This has been one of the funnest and busiest weeks of my mission! Early Tuesday morning I was making crepes for breakfast, just for fun, when the phone started ringing. I quickly ran to the bedroom where the phone was still plugged into the charger and saw that it was President Weed who was calling. My heart stopped beating because I knew that one of the assistance was headed home this transfer and they needed to call a new one. Sure enough President Weed extended the responsibilities of being his assistant to me and told me to start packing my bags because I would be picked up that afternoon and I have been running ever since. When we got to Portsmouth there was not enough time to unpack because we had several appointments that night.
Wednesday we began the long transfer process. Elder Richins, Snow, President Weed and I sat in his office for several hours counseling with one another about what needs to happen this transfer. For lunch we went on a date with some older ladies in the ward. They are a hoot! We then went back to President's office and continued working transfers out until our appointments.
Very similar process on Thursday. Lots of transfer meetings and lots of appointments.
On Friday our day was filled with 6 appointments (2 of which were dinners) and a district meeting.
Saturday was another really busy day. We had to be at the church at 7:30 to start filling the font for a Baptism. The assistant's investigator Kathleen was baptized around 10:30 and before and after the baptism we were making transfer calls out to all of the missionaries. There were so many people at the baptism and it was a beautiful service. It was probably one of the best baptism I have been at.
After all of the transfer calls were finished we immediately started the long complicated processes of creating the logistics of how transfers is actually going to happen. This took the rest of the day with our only interruption for an appointment with a part member family. President Weed and Sister Weed picked me up from that appointment so they could drive me all the way back down to New Bern so I could play the piano for the Relief Society musical number in sacrament meeting. That was a much needed drive and time to relax.
Sunday we went to the New Bern Ward for sacrament meeting were I was able to say goodbye to many of the members their. Immediately after sacrament meeting we hopped in the car and drove to the Washington Branch and visited with them for the last hour of church. That was pretty fun. From there we made the 2 hour drive to the Mission Home where I waited for Elder Snow and Elder Richins to pick me up. Sunday was full of appointments and dinners and blessings as well.
Today is going to be a busy day too. We have to pick up all of the departing missionaries and take them to the Mission home. We have about 5 hours planned in the car. In the evening I get to hangout and learn from all of the departing missionaries.
Tomorrow we drop off all of the missionaries at the airport and receive the missionaries fresh out of the MTC. The rest of the day is orientation and training for the new missionaries.
Wednesday there are a couple more meetings and then transfers happen and we pray that everyone will get to their assigned area with out unnecessary complications.
Despite the business of this new assignment I am so grateful I have the opportunity to serve with Elder Snow in Portsmouth VA. This ward is so incredibly missionary minded and I owe that to the list of dedicated assistants that came before me. Hopefully I can catch on quickly and learn all the areas, members, investigators, and missionaries. I can tell these next couple transfers are going to be some of my favorite memories for the rest of my life.
I know that this church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that there is a living prophet on the earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.
Love y'all,
-Elder Shill
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