Let me add that you never appreciate the benefits of a clean house until you follow a pair of missionaries into utter squalor.

Okay, here's the sitch!

So I'm in Dover now! It's still in the Lancaster Stake, but it is indeed a branch. It covers a wide area but we do meet in the Lewisberry building, partly because it is very underutilized but also because it's a bit closer for the members. We're in an old missionary apartment on 20 Stony Lane, Apt. A , but just 20 A. Stony Lane should work. 

Well, here’s the lowdown, Dover is the very opposite of Lancaster and Harrisburg, whereas I was quite used to straight ghetto, Dover is farmland! It is very rural with a dash of hillbilly. (See later on.) So that was a huge change! I am driving a car for the first time in my mission, which took some getting used to. But it's been great here. The members here are wonderful, they are so missionary minded. They have a huge drive to hasten the work of salvation and are willing to love and help and fellowship to do it. It's great. We have a great ward mission leader, Brother S, who is very hands on and focused on our investigators. Almost all the investigators we have right now (which isn't a lot yet) were found by HIM. That is crazy!  Branch President H is also very focused on the work and that is just awesome. I am looking forward to a lot of great experiences here.

So I am training again, and I am still District Leader. My trainee is Elder B, a great guy from Sierra Vista AZ. He is straight out of high school, loves cars, drives big trucks, and can (and plans on post-mission) grow an enormous beard. We're getting along dandy. He's got a lot of drive and he works hard, so it's been a great experience thus far. 

Let me add that you never appreciate the benefits of a clean house until you follow a pair of missionaries into utter squalor. Let's just say that there's been cleaning taking place every day, but I will not send any photographs of the apartment until next week. There's a lot of organization that needs to take place but we're hard at work at it.

Here's two investigators I'll tell you about right now: Z and A. They are just great people, a very sweet couple that really wants to join the church. We invited them to be baptized on the 18th of October and they are so fired up about it. They have some W of W struggles to overcome but are committed to it. We talked about temples and eternal marriages with them yesterday and you could see how much they wanted that. That was really cool. Also as we were leaving we had A say the prayer. As soon as she finished, Z said, “Whoa! Just got a warm and cold shiver!" And A said, “I feel that all the time when the elders are here.” We were able to explain that was the Spirit, testifying of the truth to them. Very cool experience.

 Love,

Elder Wright

Bro and Sis H

Farewell to Lancaster

I know I've done here what the Lord needed me to do.

Tons has happened in the last few days and things are way crazy right now, so we will be on the computers for a short while.

To start- Talent Show! Ha-ha this was craziness that worked out really well. We had this idea of doing a rendition of "Go Down Moses" for it. The Ephrata Elders own a banjo that an investigator gave them and they lent it to us. So I told Elder G he needed to learn the banjo in two weeks. (I am the hardest trainer ever, apparently.) He pulled it off really well and so despite difficulties such as sickness, broken strings, and almost incinerating the sheet of music I made. But we did it! It sounded awesome, check out the video on Drop box. We were followed by Sister C doing a series of poem readings. I'll include those too if I have the time.

Second- J got baptized! There's been a lot of struggles and whatnot leading up to this but it has all worked out incredibly well! Elder G performed the baptism, his first! So proud of him. And of J, he really is a very bright and aware kid. Probably knows way more about the gospel than a typical 9-year-old. L.C. gave a talk on baptism (which I translated) and J’s brother A gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. A is a great kid too. He will be getting the priesthood this Sunday, which is great. We held the baptism after church on Sunday and so we had decent attendance, which went a very long way in helping S (the mom) to feel the love and trust of the members!

Third- well, I'm getting transferred. Not a huge shock but I felt very sad all the same. I have really grown to love the people in this area so tremendously. They are such hardworking and loyal Saints in Zion. I couldn't help tearing up a little bit as I packed everything away last night. What is so incredible to me is looking back on my time here I can see how the Lord guided me to certain families and people. I can feel satisfied with my labors in this part of the vineyard because I know I've done here what the Lord needed me to do. I don't know if another missionary could have done it better, or differently, but I am so grateful Heavenly Father chose me to work with Him here.

I’m also excited to move on to a new area. I don't know where I'll be going, though I have my suspicions. I am sure you will find out though through your own little methods... I will be doubling in with a new missionary to train, as well as serving as district leader there. I leave for Pittsburgh tonight and I'll pick up my new greenie tomorrow. So that is exciting. What is also so exciting is that Elder G is training in Lancaster! We're going to get a little father-son road trip together to Pitt! He is really qualified and ready to take on the area. He has done so much good work, and he's going to continue to tear it up with his new trainee!

That's the major scoop.

Elder Wright

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