Driving to Halifax

Questions we asked:

• Are you feeling better?
• You said in your last email that you've changed a lot as a missionary...how have you changed?
• Tell us more about Brenden...how old is he? What does he do?
• Do you have any idea what you want to do about housing at BYU? 
• I assume you still want to go to BYU??? Sorry, I know you don't like to discuss coming home, but at USU they were saying that housing is first-come, first-serve starting in October, so it made me panic a bit. I asked Jan Scharman and she said BYU sends out a card to returning missionaries later, in the early part of winter semester, so January or so. Just want you to be able to contact possible roommates if that is your plan.
• How was your week? Highlights and lowlights?
• What's coming up for you as far as zone conference/transfers/etc.? 
• Do you think you'll ever serve outside New Brunswick? :)

Hey all!

I'm feeling a bit better. It's still bad in the morning and at night, but it doesn't interfere with my work, so that's good.

Yea, I have changed. A lot of the things that intimidated me at the start of my mission are just not fears at all now. For instance, at the start of my mission, we had set up a lesson with a pentacostal family, and they asked if they could bring their minister, and we agreed. I was terrified. (After I got over my fear, they ended up canceling, so I learned my lesson from it.) Last week, we set something up with a lady and her pastor, and I just had no fear. (Didn't happen again, but we learned some stuff from it.) I've learned what is important as a missionary.

Housing wise, I'm not too worried. Yea, still want to go to the Y. I don't know exactly what I want to do for housing, thanks for the reminder. I might try rooming with Elder Smith for a semester. I need to talk to him about that, but I think he'd be down. Don't worry about reminding me about that, cause it's the next phase of my life, so I want to be prepared. That's awesome to have Jan there! Would you make sure to thank her for me?

Brendan is super awesome. He just got his temple recommend, he's the first less active I've worked with who's actually come back to the church! He's got really long, cool hair. Shawn would LOVE it. He's got a sick 80's room, and drives a beautiful old truck. He's really cool and he has some of the coolest insights in the gospel since i-jack. (Isaac Jackson, his former Priests Quorum advisor)

Don't know what's coming up transfers wise for myself. I know a bit for the zone, but not for me. The elders might be leaving Fredericton, but don't know yet. I might get to train, but we'll see. 

Will I ever leave New Brunswick? I think so. So long as I stay a zone leader I will. But if I'm out of leadership soon, I could feasibly stay here the rest of my mission.

Some highlights of the week. Going to district meeting, the sisters forgot their passports to get into America, we found out pretty much when we got there, so we were freaking out a bit, but we went for it to see what we could do. We got to the border, and fortunately, they had their licenses'. The border guard let us through on those, and when we were going back, we just handed over their licenses like they were Canadian citizens, and it totally got them through!

We had exchanges, and they were pretty good. 

While we were knocking, there was some dude who thought he was cool and tried slamming the door on us. Key word tried. As he did so, he had this little box on his door the swung out and kept it from closing. It bounced back, and he was so embarrassed. He said, "Ugh, sorry" and we just laughed. Elder Olsen said "Well that backfired," and he just closed the door.

Right now we're driving to Halifax for exchanges and MLC, so I'll be flush with info next time. But by then it will be transfers anyway. (So I'll email Wednesday.) We went apple picking earlier today, so we have a TON of apples. They're really good too! 

Anyway, love you all! You guys are the best. 

Elder Marsh