Week 7: Elder Denmarkson (?)

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Subject:	Week 7: Elder Denmarkson (He put that this was Week 8.. I changed it because I think it's week 7?)
Date:	Mon, 13 Mar 2017 10:08:12 -0500
From:	Brett Hogg

So I was wrong! Elder Finlinson was up in Fairfield (Allen area), not in Gilmer. The guy that was in Gilmer (who Elder Pattee replaced) did come to Plano, just not my companion. Elder Finlinson is from Salt Lake City, and has been out for 20 months so he'll more than likely die here, this is his second to last transfer!

This is the new district, Elder Finlinson is the one on the far left.

We're wondering what's going to happen now though, because you usually stay in an area for 3 transfers, which would mean we would leave the area at the same time, but they typically don't double people out (both companions leave and the area gets two new missionaries who don't know anyone or anything of the work (definitely happens, just not particularly often)). So either, I stay here for 4 transfers total (which is a long time to be in an area, 6 months, which is not likely, but not unheard of, Elder Pattee just served 4 transfers here), but more likely this will be my last transfer here, so that Elder Finlinson and teach the next person the area before he leave leaves. I'm going to be sad, I love the branch here. You never know though!

(To "die" in an area means it's your last area before going home.)

More than half of the district got transferred, mostly banished out east. Elder Pattee is out in Gilmer, one of the other sisters got sent to Nacogdoches, the other Elder is just north of Tyler. It's kind of cool to meet the new guys. When I first heard Elder Finlinson's name I didn't remember it, but I remembered it was a Scandinavian country of some sort lol, so I was trying to say his name to someone, and all I could think of was Elder Denmarkson lol!

With Pattee gone it's been pretty hard to try and teach the area to someone else, I'm still learning people's names myself! Elder Pattee had been here for 6 months, so he knew everybody and where they lived, the city, who's home when. I've been here for 6 weeks, and now I'm trying to figure out who to stop by and who needs what. We're doin' alright though.

We've started teaching a couple ladies, one from Colombia and one from Guatemala, they just got here and live with a member and they really like us, so that's cool. We also found a guy who's name is Cienfuegos, which means One Hundred Fires, how cool is that name?? He's a member who hasn't been active as far as anyone around here knows, but we were in his neighborhood (one of the apps we use is a map app that has pins for all the members, less actives, old investigators, etc.) and saw his name and we were like um heck yeah we want to meet Mr. Hundred Fuegos. Turns out he's from Mexico, and his wife is from Japan, what? The dad is the only member. Supposedly they all speak Spanish, Japanese and English. We're going to try and get to know them more.

Also this week we helped a member cut down most of a tree this week. That was pretty fun. The Dad is from Chile and the Mom is from Venezuela, and they're super nice. They have a son who served his mission in Chile is headed out to BYU-Hawaii soon. One time she got mad at Elder Pattee for being to skinny, and was concerned he wasn't eating enough on his mission lol. Latter I realized my arms and neck, and my face kind of, are all sunburnt! Sunburnt in March, what's up with that! It's been like 70°s, 80°s, here lately. Some days in the morning it will dip down to the 40°s or 50°s.

I love hearing about (almost) everything back home! 

I got my bike! And tell the cats I miss them! Lol

Anyway not much else exciting going on, I'll email some more in a little bit.

Thank you!!!!! I love you 

No armadillos yet, but we found a tiny lizard, and a cicada  (or however you spell it), Mom would love em! They're just giant beetle things, this one was just a molted shell or whatever:

(I believe the Book of Mormon is for size reference... haha)