been looking to others who have experience as leaders... one of them being me. One of the things I like to say to other volunteers is: "If I`m the one who knows the most, then we`re in big trouble". Service there has been a bit interesting, but I think I got called to the leadership spotlight only once.

I took some days to do indexing just in case I had a covid exposure while there. I didn`t actually remember how long I was around her, but I just played it safe.

There`s a mission activity coming up this Saturday, where all the missionaries get to go to the Temple together and enjoy some activities afterwards. I think it sounds nice.

Just something kind of funny I had to learn at the Humane Society, was a new way to walk. I work with soap sprayers to clean kennels, and it is very slippery if not diluted first. It`s never supposed to end up on the floor if it`s not diluted, but that didn`t stop me. Made a nice big mess and had to waddle-shuffle in a weird way to stay on my feet till I got the floor cleaner.

3 January 2022

 Yeah, I realize after mom told me to send out emails again that I had been slacking on that a bit.

Recently things have been fun, with Tom, Sam, and Makenzie visiting us for a little, though not at the same time. Tom came for Christmas but Sam and Makenzie didn`t. We played some games together and got to enjoy family time. Once, I even got Matt to come to some service with me. I also got offered a position at the Bishop`s Storehouse, which I plan on looking into soon. I heard I would be working on sorting, stocking, and helping on a truck. Teaching in the Primary is going well, but I am terrible with names and faces, and just got a whole new set to memorize... but it is nice to know the previous children are hearing to Young Men and Young Women`s. Sometimes I think it is great to see their bright spirits shine in different ways!

I also realize now that I haven`t been taking many pictures... maybe during this new year that will be different.