Transfer Day #2

[Email dated 12/15/10]

Hello family and friends!!

As usual thanks Mom and Dad for the emails. Great to hear how everything is going. Also glad to hear that you got the Christmas card. Make sure you keep that because I gave all of mine away. They are classic!! Everyone here at the branch loves them, and Elder Burbidge was laughing like a little girl when we showed him haha. And Mom you guessed it...the sweaters are courtesy of DI, $5 each, I mean c'mon where else would I get a sweater like that? I definitely didn’t bring one haha. But yeah, glad to hear you liked the cards.

Glad to hear that Elder Burbidge was able to get a hold of you. He took all the Spanish missionaries out for breakfast today before transfers and he asked for all of our moms’ numbers so he could call them. I'm glad he thinks so highly of me. He is a super nice, humble guy. The best. Speaking of transfers, they were today, and as it sounds you already know that I am staying. Elder Gomez is also staying and Elder Coulston left. I'm definitely going to miss him, we got along great and he's a great missionary.  So we got a new senior companion. His name is Elder Flaquer and he is from.... Spain also!!! haha. He has been out about 8 months and is from Barcelona. So, I will be speaking pretty good Spain Spanish at least haha. As far as the Visas go, there is a lot happening. About half of the 20 Visa Waiters that came in with me signed with the Consulate on Monday and they will actually leave tomorrow...So...I'm thinking it has to be pretty soon for the other half of us right?? But we will just have to wait and see. I'm thinking that it can’t be too much longer but who knows.

{No Tie Picture: When we met with our new zones we all gave up the tie we were wearing to pledge to be exactly obedient in the month of January. Kind of a title of liberty kind of thing...the zone leaders held up big poles with ties on them...pretty intense.}

Ok, now for the work. We have had to drop a lot of people the last week. Just not willing to progress or make time for what we teach. But, we continue to work with Everds from El Salvador. He is super solid and we have a very solid friendship with him. He will be getting baptized this weekend, so we are very excited about that. There is no doubt that he was prepared by the Lord. We knocked on his door about two weeks ago, and he invited us in right away and he told us he has always wanted to go to church but was a little afraid because he didn’t know how it would be. We told him that's why we're here. To teach him about things like church, and help him know that what we teach is true for himself. He is very willing to do things like read and pray and we have no trouble with him keeping commitments. His faith is increasing daily and we are very excited for him.

Also, something else exciting is that Vincent is on date to be baptized. He is the 11 year old boy who's grandmother Elder Gomez and I contacted in the front yard a few weeks ago. She was the one whose son had been killed (Vincent's father). The English Elders have been teaching him and told me the other day that he is on date for baptism. Very Exciting. Another person that the Lord prepared for us and was ready to hear and accept the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Weather wise, this week has been pretty warm to tell you the truth (So don’t worry about the cold, parents). I have been perfectly fine walking around in just my suit. We've had the occasional rain as well. It's been around 50 degrees (which is warm for Utah). BUT, it snowed last night, so maybe winter is back, who knows?? 

Funny/Weird/Gross thing for the week. We went to a member's house for lunch. He lives in the basement, and the people that live on the floor above him have this vicious, loud dog. He is always locked up on the patio. We have always seen the dog at night and this was the first time we saw him during the day. We saw that his owners NEVER clean up after him. There were PILES and PILES of poop on the patio where he is always locked up. No wonder he's such an angry dog, he has to live in his own filth haha (see pictures).

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That’s about it for the week. Thank you everyone for all of your love, support, and prayers. I know that this is the Lord's work because his true church has been established once again on the Earth today. I feel so honored to be able to serve Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ and carry on their "Great and Marvelous Work." This Gospel changes lives. I'm glad I have the opportunity to share it with others. I love you all, and I love being a missionary. The Lord Jesus Christ did so much for us, the least I can do is give him two years of my life.

{This is Elder Gamberdella. He is another one of the Visa Waiters in my zone the last 2 transfers and he left 12/16 for the Mexico-Mexico City Northwest mission.}

Hope you have a great week and I will talk to you all very soon!!

And this is my joy (Alma 29:9)

Elder Peacock