04/22/2019 The Sun Sets in the Blues City

After 4 transfers, I have been called to a new area. I loved my time here in Memphis, but I am excited for my new area: Arkadelphia. 

No I did not make up that name. It is a place that exists. It's a small town in Arkansas, southwest of Little Rock. As a small, rural southern town, it's going to be quite different than the middle of Memphis. My new companion is Elder Green. I haven't met him, and he only has two transfers left, so I'll probably be his last companion. 

Anyways, I want to pay tribute to the Central Gardens Branch. I cannot thank the members of the Central Gardens Branch enough. They are fantastic. Every time a new person came to church, they were incredible at welcoming them and helping them with whatever. And Kortavious. Special shout out to him. He's got great things going for him. Very determined, loyal, optimistic, and willing to learn. He's gonna a go places. Also to the senior missionaries, the Davises and Steeles. They are champs. They did and do so much for the people here, and were great company. I am going to miss being around senior missionaries. And my companions, Elder Perkins, Elder Paopao, and Elder Jolie. They all did so much to help me get into the swing of missionary work, and are all great friends. Elder Jolie only has one more transfer left, but he's gonna kill it. There are a lot of really cool things going on in Midtown. Lots of potential. 

As far as this week is concerned, it was a good last week here. We got to go to the Temple Open House with Kortavious. He loved it. I'm excited for him to do baptisms for the dead there sometime in the future! 

Where the great potential in Midtown comes from two families we have been teaching. We had a Bible Study with a less active, kind of part member family. This family is incredible. They are such a good family. We should be seeing them today, so I'm excited for that. 

We have also been meeting with another family and teaching them. They've come to church the last two weeks and they have had great experiences at church so far. And their 2 y/o son is like the most energetic 2 y/o I have ever met. I'm sad to have to leave them, but they are in good hands with Elder Jolie and the members of the branch. 

Random details from my time in Midtown

-There's a nearby house on the road we live on that has a small dog roaming on its roof, barking at us as we bike by. And this hasn't been a one time event either. Like every time we bike by the dog is up there.

-We went into one guys apartment and he told us how rats would peek down into his apartment from the holes in the ceiling. At least our rat problem wasn't that bad. 

-we met a guy who calls himself "deadman." He glued a plastic skull to the hood of his old truck.

-I heard about random church visitor stories in my first few weeks in Midtown. Some where not very positive experiences. However, in my time here we only had one unexpected visitor come. He was a man who stayed relatively quiet and sat through most of Sacrament Meeting to ask for a ride to somewhere. The members where generally pretty willing as long as he waited through to the next hour. To which the man said he'd just walk. Hope he got where he was going safely. 

-A drunk middle aged woman started hitting on me right in front of her daughter. My testimony of the Word of Wisdom was strengthened just a little that day. 

-There was a house with a hole under its porch where a bunch of stray dogs lived. 

-lots of stray dogs. 

 Pics:

1) the Memphis bridge at night

2) us at the temple with Kortavious

3) bye apartment! 

4) more temple. I'm going to miss the temple being in Arkansas.