Monday, July 13, 2015

July 13, 2015 - Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

 
Dear Family,
It has been another hot and humid week here in Nova Scotia. Yesterday we found out about transfers and I am being transferred to Woodstock, New Brunswick. It is right by the border to Maine. I will be in the Presque Isle Maine District. From my understanding, I will have to cross the border for church  as it will be in Houlton, Maine every week. I also will be crossing the border for District Meetings as well as they will be in Caribou, Maine. So I will be going back and forth quite a bit in my new area. My new companion will be Elder Evans. He is a younger missionary. He came out in December and has been out for about 7 months now. I have met him a couple days. He was in my district when I was in Kentville. From the couple times I've talked to him he seems like a very nice, humble missionary. With having to cross the border quite a bit in Woodstock, I will be switching back and forth from the Atlantic Time Zone to the Eastern time zone as Maine is on eastern time.  So feel free to like the new area Facebook page I'll be on. It's called "Mormon Missionaries In Houlton and Woodstock"
As well as me being transferred,. Elder McGuire is also being transferred to Grand Falls, Newfoundland and will be a zone leader up there. It took us both by surprise when we saw that both of us are being transferred. I knew I would probably be leaving but I didn't think both of us would be going. It was bittersweet when I found about transfers. I have loved serving in Bridgewater. The ward has been so good to me. It was been an absolute honour serving here. I have made a lot of memories from being stuck in a blizzard to shovelling the Church roof. A lot has been transpired here in the last 5.5 months. I experienced some adversity here. We had a number of investigators drop us at one point. I have had the most success on my mission in Bridgewater. It's also safe to say the area is a lot different from when I found it. Bridgewater was the most beautiful area I've served in so far. A lot of beautiful scenery here along the South Shore in Nova Scotia. The cabin I have lived in has also been the best apartment I've lived in.
Now I find myself in the same position I was in when I left Kentville. Not wanting to leave a area that I have loved and gotten attached too. They say you're supposed to make the area you serve in your home away from home and I have made Bridgewater my home for the past 4 transfers. Now I have to leave home again :/. But just like when I got transferred to Bridgewater, I know I will end up loving Woodstock as well when I leave there. It is getting harder and harder every time I get transferred to say goodbye but I know I have been transferred to Woodstock for a reason and I have received a witness of that. I am looking forward to getting stared there.
I had another very successful week this week. Last Monday Night we picked up another new investigator. He was a potential that hadn't been followed up on. We knocked on his door and let us right in. He recently broke up with his girlfriend and has been having a hard time with it. He has friends that are members and has spoken very highly of us to him. He asked us a lot of good questions about trials and agency. He is a very humble man. But he is open to meeting with us and wants to be friends with us. He actually ended up ordering us pizza when we were there.
We had District Meeting on Wednesday. The focus in this District Meeting was contacting and tying in whatever they say to the Restoration. I was assigned to give the Doctrinal Discussion for District Meeting. The topic was the Liahona and the principles that the Liahona works by and how that ties into planning. Overall, it was a good doctrinal discussion. I learned a lot about the Liahona by reading 1 Nephi 16 and in the topical guide.
After District Meeting I went on an exchange with Elder Sortomme for the next 2 days in Bridgewater. So I got to take the lead in the exchange. It was a good exchange. We went to Lunenberg on Wednesday and actually ran into some members from Florida touring the area. Small world. We went to a Thai restaurant because Johnny works there. The food was pretty good. It's similar to Asian food. I ordered the main dish. But it was really expensive; it cost 20 dollars for the root beer and the dish. Elder Sortomme is a lot like me. He is quirky and has a good sense of humour. He is also very nice. It was a good experience for me being in charge of the area. I did it confidently and with ease.
We got to watch the funeral for President Packer on Friday. I thought President Monson gave a good talk on President Packer. I also liked what his son said about him. President Packer had a big emphasis on the family and was a good teacher of the Plan of Salvation.
On Saturday, we had a ward potluck with a dessert auction for the youth for their trek afterwards. There were a lot of people there. Two of our investigators came as well. So they got to meet some of the members. It was great to see them come out. They seemed to have really enjoyed themselves. During the Dessert Auction, they had a lot of dessert items including cinnamon rolls, peanut butter cupcakes, oreo cheesecake, cookies, etc. Sister Harlow was kind enough to bid on the peanut butter cupcakes and bought them for us. I actually bid 8 dollars (after a couple other bid some money as well) out of my own money for a box of a dozen Tim Horton's doughnuts and got them. So we got a lot of sugar that night and ate some that night. Yesterday morning, I got the side affects of all that sugar. I woke up with a upset stomach and was struggling eating all day yesterday. I didn't much sleep that night either. Now i'm regretting getting those doughnuts. Typical Eric to bid 8 dollars on a box of Tim Hortons doughnuts at a dessert auction right? :P In my defence, it was for a good cause though.
Have a great week! Have fun at Settler Days!
Love,
Elder O'Brien

No comments:

Post a Comment