I didn't post yesterday waiting for more news of Alex's transfer. I will put his email at the end of the post.
Basically, it's been crazy for him. He is very close to his last area, so still in Salt Lake and near the mission home. He's had several companions over the last few days due to the changes COVID-19 has brought about. And is basically training a new missionary--sort of. John Bytheway (we own several of his books and talks on cds) is the High Councilor over missionary work and they video conferenced yesterday. Cool.
As for Fallon news, there isn't much. We are sticking pretty close to home. I've made graham crackers (last week) and almond bon bon cookies. Glen made grape nuts (again), wheat thins, and 2 batches of graham crackers (burning the first batch and burning up the motor on the food processor on the 2nd--but they are delicious). Angeles made banana bread...and then I did. Saw a joke online--I've already gained 9 pounds of my COVID-19. Not planning on that, though.
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| making grape nuts |
Glen spent a lot of time on school work, of course, but this week is Spring Break, so he won't be dealing with video conferencing his students, at least, though he'll still be making lesson plans, etc.
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| talking to his theatre students (and the vice principal joined in, too) |
Glen has also spent some time on home repairs.
I was having a hard time keeping track of the days, so I found a way to remind me of the date:
Tuesday Eric treated us to take-out from the new Indian restaurant. Delicious. Thanks, Eric.
Glen's sister Teresa and her husband Matt received their mission call this week! They will be serving for a year in the Manhattan New York temple starting in September. Congratulations, Matt and Teresa!
Still waiting for things to sprout in the garden. Still playing games. Still doing okay. Still feeling like all this is unreal.
Anyway, here's Alex's letter this week (transfers were bumped up due to the MTC closing and the new missionaries arriving a week earlier than originally planned):
Let's start from the beginning instead of the crazy part, I suppose?
I already told you about last Monday. We went hiking and such and it was a good time. Told everyone I would see them at District Council.
On Tuesday it was announced that transfers would be shifted up to Friday the 27th instead of Thursday, April 2nd. (Which means no district council, which means no seeing my district again :( )
We went into the office that day and the next and learned many transfer board secrets. We learned details about my new area (oh, yeah, I probably should have stated that at the start of the email. I've transferred!), all the people that would be going to Wyoming, and that there would be 10-13ish whitewashes.
It ended up being 14 whitewashes. 14. (I got whitewashed into an area.)
The transfer board was released, I would be whitewashed into Winder with Elder Alba. Elder Alba would be our district leader. He has been Zone Leader for the past while, and would be leaving this transfer.
Winder is 1 stake, 5 wards and a branch. It's pretty much right down the street from where I was before. Super close to my previous area.
We got to help out at the Bishop's storehouse, which was fun.
We then had transfers. I'm going to miss Elder Wilkins. We are both still tech missionaries for now, so I'll still get to talk to him and such, which is awesome.
Our new apartment is super nice. It has a washer and dryer, which is sweet because we are not allowed to use public ones or let members do our laundry anymore.
Elder Alba told me that he would actually be going home in a week or two, so that was surprising news.
Our area (and apartment) was in disarray when we arrived. The Elders before us, um, well, we don't have to talk about it, though.
Saturday night, guess who knocked on our door?! Elder Wood! Along with the two current zone leaders of my previous zone! I actually got to say goodbye to Elder Wood, which was great :)
An hour later I learned that John Bytheway is our High Councilor person over missionary work!! How cool is that! We got to video chat with him on Sunday, which was a blast. So cool.
Later that night, around 9:30pm, Elder Alba learned that he would be leaving on a plane at 5:30am the next day. President Prier was going to pick us up in a half an hour. Elder Alba chucked everything into suitcases and rushed to pack; I packed an overnight bag because they didn't know where they would be putting me yet.
President picked us up, and we went to the hotel where Elder Alba along with 6 other missionaries would be staying before they left early in the morning (that included two other Elders from our district).
I ended up spending the night with the AP's (Assistants to the President)! So much fun. They're so great to be with.
We had sacrament together the next morning.
They then dropped me off with two Elders. My new companion, Elder Niutupuivaha, and Elder Bonnamy, who would be getting on a plane the next morning. The apartment was going to have no missionaries in it for a while, so we spent the day cleaning and doing various other things.
The AP's picked up Elder Bonnamy, and Elder Niutupuivaha and I went to our apartment.
Elder Niutupuivaha is Tongan, but from Hawaii. He is visa-waiting to go to Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and has been out for 2 weeks now. Which means I'm training now. Which is wild. The AP's aren't sure yet if I'll be getting another different companion sometime soon or not.
That was my week. Lots of things, especially in the past 48 hours. Things are well, although a bit overwhelming, not going to lie.
Oh, yeah, last notes: Since Elder Alba and the two other Elders in our district left, we currently don't have an official district leader and our district is comprised of two elders and two sisters (although obviously that will all change soon).
Coronavirus is wild.
Love you all!
~Elder Perazzo
