jack bauer

Now I'm in Kilmarnock. This place is nice.

Before that though I was in Wakefield, saying goodbye. I didn't want to completely hijack the work by saying goodbye to everyone so I just kept it to those we were going to see anyway. It was sad leaving but I think I was ready for a change of pace.

Thursday we got all transferred up. I had to go all the way up to Richmond in the morning (1.1 hours) and then go all the way down to the Newport News stake center (1.2 hours) and then all the way up to the Kilmarnock apartment in our practically new 2011 Malibu (1.5 hours). I was tired.

The area was very very organized when we showed up. The sisters had made this crazy color board with all the people they were working with and everything. I'm still undecided on whether we'll use it or not but it was certainly good to see who's who and where. We live on a member's property, with the 2nd counselor and the branch president right outside our windows. Definitely a new thing but it'll be nice in case we need something. We're in a little cottage thing that's nice and cozy. Our branch president has a foosball table in his basement so we'll probably go over there after this. He's a really cool guy. He had an article published in the August 2010 Ensign about giving a good talk in church. He is all about communications and stuff which puts some pressure on us to not be drones in sacrament meeting. Not too much though. The 2nd counselor owns a restaurant close by that everyone knows about, and we get to eat there for free too. I'm destined to gain weight, and it's great.

 Our Branch Mission Leader,
looking exactly like Keifer Sutherland

Being shotgunned into an area is very unpleasant at first. When you get transferred normally, with a companion that's been there, it's like taking a deep breath and diving into the deep end of the pool off the diving board. When you're shotgunned, it's like standing next to the pool talking to someone and then having someone push you in. You spend a good few minutes just trying to figure out where you are and then catching your breath. There are some advantages, like being able to play the ignorance card on people's situations and stuff, and letting the people have a fresh start with missionaries. For example, the sisters were never invited to PEC or Ward Council for reasons they didn't understand, but the first time we met with our branch president we were invited. A fresh start.

The branch is small. About 25 people were at church but I think there was a lot of people that weren't there that normally are. Not as bad as I had heard but we still have our work cut out. The roster is just as big as Wakefield's, it's just that there are more less actives. We're both excited to get stuff done here. On Sunday we had to leave early from church so Elder Gaunt could go to a baptism in his last area. I wasn't very happy with the idea but I'm glad I went. It was a dad who had investigated for 23 years and then decided to finally do it. It was cool cause he was baptized, confirmed, and then ordained to priest so he could go back into the water and baptize his two sons. It was cool. I didn't think that was allowed but I guess they had it checked out by everyone. But it was a good experience.

Well we're right now just trying to get used to everything around us. The hardest part is figuring out miles cause everything is so spread out here. Elder Gaunt really likes biking which will be a sure conflict in the weeks to come but it might not be as bad as I think.

Well I think that's about all I've got to say. Well, all I have time to say. I got the letter from Dad today and I already put it in the mailbox this morning. Checking the mail is kind of a pain here cause we can only check it during office hours (we share a box with the member we live by and they hold anything that's for us at the desk and we have to ask for it).

Hope this isn't a lame e-mail. I feel like I left stuff out but I can cover more next week.

Goodbye!

-Elder Parker

I feel like such an idiot for not taking pictures of my new area to send. I'll deliver next week.