Week Seventeen - New Shoes, Terror in McDonald's and Drama!!

David on their very comfy couch!

David taking the garbage out and posing!

David writing in his journal.

David and his favorite plastic bag!  

David making eggs in a pan that everything sticks in - more butter!

David happily writing everything in his journal!

We learn something from everyone who passes through our lives. Some lessons are painful, some are painless. But, all are priceless.

~Unknown

Quote I sent to David because it seemed appropriate for what he's experiencing right now.  

Hola Familia!

Sounds like y'all had a great week!  Pottery seems like it is great mommy-daughter time.  I'm super excited for Christopher!  I have heard great things about the Mexico MTC as well as Chile!  I actually know lots of people that have or are serving there.  Missions are awesome! It must have been weird seeing Allison and her side of the family.  I've seen her maybe 3 times in the last 6 years it seems like!  Hannah and Rachel going to C wood and B ville?   Who knows, but that would be kinda neat if they did.  They aren't too bad of schools haha.  Thanks for the quote.  I love quotes and it is so true!  God put me with Elder Crockett for a reason.  I have something to teach him and I have something to learn from him.  So I just try to make the best of it, although it is difficult at times. 

This week was pretty juicy.  We had two Elders go home!  One in our district, the one I sat next to on the plane ride here; and an English elder kinda in my same area.  It is shocking because President Durrant is known for not sending missionaries home.  I have heard stories of missionaries doing some incredibly stupid things, but rarely does he send missionaries home because he feels that missionaries have a better chance of overcoming their problems or habits or stupidity while on their mission, rather than being home.  But I heard he has sent a total of 12 missionaries home this transfer.  Some missionaries say it is because we have gotten so many more missionaries lately that he can "trim off the fat" and he doesn't need to keep the troublesome elders around anymore.  But that's just an opinion of some elders; who know the truth.  One got sent home because of anxiety issues.  He also got sent home for some other reasons that I probably shouldn't stay.  His companion, came and spent the day with us after he left, so we got to hear the whole story.  He had to have a three way phone call with President Durrant and Tad R. Callister, who is in the Presidency of the 70, to tell them all that has gone on with his companion.  Pretty intense stuff!  Apparently anytime a missionary gets sent home, you have to get permission from somebody as high up as Elder Callister.  The other elder’s story is even crazier.  He has been out for about as long as me, I've only met the kid twice.  He seems really cool, happy to be here, and super good people skills.  But I kept hearing from other missonaries that he doesn't have a testimony.  He is constantly asking deep doctrine questions, expressing his doubts, and he is surprisingly very open about it.  He had to go home because his questions and doubts were actually shaking other missionaries testimonies and making them wonder too.  He went home today, but the last three days he was here he had to spend with the AP's because he couldn't be around other missionaries because he ruins their testimonies.  I feel bad for him, he is sad to go, but at the same time you can't convert someone more than you're converted, and he wasn't converted at all.  Really odd situation.  I don't even know how he got out here in the first place. 

Dave came and picked us up on Saturday to go to lunch.  At the time I was in a trio with Elder Williamson, so I felt bad he bought lunch for all three of us, but he didn't seem to mind.  We went to The Porch and it was sooo tasty.  Biggest, tastiest, messiest burger I've ever eaten in my life!  Easily the nicest meal I will probably ever have on my mission.  Dave and his wife, Roxanne, are super nice, friendly peeps and it was a very enjoybable lunch!  I got the shoes and the journal.  Thank you!  The shoes are good.  Not necessarily what I would have chosen, but they are growing on me.  They are just good, solid work shoes and I know they'll hold up.  And they fit!  The journal is exactly what I needed and asked for.  Ya dun good ma! 

This week at McDonald's I had thee most terrifying experience that I have ever had with a human being...  We were getting dinner with the english elders and there was a dragqueen inside.  He or she or IT looked like the Joker!  His face was white with make up/powder stuff, he had five o'clock shower, lipstick sloppily put on and smeared all around his mouth, a hideous wig and just poorly put together.  It was like a car crash - I didn't want to look but I couldn't help but look!!!   And of course he was checking us out, and he winked at us multiple times.  Then, of course, he came up to us while we were ordering and asked if he could "share some observations".  He called himself a female impressionist and told one of us that we were cute.  I lost my appetite.  I was on edge the rest of the night in fear that we would run into him again somewhere around town.  The thing was clearly psychotic.

I saw a couple puppies the other day and they both reminded me so much of my baby!  Can you just send him here for a week??  I could really use my best friend sometimes to cuddle up at the bottom of my bed.  I want you to tell him that I love him and I will still be his dad when I get back and he better not forget me!   I know you are taking good care of him though.  

This next week is already the last week of the transfer!  It has flown by ridiculously rapido and I am anxious to hear what's happening next transfer.  We won't find out until Saturday though.   Wednesday we have two visitors coming to the Dallas and Fortworth mission:  Neil Anderson and Tad R. Callister.  There is going to be so many missionaries there but I am so stoked!  It will be awesome.  

-last Monday we just played games and I took a nap.  Yes, the school was closed and that is why I had to email on Tuesday. 

-Elder Heldt said they get iPads this month.  I am so jealous!  But I'm sure we will get them in due time.  

-We never eat with members on Mondays or Thursdays.  But we are still not fed every other night. Some weeks it's five times, some it's only once or twice.  

-I got Em's letter the other day but that's it.  Thanks Em!  

Well that's all that I can remember from the week.  It was a pretty good week.  This week will be a good week.  Missions are so weird in a way that I can't explain.  So many things have become real for me that I have never even given much thought to before.  It's tough but I am enjoying it.  I'm happy to be a servant of God and contribute in spreading the word and building the kingdom.  Hopefully next week I will have some big changes to share with you!   Make this week a good one so I can here all about it, and I will do the same.  Love you all and miss you all!  Take care and have fun.  : P

con amor bastante, 

         Elder Williams