Dorsal 1 - Week #7

Howdy All!!!

Last night brought around one of the most dreaded nights in the mission for many missionaries... CHANGE NIGHT!!! Fortunately I didn't have to wait until 1:30 AM for either of my 2 phone calls that I received. We were in a "family home evening" type thing whenever President May called... yep, I've got a new assignment! I'm still in Dorsal 1, and almost definitely will be until I finish my mission, and tomorrow I will be receiving my last companion in the mission home. I'm training!!! Tomorrow we are receiving 8 new missionaries, 6 Latino Elderes & 2 Hermanas "Gringas". The Missionary Department recently implemented a worldwide training program for new missionaries that encourages the mission presidents to keep the new missionary with their trainee for 2 changes; that means that my new companion is going to be sending me home in 2 changes!

From what I can tell the mission didn't get to awefully mixed up this change. We did have a few surprises, but nothing too out of the ordinary. Elder Brunt is in Lo Ovalle 1, where I was before, so I'm very excited for him. He's going to do great!

Sounds like this coming week is going to be action packed! I can't believe how quick the trip to Cali is going to be, but it is exciting that Ryah is going to be driving a lot of the way there and back. And we'll be adding another car to the Hendrickson auto collection... And shortly after the trip you'll be working on moving the house, that is very exciting! If you move too much of the kitchen you won't be able to cook... Mom, you should try to enlist the help of somebody, or that is going to be a lot of back and forth for you. It's also exciting that Dad is going to get to see Randy, we haven't heard from him in a while... and Uncle Matthew might be coming to Texas! Too bad I won't be home...

Bad to hear that Grandpa Gene had a wreck, good to hear that he is mostly okay! My prayers are with them.

Gabe finally wrote me and told me that the face of the ward is changing again. He couldn't remember the name of the new family, but oh well! I can't believe that the McCabe's and the Drake's are gone. I don't imagine that the Reese family is too far behind them, are they?

Mom, I've got excellent news!!! You've only got to worry about the Monday e-mail for 11 more weeks! LOL!!! Elder Moore, who is now is San Pablo and currently is sitting next to me, said the same thing... It is wild to think we'll both be heading home so soon!

Sounds like Dad had a pretty hairy weekend in the ER! I miss the daily stories, but before too long I'll have some of my own.

Yesterday we had several investigators in church, and Mario & Marisol were confirmed. Mario was also ordained to the office of priest in the Aaronic Priesthood, and Mario & Marisol were called to be the secretaries in Young Men and the Primary, respectively. Also their grandson, Martin, was presented. Church was pretty good and I'm super excited to be working with several of the family members of Mario & Marisol, they'll be baptized before long.

I'm currently the acting ward membership clerk (secretario de barrio) for the Barrio Dorsal. Both of our clerks are inactive, so I'm helping out when I can with the records and trying to get the whole me that previously existed cleaned up... so far so good, because the mess "previously existed". We are working very hard on turning into this ward into a very well-oiled machine! And so far the relationship that I've got with the bishop has played a pretty key role... simply put, he love us!

I miss ya'll and love ya'll! The clock is ticking, but I'm going to tell my new companion that I've only been in the mission for a little over a year... LOL

¡Muchos abrazos y besitos!

-- Élder Todd