Week 86...Winter WonderLand & Transfer #15

January 26, 2015

 District meeting in December when Elder Muir was in the trio with Elder J & Elder R

 Fall on campus in State College

 The Allen Street Grill after Monday's storm

 Snowman on Atherton street

 

Elder Muir & Elder C on the traffic camera onAllen Street.  Missionary moms do weird things (at least this one does).  Not many moms can say they can track their missionary on the traffic cam.  They're standing in front of the library where they email on pdays.  Good times!!!

 Elder Muir with Sis. B & S from the Ridgway branch

It’s definitely is a winter wonderland out there.  It looks like we are in for the long haul for this upcoming week.  We’re supposed to have snow all day and more mid week.  The worst is we’re in for more bottom of the barrel temps.  The lows are supposed to be near zero…no Bueno.  Luckily, I ride the bus so I can get pretty much anywhere.  The problem today was the library we normally email at was on a delayed opening and closed until noon.  We ended up going to the campus library and using the computers there so that is why I am a little late today.  Of course, the schools are all closed today and on a 2 hour late start delay tomorrow.  That is hilarious about Karin and the fufu (sister missionary serving in Rome that ate some nasty African soup from a Nigerian).  The reason I say that about Karin is because we have some people from Sierra Leone in our ward and they make native African food for us when we go for dinner.  On Monday they had all of the missionaries over and we had fufu.  I would agree with Karin, it is not my favorite.  This lady made it with goat meat stuff instead of the chicken, fish, liver, heart & cartilage.   Luckily for us, there was rice and these really good scone things that we had also.  And yes, they eat it all with their fingers, but whatever…I did not.   I just used my fork instead. 

1. How was your week?  What were the highs/lows?  This week was pretty awesome.  Our teaching numbers have still been pretty low, but we are at least making progress.  We have good goals that we are working towards and the ward continues make progress.  My first high was having interviews and talking to president J.  I was able to tell him how I am doing and listen to the advice and training that he is giving.  Also, interviews on Saturday were fun because we were able to see a whole bunch of missionaries from around the zone.  Also, we were not a part of it, but there was a big snowball fight with a bunch of the missionaries in the church parking lot after interviews.  Our group picture of the zone for the mission blog was out in the snow piles.  Sis. Johnson even got some pictures of the snowball fight I think.  So keep your eyes open on the mission blog (ppmmemories.blogspot) for new pictures.  Another fun/good thing was on Saturday night, we had a University branch baptism.  We were able to go to that and it was good.  I love going to baptisms.  They always bring a special spirit.  Another thing I really liked was the talks in sacrament meeting yesterday.  The talks focused on Elder Cook’s talk Choose Wisely https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/choose-wisely?lang=eng .  I really liked the sister’s talk because she tied a lot of it into Peter’s life in the New Testament.  Again, the thing that stuck out to me was the story of Peter walking on the water.  She related it to us choosing to follow Christ and how we can't doubt him or else we will sink.  Madeleine L’Engle said, “Peter was able to walk on water until he remembered that he didn’t know how.”  Peter’s success was in remembering that he needed to rely on  his spiritual power not his temporal power.  The biggest low of the week has been the weather.  But it’s not too bad right now, even though it’s a blizzard today.  I like it for the time being.  However, it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon and the cold is moving back in for a while so I might be done with it soon.  
2. What’s the scoop with transfers?  Are you staying or going?  So we are both staying in State College.  I am quite happy about that because things are just starting to get rolling here in this area and there is lots of potential. 
3. What about Elder C and the other missionaries in your area?  Two of the branch sisters are leaving and Elder J, is leaving from Bellefonte.  Elder J is one of the elders that I was in the trio with before Christmas.  So not really a whole lot of change. 
4. How did things go with your interview with Pres. Johnson?  The interview went very well.  He said that I am a great missionary and he knows that I can be trusted and get the things done that he needs.  So I was glad to hear that.  He also gave some advice to everyone in their interviews about serving with all of your heart, might, mind and strength.  It was very good for me to hear in regards to finishing strong over the next few months as I finish my mission.  I think I will at least have one more interview, if not for sure the night before I go home as a final exit interview.  I also got a new temple recommend from him that lasts until May.  Right before I leave to come home I will need to get a new one. 
5. How are things going with teaching and the investigators?
1. Are you teaching anyone right now?  We have a few we are working with.
2. Investigators?  Well the branch sisters just took C and they are now teaching her.  So we are flat out of investigators.  We are in desperate need of finding some.  L&M are both super busy right at the moment so we are no longer teaching them anymore. 
3. Less Actives?  We have seen a few less actives, but nothing really consistent with them.  Right now we are just trying to keep things consistent with them. 
4. Meals?  They are going awesome, we were fed everyday this past week and it is the same for this week. 
5. Members?  This is probably the best thing right now.  Members are a great support to us at the moment.  That is one of the reasons that I’m happy that I’m staying in State College.  I wish I could stay until June when I leave.  I’d be happy finishing out here.
6. How much snow have you had this week?  Has it affected your plans?  We have probably had at least 6 inches over the past few days and it’s still snowing.  Now they are calling for a foot in parts of the northeast so we could be in for a wintery mess.  I think there is supposed to be snow flurries all week.
7. Did you see the giant snowman that someone built on Atherton street?  You said you take Atherton to get to the library…true???  I haven’t seen a snowman but I have not really been paying attention and Atherton is a pretty long road.  I will keep my eyes open. 
8. See questions in email regarding below…
1. Who’s the Asian girl?  She is one of the temple square missionaries that is serving in the University branch.  Not sure if you know, but all of the sisters serving on Temple Square do something called an outbound mission. It’s where they leave Temple Square for 2 transfers and go to a normal proselyting mission.  So that is why she is here. 
2. Who are the 2 girls in the picture that was on the SD card?  So that is Sister B.   S is the one in the brown and Sis. B is in the red.  We were teaching them for a while in Ridgway. 
3. What’s the guy’s name that had you for dinner with the police? Have you mentioned him before? Bis his name.  He is probably in his 60's or early 70's. 
4. Do you walk or take the bus to church?  Walk, there are no buses that go past the church. 
5. Is that the church you meet at for Pdays?  Yes
9. How’s the new mission plan with the ward coming along?  It is going well. Things seem to be rolling forward.  All we need now is time for it to be distributed and get people to start thinking about it. 
10. Can you look and tell me what size your shirts are and the size of your suit…jacket & pants?  Maybe put that on a piece of paper and send it with the SD card.  I’m starting to gather things for Derek and I thought I would grab a couple of new shirts for you to have when you come home.  Also I’d like to get a new suit for you to have when you get home and hopefully we can get it altered pretty quick.  Yes, I will send it with the SD card. 
11. Any other news or fun stories that you’d like to share?  Have you got something that can top “State College Police” J?  No, not really.  One thing I thought I would mention is my fruit healthiness.  No…don’t get excited, I am not eating straight fruit.  But I have decided to by frozen fruit and I’ve been making smoothies with it.  So that has been fun.   

Well there is the report for the week, I hope you all have a great week this week.  I love you all.

Love,

Elder Muir

PS...Mom, I love the book (The Power of Everyday Missionaries by Clayton Christensen) you sent me in the package.  It has lots of good things and stuff to think about.  Hopefully you have started reading yours.  I am 50 pgs into mine.