Conference Weekend and New Companion

Thanks, Dad.  Yeah, Bishop Jacob (the Glenwood Ward bishop) is a great guy and the active members of the ward are pretty solid.  You should consider going fishing at least once.  It's actually pretty fun; I've only caught one, but that's not the point! 

Wow, it's great to hear all of the news; I'm glad that Grandma C. is doing much better and that you used your "Northeastern charm" to diffuse a contentious situation. (It's a long story.)  Go Manchester, go Manchester City, God Bless America this weekend and for all games in which they play!  Yeah, I saw the bluebonnet pictures a couple of P-days ago, they're great.  It looks like y'all are doing well, I'm glad.

This past week was something else: Elder Quayle got transferred to Gretna, Nebraska, a bedroom community of Omaha just southwest of the city.  It's the home area of the Papillion Zone Leaders, so Elder Quayle has gone from a District Leader/Trainer/Greenie Buster in Glenwood to a Papillion Zone Leader, so good on him.  His Zone Leader companion is Elder Snell from Rexburg, Idaho.  Elder Quayle was excited to be paired with a fellow Idaho boy and from what I understand, Elder Snell is a little bit of a cowboy, so Elder Quayle is excited.  I'm training a missionary named Elder LeFevre (pronounced Le-Fever) from Bountiful, Utah.  He's a nice guy and his two older brothers served missions in Europe; I told him that he looks kind of like Seth MacFarlane...

Yeah, General Conference was terrific as usual; Jeffrey R. Holland (who is very popular among many missionaries out here) was good and passionate as always, I really liked Linda S. Reeves' talk in the Saturday AM session, Dallin H. Oaks' talk in the Priesthood session was fantastic, and I've felt a shift in tone as of late with President Monson's talks.  Maybe it's just me, but they seem more urgent, less folksy and whimsical, yet he still quotes the poets and the family of Jabari Parker from time to time (#quoteclosequote).

The bluebonnets iz indeed glorious and that's good that Mom and Na are having a good time. (Mom went to Provo, to spend Conference Weekend with Naomi.)  "I think she's convinced I have brain damage" made me laugh.  Grandma C. sounds like she's keeping an eye on things. (Grandma C, ever vigilant, expressed concern that I was being left in charge at home for the weekend. Given my track record for accidentally setting fire to kitchens, it was a fair concern.)  That's horrible about Grandma M. though, I hope that she's okay.  (She totaled her car in an accident.  Yes, she's OK.)

I'm sending some pictures your way so be prepared; the weather is warmer and the grass is starting to green.

And here are the promised photos:

The roast Elder Quayle and I (mostly Elder Quayle) made

Our District Elders, flanked by our Zone Leaders. Elder Chappell is on the far left and Elder Van Wagoner is on the far right.

Elder Van Wagoner, one of our Zone Leaders

My 3rd district (I'll try to get a photo of my 2nd district later). From left to right: Sister Huss ; Sister Harris; Sister Stutler; Sister Schrader; Elder Salazar; Elder Quayle; Elder Elison (kneeling); Elder McMurray.  Elder Elison is our new District Leader.

Elder Van Wagoner, again.