Transfers Transfers Transfers

So today the library finally opened! We came yesterday fully expecting to email but it was still closed :( But that's okay. Transfers were today. Elder Merrell went zone leader and my new companion is Elder Wood, he's from Idaho. But I don't remember where. I'll let you know when I find out. He seems like a cool guy. I don't really know haha transfer meeting was literally 2 hours ago and we've been with other missionaries the whole time so I haven't talked to him much. We'll see! Our whole zone got jumbled big time. Almost all of the areas got switched so all of my friends are gone which sucks but the new guys will be good I'm sure. They had 10 new missionaries come out this transfer so a lot of people are training. It's gonna be good! Man this weather is so crazy. Normally there's 3 feet of snow on the ground and it's sitting at like -4 F. But it's been about 30 F all winter so far. Canadians are throwing a fit about how amazing it is, and other missionaries are telling me how lucky I am that it's so warm. Haha. January will be the real test! I wish I had a car though, walking is starting to get old...oh well hopefully only 6 more weeks! Hey it was great to talk with you guys on Sunday, I miss you all like crazy! Tell everyone and their mom to write me letters, I love those things! :) Christmas was good. After I called you guys we went to dinner at a member's house, then came home and relaxed it was sweet. Yesterday Elder Merrell and I celebrated our companionship by cooking a turkey! Some members in another ward gave their missionaries two turkeys, so they gave us one haha. We cooked it and we have sooooo much turkey it's unbelievable. We overcooked it a little bit so it's a little dry but still good. Anyways life's good. Hope things are going well back home.

 

 

Love you guys,

 

Elder Read

Week 6!

It's officially the last week of the transfer! I don't know where the past 6 weeks have gone. It's crazy! Before I forget, they called this morning to let me know the package got here today. They want me to come in personally to open it and look for signs of freezing....? I don't really know what "signs" of freezing looks like, but I guess we'll find out when I go to use it and it doesn't work! Haha it'll probably be fine. So we're going to go into the office with blindfolds (I kid, but they probably won't let us stay very long, missionaries aren't allowed in the office during week 6. Heaven forbid we see who's getting transferred!). So we're going after emails. Thanks for coordinating the package and everything Mom, they called me on Thursday to update me. I'm sure it'll be easier after this time haha. They shouldn't ask for my passport and visa after the first time, so we should be fine. Well this week was pretty crazy! Actually if not for exchanges, it probably would have been pretty boring haha. We went on two exhchanges because Elder Merrell didn't want to do them during week 6 before Christmas. So I got to run Southwood this week! It went well, but we have no one to teach haha, so we tracted, and tracted, and tracted. Tracting is like exercise. It takes a miracle to get out there and start, but once you start, it's so worth it. Every time I tract I always come away feeling good and with some sweet stories. So it was good! We tracted a lot this week but it wasn't too bad. We didn't find anyone either haha, but it's not about the numbers dang it! Other than that nothing too exciting happened. The weather is shocking the Canadians. By this time it's usually -20 C on average, but we haven't gone below -5 all week. It's been sweet! No complaints so far. We might have a positive Christmas! Haha I wish I had some sweet stories to tell you.....but I don't. Hey Skype on Sunday! So we are literally free from 9:30 your time after chruch until about 1pm your time (Elder Merrell's gonna call then) and then at about 2pm your time I'll be free again, so whenever you wanna do it! Send me a quick email before tomorrow afternoon letting me know and we'll schedule it with the Depeiza's. You bet your sweet buns I wanna talk to Geoff and Nicole! So make sure they're there :) That's pretty much all I have. Tell Grandma Read I love her and thanks for the package! I haven't opened it, in case she asks. I love Christmas! It's a whole new experience when you take the secular aspect out of it and focus on what really matters. It's awesome. Well I can't think of anything else....Enjoy your week! Tell Chris and Dad happy early birthday! When I get home dad will almost be 60! :)

 

Love and miss you guys,

 

Elder Read

......I can't think of anything clever to write in the subject.

Hey Mom and family,

 

This week was sweet! I'll start from the beginning. Monday was normal, we emailed, shopped, then went to the church to play games and stuff. I bought these chicken breasts, brown rice, and sweet chilli sauce, and I mix it all together and have chicken and rice! So good. Do they have sweet chilli sauce back in the states? Anyways so Tuesday was normal, then Wednesday was Christmas Conference! It was sweet. They gave a training about safe driving in the snow, show examples of what happens when you don't drive safely, and then President got up and gave a training on Teaching by the Spirit. It was super good. Then Sister Campbell shared her favorite Christmas story and showed a video of the Motab singing in a Christmas Devotional it was good. Then some other people got up and spoke on Christmasy stuff, and then we had lunch! They fed us turkey and all that good stuff, and I got to see Elder Atwood! Man I missed him. Plus he's getting trained by Josh Balaeza's brother in law so I got to see him too! He goes home on Thursday though so I told him to tell Josh hello! I have no idea if I spelled his name right by the way. Anyway after lunch they had a talent show hahaha there were some cool things. One guy played the recorder with someone playing the piano haha it was hilarious. Then Santa came and gave everyone gifts from their ward! My package had a lot of random stuff, but most importantly they gave us yo-yo's! Let me tell you, I love that thing! I'm getting good too. It came with a trick book too! The littlest things will entertain you when you don't have anything better to do haha. We also have a putter and a golf ball so I've been practicing for when I get home! So that was Wednesday. Thursday we had dinner at one of the member's houses, and then we were scheduled to go over to another member's place to share a message with them. So after dinner we walked over there, and their whole extended family was there for Christmas Dinner! They forgot to tell us they were having dinner.....so they invited us in! We had so much food that night. Other than that it was a pretty normal week! The weather's been slowly getting colder, but everyone keeps talking about how mild it is so far haha. I want a car! Saturday and Sunday night we went to the Messiah production that the stake puts on every year. It was really good actually I was impressed. It made me miss singing! We went to both because we had investigators at both of them, so I'm pretty sick of it haha. But it was still good the second time. Life's good though! Elder Merrell's convinced he's leaving this transfer so he's been telling everyone that he's leaving haha. I can't wait until he has to eat his words when we don't get a call on Monday after Christmas! He's been here 6 months though and has been a DL the whole time so it's very possible. Dad, tell Jeremy that everyone talks about Grand Prairie haha! Elder Merrell served there before this area actually, and he prays every day that he'll go back! It's the coveted zone :) Okay so for calling on Christmas, we need to iron out the details with the Depeizas this week, so I'll let you know next week. As far as I know it'll be video. We only have one hour of church, but we don't have to call immediately afterwards. What time works best for you guys? I'll work around your guy's schedule since we literally have no plans set in stone yet. I think it would be easier if I just called you yeah? IF need be I'll just call you on the phone beforehand to figure out the username and everything, because I have no idea what it is haha. I honestly have no idea haha....which is probably bad but I'll figure it out this week! Hey mom thanks a lot for ordering the debit card, sending off the package and everything else you do! You're the best. And tell Bryant not to stress, I failed too and look at me now :) I'm practically a professional. Okay that's pretty much all I have this week! I miss you guys, enjoy your week with everyone! Make sure none of the official Christmas traditions are left out! If I come home and we're slacking......

 

Love you guys!

 

Elder Read

 

PS is Oreo still living? And how's the truck doing?

December is here!

 (Editor's note: I searched-and-replaced all the "<" characters with "d", for easier reading.)

Time seriously flies. I can't believe it's almost been 3 months. That's 1/8 of my mission done! Crazy. Thanks for the update on the insulin and stuff. Man I hope it doesn't freeze! Haha that would be bad. But I'm sure it'll be fine. Hey speaking of the Mastercard, I think I told you that my debit card doesn't work here. I've been rejected every time I've used it so far. So I'll just stick to the Mastercard. Just so you know, I'm buying boots and stuff today, but it shouldn't be too bad. Okay the "d" key on this keyboard sticks so bad so I'm not typing anymore d's haha I'll be here all day if i do. So I'll use <'s instead. This week was super good. We had the First Presidency Christmas devotional last night, it was great. President Monson's talk was awesome. I wish I would have gone to those things more often! The ward Christmas Party was Friday night, and it was way good. It was The Polar Express theme, and it was really well done. Canadians know how to celebrate! There were a ton of less-active members there and we had a couple of investigators so it was definitely a success. Wednesday night they had a mutual activity where they basically played fugitive. Normally we wouldn't be allowed to gto to something like that, but our investigator volunteered and asked us to go with him. So we did :) It was really fun. It was in a park a lot like Rosa Park, except about 4 times as big, and it's a ravine. So the youth had to get from one end to the other without getting caught, and the leaders and us had to catch them. It was a sweet. I forgot gloves though so my hands died haha. Funny story! Actually not so funny, but you'll probably laugh. So we went on exchanges from Tuesday to Wednesday afternoon. I was in another area, and wednesday morning was district meeting. Now usually, we're all 10 minutes early for the meeting. No one has ever been late before. But of course, we're running a little late that morning, and guess who was there when we walked in 10 minutes late? President Campbel himself! Haha it was terrible. He gently urged us to be on time haha. What're the chances! Other than that this week went pretty well. The weather has been great the past two weeks. The snow all melted and it was super nice! It's supposed to become winter weather this week though, so we're not excited. It snowed a ton two nights ago, and it probably won't melt. So it begins! Today is Pday feast again! Elder Guerin is going home in a couple of weeks so he's making spaghetti and all that good stuff for the zone at the church. President will actually be there too! I'll try to be on time haha. Hey I heard the NBA lockout ended! Nooooo. I was honestly hoping it would last all year, so I only would miss one season......oh well! But yeah that's my week! Not much else happened besides the usual. For Christmas, we have church at 9 (8 your time), and then we're going over to a member's house for breakfast, and then we can skype from there! Does that work? I'm not sure what time will work for me, I'll let you know when I find out. Hahahaha hey tell Sister Little she's the best and thanks for all she does! Yeah I'll probably email Doctor Olinghouse my info. I'm hoping to go to the doctor this month, so I'll let her know how it goes. Tell her thanks! Alright that's all I have for today. I miss you guys! Enjoy the holiday season it's the bomb!

Love you guys,

Elder Read

PS I have some pictures from the Christmas Party! The black guy is our Elder's Quorum President. He's a jamaican guy he's hilarious. And he's a SUPER conservative guy so his outfit is awesome. The other picture is me with Brother Burgess(on the left) he's in the bishopric, Brother Bowden our ward mission leader, and then Brother Depeiza again. They're awesome. Our ward is awesome! Note my long hair, that mop is getting cut today fasho. And then me in the Polar Express!