Last Week in Artesia

The district! The only new face from last transfer is Sister Garcia.

This was Elder Smith's last transfer in the mission, so I had to get a departing picture with him. Funny story: my first full day out in Lubbock I went knocking doors with him for a couple hours. Wow. And now here we are together at the end of his mission.

Here are Elder Nowland and I after doing exchanges with the zone leaders.

Elder Spencer is the other Hobbs zone leader. We went on exchanges together and had lots of fun, and did lots of good work. We had a nerf war, so we had to get a picture with our guns to commemorate the occasion.

And here we are mid chest bump. Good times!

It has been pouring rain AAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL week long.

Yesterday we went out in the rain and we had to walk through a lake just to get out of our apartment. There was no possibility of staying dry. Oh well, I don't think bringing a ton of rain gear is worth the 5 times your whole mission you'll actually use it. The desert is the best for missionary work. But seriously, we were walking down roads where the water was so high it was overflowing onto the sidewalks. The roads were just rivers. Cool stuff.

We did a couple moves these last few weeks. Classic service opportunity. 

Elder Nowland

Doing service for Bro Franco. Yesterday he came to church for the first time in like a year!

It was one of the- if not the- best Sundays here in Artesia. He had some things happen in his life this last week, and the Lord moved him to make it out to church. We have been inviting and inviting, and then this last week when we went over to visit him we didn't even have to invite him. He simply told us he was coming. It was the perfect Sunday too. The spirit was so strong. All the speakers were great. And another less active family- The Hollingsworths- that hasn't been to church since they moved here a year ago came to church on Sunday. Fantastic. We had about 120 people at church. Ryan was at church last Sunday btw, but not this Sunday. Not sure why yet. We're seeing him tonight.

Vinagaroon.  It's like a mix of a scorpion, spider, and cockroach. Crazy stuff. I had never seen a live one until a couple weeks ago, and since then I have seen like 10. What are the odds of that?

We also found the New Mexico National Guard Armory. It looks like it hasn't been used for decades, but we found it nonetheless. 

Guess who I got letters from these last 2 weeks? Nadia! Genaro and Lupe! and Sergio! Sergio told me that Tina got baptized after I left! Whoooo!!! And now for the most exciting news of the whole letter. So you know I am getting transferred out of Artesia. Dad, you were right that you'll need to put back up the Texas flag. Mom, you can still send me some of those delicious treats because I already know my address. It's:

3549 Curry Ln. #2414

Abilene, TX 79606

In case you didn't recognize that, it's one of my old addresses. Yep. I got called to go back to the Abilene Spanish Branch! Aw yeah!!! Pretty much the coolest thing that could possibly happen :)

And I have been released as district leader for this upcoming transfer. But I have been called to train again. I will be training Elder Garcia. I don't know much about him, except that his name hints at him speaking Spanish already. Elder Nowland will be staying here in Artesia. Lucky duck. We have been working with 2 less active families, and this last week we found out that they both have 8 year old daughters who turn 9 in October. There's 2 convert baptisms right there!

I love you mom! I love you dad! I love you Meagan! I love you Courtney!