Week #54 Letter

Hey guys! 

So this week was pretty exciting. We got some big news Sunday on our branch is being dismantled and being merged with the Spanish branch. Lots to do before that happens as I am the branch clerk in my little branch! Also I will be the last clerk. Sad to think about but it is for the better to merge the two. Both branches need the other's support and members. It needed to happen. 

9-5-16

"He did that stare and drive thing didn't he? I taught him that." Half preparation day! I have my temple trip tomorrow so we only had preparation day until 2 and we went and got little ceasars for lunch for the elders and hung with them all afternoon. At 2, we went and did weekly planning from last week we did do because of service. Then had dinner and went knocking. We ended up teaching 3 lessons while knocking! That was a good night and went to a lesson with Cruz and was able to read some scriptures with him. That ended our day. 

9-6-16

"Are we there yet?" Temple trip! I can't believe it has been a year since I left. Oh wait, not yet. Still got 24 more days till the year mark but whatever. Still awesome to go to the temple. But before that, we did Elder Johnson's driving test and he passed. So he is green dotted. Then I left for the temple and we got back around 4 in the afternoon. Then we talked with some people for a bit and elder Neilson and I went and got Chik-fil-a at the mall as it is now open! Super good. Then we went to Richmond hill to exchange back to our companions and went back to the Rockaways. We got back at 7 as the traffic was bad all the way to Richmond hill and down to far Rockaway. We changed at the church and contacted by the church till we exchanged with Elders Corzo and Liljenquist. I'm with elder Corzo for the night. 

9-7-16

"Laugh it up fuz ball." Well, today's exchanges were super fun. We had our studies in the morning and went to go give a blessing to this Spanish less active at the church. Then dropped off some thing for our companions at the other apartment and then headed home and did deep clean. That lasted all afternoon and went to go teach Iderle but she forgot and wasn't home but she said she would be home in 2 hours so we went and contacted by the church till dinner at Tacos y Mas and then exchanged but now I'm with elder Liljenquist. Went and taught Iderle and then had branch presidency meeting. Then the sisters asked us to give blessings to some of the investigators and less actives they are working with for the upcoming school year so we did that for the rest of the night. 

9-8-16

"I'm captain Jack Sparrow, savy." Well, today was a giant day of one meeting. We did our studies in the morning and ate lunch. Then went and picked up elders roland and stoker to go to Richmond hill for Zone Training Meeting at 1. It ended at 5 so we ate at jumbo, a local Chinese restaurant and then went home. We went and taught sister Forbes and then went home actually. But it was a good meeting overall. I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it but it was just so long.

9-9-16

"You've got to be the worst pirate I've ever heard of."

"Ah, but you have heard of me."

We did a lot of driving today. We had our studies in the morning and District Meeting at 11. Afterwards, we gave some blessings to some members and then headed to Richmond Hill and then to Rego Park. We had to go to Richmond Hill to pick up Elder Roland's Metro card he left there from yesterday and then went to Rego Park to drop off the temple recommend binder for our branch president. We gave it to Elder Shapiro to give to our branch president during the temple trip. That took us 2 hours to get to Rego and so we were starving and ate lunch at Chic-Fil-A for lunch. Then drove for another 1.5 hours to get home. Traffic was bad all day long today. We got back to the church and gave the metro card to Elder Roland and had dinner. Then contacted by the church for a bit and taught a lesson but not the best lesson. Then we taught Iderle and contacted some more by the church till the end of the night. 

9-10-16

"Do you know who I am?" 

"Haha, oi! This blunt here doesn't know his own name! Haha" 

...

Today was interesting. We had the studies and lunch in the morning. We ate lunch at the church as we left our leftovers there from jumbo. Then we tried to go to a lesson but not home so we changed and went to go help this investigator we have with his motor scooter. Elder Johnson is good with that sort of thing so I sat and listened to how it all works. Interesting stuff but it went on for a long time and we had to go straight to the church for correlation. That was ok and then had little caesars for dinner and changed at the church. We stopped by Babatundes home but no answer and then the Dures. We were able to start reading the scriptures with them but the Spanish elders called asking us to go to the church and let the members out as someone locked the front door and no one had a key to unlock it. We did so we finished up the lesson real quick and went to the church. Unlocked it and contacted by the church for the rest of the night. 

9-11-16

"Cause I was, born in the USA. I was, born in the USA!" Well, we remember from 15 years ago the tragedy that happened in NYC to the Twin Towers. From living here in NY, these New Yorkers don't forget. Aside from that though, there has been some changes concerning the branch in which I serve in. We combined with the Spanish branch today for church and we met at 9. The stake presidency was there and took over the entire thing. The stake president announced that the Belle Harbor branch would be dissolved and will be combining with the Rockaway Branch. After the meeting, Elder Roland and I were asked to meet with our branch presidents and the stake presidency in the clerks office to talk about how to start preparing to close down belle harbor and combine all records with Rockaway branch. We got a lot of work to do. We also will be having another audit and quarterly report just like when I did that back in July. And the two branches will combine starting Oct. 9. So it looks like I will be staying for the next transfer as well. But not for sure. That took up second hour and went to priesthood for 3rd hour and that was combined. Then we did tithing after church and drove the other Spanish elders home and had lunch. Went and took the sacrament to sister Harvey and then did studies. Had dinner and went knocking. Planted a lot of seeds and got to teach a lesson. Then went to go visit Saundra off an impression and was finally able to talk to her in person and set up an appointment for Friday. We were worried she talked to some people about the church and they told her not to meet with us anymore. But no, she wasn't feeling well. Then we wanted to go to the roof of the church building to get a cool picture of the 9/11 memorial lights being shot up into the sky but we opened the door to the stairs and the alarm goes off. That was the crazy part as it had never gone off before. So we book it out of there and contact down the street for a bit. After 45 min, we walked back to go home and saw some police there. Later we were getting numbers from Elder Corzo and Liljenquist and they said that they were in the church when the cops were there to use the bathroom and when they got down to the lobby, the cops gave them a hard time. But that was our adventure tonight.

Iderle is still getting baptized this Sunday now. We have a lot to prepare for concerning that as well. Then we have to start going through all the files and records to make sure they are all up to date and correct. So even though this is the last week of the transfer, I don't think I will be leaving as I am needed to help with the merge. I don't think they will have Elder Johnson or his new companion be the clerk for a day and then be released the next week. I think I will do a 5th transfer down here. I'm excited though. Should be fun! That's about it though as far as updates. Nothing new either that happened this week.