Busy Stuff, and Transfers Ahead

All,

I've heard a lot of awesome things going on down there, and on one hand I want to be there with you...

But on the other hand, Nothing you all can do could make me come home now.

This week has been amazing. We baptized our investigator Josiah on Saturday, and it was amazing. I hadn't been feeling all that great that day, and throughout the preparations I just didn't feel all there. Then I watched him get baptized, and the entire world just seemed to Right itself. It was great. 

Anyway, I'll send you pictures next time. We're on a timetable today, more so than usual. Today the new missionaries get here for the next transfer! And just to defy all reality, I'm still in the Hmong Branch! It's actually looking more and more likely that I'll be there until I die (missionary lingo: Die=go home).

Anyway, I've received a lot of E-mails asking about my health. I want to state, now and forever after, That I am Healthy, except for my lower back which has been giving me a lot of pain, which is what the doctors were looking at for Kidney Stones, which I DON'T HAVE. So don't worry. It's just some muscle problems that I don't know what I did toy have, but it's healing great. 

So don't Worry. 

Anyway, The week is awesome. It's been Roasting hot up here. Yesterday, it got all the way up to almost 80 Degrees. We were dying. 

Sorry for the scattered thoughts, but We're super busy this next week with all sorts of transfer stuff. I'll probably be more coherent next time. 

Anyway, I've heard a lot about what's going on down there, So know that You're all in my prayers, both asking for help for you all, and gratitude for the amazing things you've all been able to accomplish.

So, Love from the BLISTERING-HOT-North,

Elder Darcey

The Alaska Experience, Rocks and Everything

All,

I am excited to hear the awesome stuff that's going on with you all. Let me tell you some interesting happenings this week.

First, this Sabbath, a lot of crazy things happened. Many of our less-active members came to church, which was a miracle in and of itself. One of them was a young man we've been working with for almost 5months now, who is simply too lazy to get up for church. this week he just got up and came. Considering that is what I'd been fasting for, that was a miracle too.

But of all the miracles large and small this week, the most miraculous one of all... (fiddler on the roof, anyone?)

Was that our 2nd area, which was the slowest in the mission (go ahead, name an area. Barrow. Nome. Bethel. Anywhere else. Our area is slower) just exploded with work to do. Not only is there a baptism this week, but Lots of members were bringing their friends and asking us to teach them, or just pulling us over on the road to tell us where they lived so we could come over, or... ETC. It's been amazing. If it keeps going like this, we won't have enough daylight to do all this work. That would be impressive, since we're getting about 20 hours of daylight a day now.

On a random note, Yes, I have a rock for my Stake President. It's a pretty green one i got down in Craig (was that already a year ago? Wow...) So don't worry. As Dia put it so well: "I WON'T!!! HELLO, I'M GOING TO MEET MY STAKE PRESIDENT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE LORD'S LABOR IN [Alaska] FOR THE LAST [24] MONTHS! I'D BETTER HAVE AT LEAST A ROCK TO SHOW FOR IT!"... Close quote.

So, let me conclude with the True Alaska-ness up here. We were driving down the road in Anchorage (Muldoon and 36th, driving south, for you google map-ers) when a Huge moose and her calf went across the road. We were drove only a few feet more when a Bald Eagle came out of the ditch right in front of us, dropping a large torn-up partly-devourerd carcass right in front of our car that we had to drive around. It was either a beaver or a dog.

So, yeah. Welcome to Alaska.

Love from the North,

Elder Darcey