I've completed the Blazin' Challenge!

That's a Buffalo Wild Wings thing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8_3WHkUSxY . 12 wings, 6 minutes is the challenge. We both beat that, with me doing it under 2. Everyone, including the servers, was under the impression I got it free for doing that. Apparently though, the managers had just got an email where they couldn't do that anymore, and didn't tell anyone, so I still had to pay for it. Oh well, I got a free shirt.

We got two new investigators this week! One of them came from a referral from the spanish elders, and the other came from the YSA sisters. Honestly, any investigators we get come from them. One of them, John, is an old friend of a member of our ward which is pretty cool. We had a second lesson with him today but he wasn't there. He really wants to learn though, as his girlfriend and son's mother is a member and he wants to become more of a family man for her. It's pretty cool. The other guy, Pierre, we don't know much about. We taught him about the Book of Mormon on his doorstep and had a prayer with him which is enough to count him as a new investigator. Sadly, we won't be seeing any of our investigators again...

Why?

Cause we're being transferred. Calls came on Saturday, and both Elder Argyle and myself are being transferred out of the area. We're being "Pink Washed" with two sisters. Seems our new investigators are for them to teach, which is why we did the first lessons, prepping them for new sisters. The actual transfer meeting will be tomorrow, so I've no clue where I'm going yet. Likely I'll be going to the valley. Who knows. It's been good being with Elder Argyle and this ward, but I'm ready for a change. This ward is disintegrating slowly due to the people in the ward not acting together as a ward family in unity, but maybe the sisters will be able to make a change. We've done all we could and made starting steps to reactivating this ward, but it will take a loooooong time. When I get settled in, I'll send down a letter with my new address and such.

Besides that, all's good. Work continues to chug along.

Love you all,

Elder Dallin DeFord

I Am a Master Chef!

Dang, that stinks about the Camry! But at least Katherine is okay, and that's all that matters.

 

We had an interesting experience last night. Elders Thomas and Nielson, our District Leader and companion, needed blessings. Thomas burned his wrist with boiling water while making pasta, and Nielson was just sick. We gave them both blessings, and it's always interesting what you say when you give one. I didn't even think of it beforehand, but when I gave Nielson his blessing, it sounded like I was reaffirming his setting apart as an Elder. Kind of cool.

Besides that little event, there isn't anything to report. Transfers are a week from now, and we'll know who's staying and going this Saturday. I think I'll be staying and Elder Argyle will be leaving, but who knows.

 

As for the title of this email, I have had a chance to make both the muffins and the Banana Wonder Cake! Sadly, we don't have a Bundt pan, so we had to make do with 8-inch cake pans. Still working on the cooking time with them. I also made a delicious peanut butter banana smoothie! I have to half the recipes because my blender is too small for the normal ones. Pictures shall be attached.

 

 

Happy (early) Valentine's Day

WOW that's a lot of snow! Your drought is definitely better dealt with than ours. We've had a couple showers here and there, but not much besides that.

 

Again, there's not much going on in this area this past week. The area is dead, but we're trying to revitalize it. Apparently this ward used to be so full that you had to fight for space in the chapel! Now there's plenty of room in there, with half the active families coming in late and the ward occasionally starting 5-10 minutes late. So many families inactive, it's sad. And it all happened within a few years. One way this is going to change, we hope, is by having one of our ward missionaries start filling out our dinner calender. They're going to be prioritizing calling less active and inactive families to feed us, and then we'll share a message with them afterwards. Maybe we can get this ward pumping again, even if contacting and getting new investigators doesn't really work.

 

Yesterday we had an open house at church during the second and third hours. People were challenged to invite and bring a nonmember to the second (first if they could) hour of church, where we had a "Meet the Mormons" type fair. We had about 12 nonmembers in Sacrament meeting, but only a couple in the second hour which was supposed to be the big ticket event. No new investigators, sadly.

 

Speaking of V-Day (Referring to the title), apparently kids here get the day of from school and seminary. I find that strange. We actually had to teach seminary on Friday, so we had to wake up at 5 in the morning, and then were up for about 20 hours straight because of different reasons. It was a long day full of meetings and such.

 

I also got to drive last week! First time driving in about 3 months, and I didn't get in an accident! We were on exchanges and I stayed in the area for the first time, so I became designated driver for a day. Chevy Cruzes are pretty nice, and have a great turning radius.

 

That's all for this week, unless I forgot something. Hope I didn't!

 

Love you all,

 

Elder DeFord