Looks like you are getting your email on Tuesday.
Elder O'Driscoll is gone and safely at home in Utah. Elder
Pacis (pronounced passes) is my new companion and he is brand-new to missionary
work--and the gospel. He is Filipino and a convert of about a year and 5
months ago--only member of his family--from Puyallup (Pew'-al-up, a city south and east of Seattle). Ever heard of it?
President Paulson sure had a fun time trying to pronounce that and just gave up
and asked me to. Ha. 2 missionaries from Washington serving in an area that
looks a ton like western Washington. He is eager to share what he knows. Ha, I
remember being really hesitant when I was first out, and training him has given
me a chance to really see how much I have grown since I first came out into the
mission field. Lots of growth, for sure. He asks me about things
and brings up concerns that I don't think I have seriously contemplated
since I was in northern Winnipeg my first transfer. Poor guy, he is nervous on
doorsteps, as every new missionary is. This whole situation is interesting
because it puts me in the position of a teacher as opposed to the
sponge which absorbs everything. Stark contrast between Elder O'Driscoll and
Elder Pacis that way. Oh, he is deathly afraid of spiders and there are TONS of
spiders here. Yesterday we were walking up to a door and I heard this shriek
right next to me and I turned around and he was sprinting down the
driveway...running from a spider. Funny sight. Lots of funny stories during
someone's first transfer! Oh, another good story: Elder Pacis takes more
pictures than I have seen anyone ever take before. So this morning we were
driving into Dryden, ON (~2 hours away) for district meeting and he was taking
all sorts of pictures and the car in front of us stopped at an intersection and
he got out and came to our car upset, asking if we were taking pictures of him
in his car, and Elder Pacis froze, and I explained that he was always taking
pictures and that he wasn't targeting him (this guy worked for the postal
service and had a postal service car). Elder Pacis put the camera away for...5
minutes.
The work is still slowly moving forward. We have a number of
exciting potentials that we should soon be working with. We had 3 investigators
at church: Rob, Crystal, and Warren. Nic and Crystal are still doing well, but
Nic really misses Elder O'Driscoll. He had to work on Sunday. Crystal, however,
is seeing some of the benefits of the gospel and has expressed that she has
seen a difference in her family since we started teaching them. Things are
going well. I feel a little weighed down because of an incident yesterday with
someone in the branch. They are semi-active and we have been visiting them
weekly and they have really, really enjoyed the visits. We had asked them to
give a ride to someone to church and I won't go into specifics, but they showed
up and were not able to give them a ride (I have to be super vague across
email) and last night we called to at least tell them thank you for being there
and willing and they told us they never wanted to see us again. Ugh. So I have
called a few local priesthood leaders and explained the situation (in more
detail, ha) and they say things should work out, but I still worry. I firmly
believe I did not do anything wrong, but there is some miscommunication
somewhere. Don't know. Ugh, you become so connected with people on
your mission! Other than that, things are good, and suddenly the members are
really excited to help out and give us finding ideas. I will let you know how
everything goes!
That is great to hear all that from Max and Muna! Tell them
hi for me and thanks for being great neighbors--sorry--neighbours. You
mentioned that I would come back to Kirkland and give a talk? Was that right? I
love the sound of that, just as long as we are able to fit into those busy
few weeks I will have between my release and school. Anyway, I love you all, I
pray for the selling of the house daily, and for you as well. Godspeed.
Elder Galbraith
Old friends - Elders Galbraith, Mitton, Bodily, and Dunn
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