Consistency

Sister Call, Vania, Nola, Sister Broome

Well, besides President and Sister Jensen, I think I am the most consistent person to attend transfer meetings.  Yup, we got the call Monday evening saying that Sister Broome would be leaving and I would be staying in Des Moines.  So with that in mind I am now on companion number seven,  month number seven, and have lived in six different places, and only missed one transfer meeting as a missionary!

The week of transfers is always interesting.  Just waiting for the unknown, seeing a companion pack up, wondering who your next companion is going to be and how the coming transfer will be.  But it is always good as well.  On Tuesday we were able to visit some of the people that we have been working with and the ones that Sister Broome wanted to say goodbye to.  We also had service at the YMCA and New Year's Eve dinner with Sister Strayer.  President told us that we could stay up until midnight to welcome in the New Year, but we still needed to get up by 6:30 the next morning.  So this offer didn't appeal to Sister Broome or I.

 

Chair soccer with the zone

 

1st Place: Sister Call,  2nd:  Elder Bowden,  3rd:  Elder Anderson

The day before transfers is always our p-day so New Year's Day we spent at the Stake Center with our entire zone.  We played chair soccer where you protect your chair from being touched by the soccer ball as you are trying to get others out.  After a few rounds of that we ended up playing basketball for a little bit and then into a competition of around the world.  Needless to say I drained 4 three pointers in a row to end up winning around the world!  What can I say?  I grew up with all brothers!  haha!  We spent Wednesday evening visiting more people that Sister Broome wanted to say goodbye to.

 

We woke up bright and early Thursday morning so that we could arrive in Iowa City before 10:00 a.m.  Once again I found myself sitting on those all too familiar benches at the stake center waiting to hear transfer doctrine.  Luckily they always start with the West side of the mission, so now that I am in Des Moines my area is called as one of the first ones.  Which means that I found out that my new companion is Sister Janae Brown from Gridley, California that has been out one transfer less than I have.  I am so excited for this coming transfer and for the opportunity to serve with Sister Brown! Sister Brown has 9 kids in her family an she is child number seven and I think all of her older siblings have served missions. 

 

Friday was wonderful.  We had weekly planning and set goals for this coming transfer and as a companionship, we then were able to go to Oakridge and several of the people that we were going to visit were not home, so we decided to drop by one of the potentials that lives there. Rochelle was home and she was so excited to see us, she allowed us to come in and we taught her the first half of the Restoration!  The spirit was so strong and she kept saying how she felt so good!  She was so excited and loved the pamphlet that we gave her, she also promised that she would be at church . . . but she didn't end up coming to church yesterday :(  Friday evening we were able to teach several other lessons and spend some time finding.  Which can be really fun if you knock on doors where the people are nice to you. 

 

Des Moines District:  Back row: AP Elder Weiss, AP Elder Anderson, Elder Bowden, DL Elder Flint, Elder Smith   Middle row:  Elder Smith, Elder Swenson, Elder Boychuk, Sister Call, Sister Brown,  Bottom row:  Elder Dutson

Saturday was our get-to-know-you district meeting and our entire district was there including the AP's.  I'm excited about each of the members of our district and for this coming transfer! 

 

Anyways,  the weather man is right about the cold spell that is over the Midwest.  haha. Funny how it tends to happen the day we lose the car.  Church was wonderful and I love Fast and Testimony meeting, where I am able to learn and to grow from the testimonies of others.  We each have something to share and that can help strengthen one another whether we think we do or not.  

 

President and Sister Jensen were at our church building before Sacrament Meeting so we got to see them! I love being around President and Sister Jensen.  After church we had coordination meeting with our new ward mission leader Brother Poole.  

President and Sister Jensen had sent out a text to all the missionaries saying that they were not to be out in the cold for more than 3-4 minutes Sunday evening and all day Monday. And that you are to drive only to urgent/solid lessons.  Luckily the library is within 3 minutes walking distance so we were able to come!  It is currently -12 not factoring the wind chill, and our apartment was freezing last night, because we don't have control over the heat.  They cancelled schools for today.

 

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week and have been able to set some wonderful goals and ways to achieve these goals for the year 2014!

 

I love you all!

Love Sister Call