Mission: Week #56 Letter & Pictures

Hey everyone!

So I got transferred to Lynbrook! It is actually bordered with Belle Harbor/Far Rockaway so it is close to my old area. Lynbrook is a lot like home as it isn't part of NYC anymore and is on "the island". That just means it is on Long Island but not part of the city. It is really nice here with homes and not as many apartment buildings. Normal shopping centers and highways. So it is like I'm living in Massachusetts again. Lots of trees. Lynbrook is a ward, my first one I'm serving in on my mission and it is a big step up from Belle Harbor. Going from a struggling branch to a full ward with callings and members, youth and a primary. My companion is Elder Draper funny enough. He is from Cottonwood Heights, UT and he says his 4th great grandpa founded Draper, UT. He came out with Elder Johnson, my trainee so he has been out for about 4 months now. I'm still the district leader too and I have 5 other missionaries in the district. We have the 3 assistants and a sister companionship. So here is the week:

9-19-16

"Cause the players gonna play, play, play. And the haters gonna hate, hate hate. And I'm just gonna shake it off, shake it off." Well, we had transfer calls and I am getting transferred. Along with Elder Roland, Liljenquist and Sister Dawson. Big changes to the district. I don't know where to yet but I want Lynbrook. So we went to the church and signed each other's transfer journals and hung out for the day. It was fun but a little boring. Didn't do a whole lot but we did make pizza. After preparation day, we went to a lesson with a couple we met a few days ago and were able to meet again! We read through some of the Book of Mormon with them and they seem really genuine to keep learning. Perfect, right when I leave. Then we went and saw the Forbes and the Siddoways to say goodbye to them. It was sad to leave. I did not want to go. We got home and I started packing up everything.

9-20-16

"We've come a long way, from where we began. Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again." Transfer day! We got up and I finished my packing and got ready to leave. We packed the car, then went and packed the car even fuller when we picked up Elder Roland's things too. Then I shipped a package home of things I didn't need and we headed to Rego. I found out I am going to Lynbrook as the district leader still and my companion is Elder Draper!! Funny thing is he came to the field with elder Johnson so I thought I would train Elder Draper since I am from Draper but no. Now I am companions with him though:) I have a sister companionship in my district and the assistants in my district also. We had to stay for leadership meeting so we hung around and talked with other missionaries for a bit until the meeting and then after, we packed the car and headed to Lynbrook. We got to the apartment and unloaded my stuff and went to Wendy's for dinner. Visited a referral and they get a lot of referrals here. We have 38 uncontacted referrals! Then visited the Brown family and they are super fun. I will like it here:)

9-21-16

"Welcome to New York! Its been waiting for you, welcome to New York, welcome to New York." First day in Lynbrook was pretty good. We had a little bit of personal study until we had to go to service for a member. We do a lot of yard work there so we helped her with her fountain out front and clearing out the weeds, rocks, and garbage. Did that for a little over an hour and then she fed us cheese cake. Went back home and cleaned up, had companionship study and lunch. Went shopping for a few things at Walmart! I haven't been in a Walmart in a year and it felt good to be back in one:) Then our church building is under renovation so we have to go to the Freeport chapel a little bit always for anything we need on the computer. We went to that building to make cards but we had to wait for the key to the clerks office from the Freeport elders. Made the cards but didn't have time to go all the way home so we ate at Taco Bell for dinner and then went to a lesson with a couple. They were really nice and tried to go back to the Brown family but they weren't home. So we did more referral contacting until the end of the night.

9-22-16

"Cause baby now we've got bad blood. Now we've got problems. And we can't solve them. You made a really deep cut." Today was really great:) We had studies in the morning followed by the mission wide conference call. We then went straight to district meeting at the Freeport chapel and that was an adventure of itself. Anyways, we then went to Wendy's for lunch and went back and made cards all afternoon. We made a lot of cards cause we had none. Then we went to Long Beach to look up referrals and that was an awesome drive full of scenery and I even saw my old area, Far Rockaway. It was less than 100 yards away across the water. Crazy. Then the ward mission leader invited us over for dinner and to talk about the ward's vision with members and missionary work. They fed us lobster! That was so good:) And they are super nice. Used to live in Utah so they know right where Draper is. That ended our night.

9-23-16

"Say you'll remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, babe. Say you'll see me again, even if it is just in your wildest dreams!" I've started to realize what it is like to live in a ward as a missionary. I have been in branches until now. So today we had weekly planning at the Freeport chapel and brought lunch with us this time. During lunch, we got a call to go help this less active that is moving so we went home and changed. They didn't pack anything really so we were going through it determination what to keep and what to throw away. Took up our afternoon and then another member texted us saying she had dinner for us so we went home and changed really quickly to go pick up the food. Drove back home to heat it up and eat before going out. We first went to go visit some of our referrals but no success. Then wen to go visit this other less active family that has a rough situation. We forgot the white shirts they wanted for a job interview and to attend church in so we went back home and got the shirts. When we got back, they also asked us to go fill up these water bottles for them at the church so they can have water to drink. We went to the church and filled up the bottles and took them back. That was getting late so we headed home after that.

9-24-16

"I don't know about you. But I'm feeling 22. Everything will be alright if you just keep me next to you!" So today got cold enough to where we turned the AC in the car to heat. I don't like fall. But we had a good day and got to do some service. We went and looked up referrals for 2 hours in the morning after studies and then had lunch. We then got ready to go play basketball with brother brown but he wasn't available to play but we got a call right then to go help out with service so we went straight there as we were already dressed for it. Stayed there until dinner and went home to change. Then we went and picked up a member to go out with us. We were going to go visit the browns but they weren't home so we went knocking with him for the night. It was really fun:)

9-25-16

"Cause we are never ever ever getting back together." Church day! So the Lynbrook chapel is under renovation so we go to the little neck chapel a couple miles north of us. But before church, we had our studies and made cards until we left. It is actually a ward! My first thought today was how many people were there. In total, we had 108 at sacrament meeting. That's a big change from the last area. Elder Draper taught elders quorum and then there was a baptism for the sisters today after church and they asked me to conduct it. So I got to conduct a baptism and it went pretty well. Then had some food afterwards and dropped off the leftovers we received at our home and went to Bishop's home for dinner. That took up our night. And made the calls to the district.

We have a pretty solid pool. We have progressing investigators and other investigators. Still trying to remember most of them but weren't able to see most of them this week. We have a lot of referrals to contact and we get a lot of referrals. We have 38 uncontacted referrals even though we try to contact them everyday. So we try to put in other finding time and teaching appointments too instead of spending our days contacting the referrals.

I think that's about it but let me know if you have any questions. Miss you all and hope you have a great week!

-Elder HĘÅTØÑ