June 18, 2009

Whitewashing and Other Stories

Hello family!

I've been transferred! Can you believe it? I know it's hard for me to actually believe it as well. I was only in Salem for 6 weeks (one transfer)! Well, now I'm serving in the Beaverton 1st and Summerlake wards with Elder Burroughs I have very mixed feelings about the transfer. I really didn't want to leave the Fairgrounds ward so soon, and to top it all off, we were whitewashed! That means that both Elder Hunter and I were transferred at the same time and two new missionaries came into the ward. That was really a shock because we had some good work going on. But I know everything happens for a reason, so hopefully the new guys (one of which I know! Elder Chapman) will do well and will keep the good work going that we had. Anyway, so, where I'm now at is actually right next door to my greenie area (Tigard 1st and Fanno Creek). That's crazy! I just left that area 6 weeks ago! And actually, the Summerlake ward meets in the same building that Tigard 1st and Fanno Creek meet in. Even more crazy! I'm pretty excited about that, though. It'll be kinda cool to see the old wards again. And then Elder Hunter (my last companion). Where was he transferred? To the area right next to me (no, not Tigard 1st)! And he's my district leader now. Crazy! So it's cool that I'll still be around him quite a bit. The wards seem pretty cool, we met the bishop in the Beaverton 1st ward yesterday and he seems pretty cool. The Beaverton Stake Center is HUGE. I'm serious. It's two levels, the chapel looks/feels like a symphony hall, and it's just crazy huge. I'll hopefully get some pictures to you soon.

Had you heard that they've changed the way you drop missionaries off at the MTC? There's no more little movie you watch and then go your seperate ways. You drop your missionary off at the curb and the missionaries go in, and the families leave. Crazy! But they said they were planning on doing that for awhile now, they just implemented it a little faster with the outbreak of the flu that happened there (I think there were 10 or 20 missionaries they came down with it).

I really love y'all. I hope all of you know that! I love you Dad! I love you Mom! I love you Jill! And I really can't believe I've been out for 7 1/2 months. I really still feel like I've only been out for a month. After this transfer I'll be out for 9 months. That means my trainer will have been out for 18 months. That's so crazy!!! The time really has been flying by so far. This past transfer went by so quickly. I feel like I was in Salem for only a week or two.

I love y'all!

-Elder Michael Starks