Exchanges

This week was full of the usual appointments but a couple extra things.

We had exchanges with the district leader and his companion. His companion came to this area because he is new and being trained. It's only his second week. His name is Elder Gibby. Super chill kid. Extremely good at the piano. Student body president at his town in Idaho. So we had a couple good things to talk about. We actually never stopped talking. The exchange was Tuesday night through Thursday morning. We did the extra night because we had to meet up halfway for district meeting anyway so it was to save miles.

NY's idea of "Texas Hot" with E. Gibby.

Cool jukebox at "Texas Hot" food joint.

So we go to do service at brother and sister Lyons. We were teaching sister Lyons for a little bit but decided that she wasn't accountable. They had asked us to come help them chop some wood to heat their house. We set up a time for the next day. On our way over to the house, we pass brother Lyons going the opposite direction. Turns out he forgot... So we figured we'd stay and help since we were already out there in our service clothes. Tanya was getting a new horse because she didn't like her pony. The new one was big enough for her to ride. So she asked us to help remove some of the brush/trees next to the fenced area for the horse. Since it was a bigger one, she wanted to extend the space. That was fun. It was a little warmer that day (30 Degrees?)  so wasn't bad being in the snow cutting trees! It's always fun to cut things down.

Dylan, our Less Active Member, we might get to start working with more. Turns out he doesn't have a record of his baptism. He remembers it though. So they are trying to find a record of that. Plus he wants to quit chewing tobacco. So we are pretty excited for him. Great guy! Just got to overcome a few minor things.

Dylan's new restraints.

We were Tracting this week. We looked up some of the Alfred professors to help point us in the direction of good neighborhoods to tract. It kind of worked. It was a good neighborhood! Everyone was super polite. Very set in their religions. The very first door we knocked on invited us in. Of course he was the group leader of a Christian Bible Study group at Alfred haha! So we talked a little bit. He was super polite and asked us some Mormon 101 questions. At first it seemed because he really wanted to get an understanding of our basic doctrine. Then I realized that he didn't consider us Christian and wanted to help "save us." So we left him with a Pamphlet and peace'd. Nice, younger guy. His wife was super nice. He offered us water and fruit. He honestly was worried for our salvation. Which I appreciate. The anti stuff was a little less appreciated. But I give him props because it wasn't like Anti 101. It wasn't the basic questions.  Even though he totally misquoted a scripture that I KNEW he was misquoting but I didn't have it right in front of me... He also texted us a website that compares Christian religions (Of course doesn't do us too favorably).

We also ran into a 60 year old skii bum. She was all goofy. Said she just came back from skiing. Was talking about how she's tried lots of religions. Now she figured she'd try Buddhism. It's hard to describe her appearance/how she acted. But it definitely was best described as a 60 year old Skii bum.

Also tracted into a kid who yelled "MOM! Two guys in tuxedos are at the door!"

I got to use a snowblower this week! Honestly I think it's my first time ever using a snow blower. Since our branch is so small and no active members live close, we keep the sidewalks shoveled. Well, it had snowed like 6 inches so we pulled out the snow blower. It was an exciting moment in my life! One for the history books.

We have a new Less Active Member to work with in Alfred. He is a college student. Just getting back into the religion and the missionaries referred him so he could learn while he is out here too.

My awesome valentines card I sent anonymously to a missionary that just entered the MTC from the Wellsville branch. His sisters and I schemed to make it look like a girl. It'll explode with cut out hearts when he opens it. Put some scrapbooking skills to work there!