Week Ninety Seven - Last Transfer Meeting and Grateful For Serving A Mission!

David with Elder Alkonis!

David and Elder Packham!

David and Elder Patton!

David and a new friend!

David and the Texas Towers!

Getting a lift!

The gang after emailing on p-day!

Elder Denos and David with a 'tent' of an umbrella they found in the chapel!

Hola!

Another good week is in the books.  It was a busy week, and we got lots done!  We had members out with us almost everyday, so we had very little time on the bikes, and lots of good lessons.  

   On Tuesday I was lucky enough to attend the transfer meeting, even though neither one of us got transferred.  Zone leaders were asked to go to pick something up. So lucky me!  Because I love that meeting.  It might have been the smallest transfer meeting I've seen my whole mission.  Very few changes.  And yes, Sister Wyss got transferred to the zone.  She won't leave me alone!  We cover the exact same area, basically, us doing the Spanish work, and her and her companion do the English work.  She is super lucky because her companion is Sister Reboquio, from the Philipines, and she is amazing! And Sister Wyss is a stellar missionary too!  Having Sister Training Leaders in the zone and so close to us is a huge blessing! 

   President and Sister Taylor shared a touching story at the meeting on Tuesday.  Their son got home from his mission that day, and they told us that in the last 8 years, their entire family has been together for only 15 minutes, which 15 minutes came miraculously at the airport when one son was leaving to his mission, and the other coming home.  They testified about how they could not make such mighty sacrifices if it wasn't all true.  Their testimonies are so strong, and it was an inspiring story.  It made me very grateful that we only have to survive three and a half years of separation, and that we will be united again at last in only 5 WEEKS!

   We are in a bit of a drought right now.  We have plenty of people to teach and visit, we are busy and usually have a loaded planner throughout the week, but nothing seems to be going anywhere.  People aren't coming to church, or keeping any commitments for that matter.  It is really frustrating to feel like you are doing so much and working so hard, yet seeing nothing come of it.  It has, however, been surprisingly easy to keep going and stay positive.  I have the hope and the faith that it will all be made worth it in one way or another, sooner or later!

   One day this week we were out riding our bikes when this blond haired hippee looking guy approached us on his bike and said "you Elders out looking for referrals?"  It completely caught us off guard!  It was the last thing we expected to hear from a guy that looked the way he did.  I asked him "are you a member?" and he responded "jack".  Hahaha!  Turns out he grew up in the Church and has very faithful parents in the Church.  When he was 19, he decided to join a rock band rather than go on a mission.  He was a real funny guy, full of Mormon jokes.  He said he a had a problem with the fact that Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ got more and more handsome in every new picture his mother put up on the wall.  He also said there are too many rules in the Church that he can't deal with.  I wish people would stop looking at commandments as "rules".  If only they understand the why behind the commandments.  I guess the guy went after what made him happy, but I could tell that he was lost and his life was a mess.  I could only imagine how different his life could have been if he decided to go on a mission.  It made me think about what I would have missed out on if I had not decided to serve a mission.  The lessons are countless and priceless, my eyes have been opened, a vision for the future gained, and I have no doubt that the entire course of my life will be forever changed because of this incredible experience.  I am so grateful for it, and I can't imagine my life without it!  A big thanks to all who helped get me here!   

-I did not spray my closet for bed bugs because I haven't seen any.

-Elder Keller just got a box from a near by bike shop, disassembled his bike and put it in there, and we dropped it off at the post office across the street.  That is what I think I will do, unless you can tell me a better way.

-No special plans for Easter yet.  Just Conference!

-They did two meetings with Elder Foster, one on Thursday with half the mission, and one of Friday with the other half.

Thanks for the update and all that everyone does for me!  I hope you have the best week ever!  Love y'all to Kolob and back!

Elder Williams  

Week Ninety Six - Stink Bombs, Bed Bugs and Visit from Elder Foster!

David and Elder Denos at Rosalba's!

Peace?!

Tired Elders......

David gets a lift from the Texas Towers at transfers!

Hola!

   Thanks for writing me and filling me in!  I had another busy week, so it went by really fast.  

On Saturday I was on exchanges again in Lake Highlands with Elders Ezzell and Perez.  Elder Perez is knew in the mission.  He is a Jehovah's Witness convert, and very unique and funny. It was the last district building, so we had a council in the morning, a hot dog/pizza lunch at Sam's Club, and then we basically just contacted people all day.  But I enjoyed it because I was in a contacting mood and being in a trio always makes for a good time!  The people that live right below Elder Perez and Elder Ezzell smoke illegal substances almost constantly, and it stinks up the missionary apartment really bad. Coincidentally, a member gave Elder Ezzell and Elder Perez a real life stink bomb, so we gave the neighbors a taste of their own medicine by dropping this stink bomb onto their patio that they smoke on.  It smelled like moldy rotten eggs drenched in gym socks multiplied by 10!  We might have been a little too cruel... 

   So, when Elder Keller left, we were seeing signs of bed bugs in his bed.  When Elder Denos arrived, I told him about it, he told his mom, and his mom sent a bunch of professional bed bug treatment stuff to take care of it.  He hasn't found any bites, or much sign of bed bugs in his bed, but every once in a while he will find a bed bug on the wall up toward the ceiling or some other strange place.  I have been lucky and have not found any bites or any sign of bed bugs on my side of the room, until the other night when I had a dream.  I dreamed that there was a big spider on the wall right next to where I rest my head at night on my pillow.  It startled me, so I jumped out of bed and turned on the light, only to find a tiny little bed bug!  Exactly where I dreamed I saw the spider!  And it was making it's way toward my bed!  It was very very strange, and this is the only explanation for it that I can come up with: a tender mercy of the Lord (1 Nephi 1:20).  

   The highlight of the week was Thursday when we had a zone conference in Heath, where we had the privilege of being taught by Elder Bradley D. Foster from the Quorum of the Seventy.  We heard a little bit from President and Sister Taylor, Sister Foster gave us a good ol' fashioned pep talk, and then most of the time was taken up by Elder Foster.  Elder and Sister Foster both said that they are praying that their grandson son comes to the TDM so he can have President Taylor as his mission president.  Now I am convinced that President and Sister Taylor are the best in the world!  It was quite incredible to be trained by Elder Foster.  It was neat to see that President Taylor was sitting with us and being trained as well.  Us missionaries look at President Taylor like he knows absolutely everything, and it was weird to see the roles be switched, and President Taylor was sitting in the learners chair and being taught by somebody that was a mission president 25 years ago!  He trained us on how to work with members, how to reach our potential, the importance and power of sincere prayer, and accountability, because apparently in two months the mission will be getting iPads... Just. In. Time!  I'm really not too mad about it though.  I'm just grateful for another opportunity to meet and learn from another general authority.  The more opportunities like that I have, the more I can see that the gospel really does refine us, and there is nothing else on the planet that can teach us and make us progress in life the way the Church can.  Between missions and callings and service and many other things, it is all just genius!  Elder Foster is so wise, and loving, and confident, his spiritual presence is powerful, and he's just got things figured out.  He inspired me to live the gospel more fully, trust in God more confidently, and give my life to Him more entirely. I LOVE BEING MORMON!!!

-I got my voice back wednesday, but I have still had a bit of a sore throat all week.  But nothing that has slowed me down.

-Transfer calls were made this morning, and we didn't receive a phone call, so it looks like I will be finishing my mission with Elder Denos in Casa Linda!

-I have no needs or request for Easter.  Surprise me!  

All is well!  As a missionary, the transition from winter to fall to winter is miserable and depressing.  But on the other hand, the transition from winter to spring is joyous and splendid, and that's what is happening right now!  The other day we were walking in the ghetto, and we walked past a group of thugs without shirts on that were recording a rap music video.  That's Garland for ya, and that's how good the weather has been the last few days!  It's amazing how big of a difference the weather makes.  Congrats McKay!  Last transfer officially begins today.  Not sure what to think or how to feel, I just want this transfer to be the best one yet!  Thanks for everything!  Love y'all!  Feel better!  Have a great week!  

Elder Williams

Week Ninety Five - Busiest Wackiest Week of My Mission!

Elder Denos!

Elder Vang!

Elder Stewart (ZL companion), Elder Duce and David!

Hola!

This past week was CRAZY!  Very very busy with lots going on.  It may have been the busiest wackiest week of my mission.  For the first time in nearly two years I got more than two days behind in my journal writing - I was five days behind at one point!  But don't worry, I am caught up now : )  So I'll try to tell you as much as I can remember, and have time for!

TUESDAY was Elder Denos's cumpleanos, as well as the Follow-Up Training meeting.  We had to be at the chapel by 10 for the meeting, so on our way we stopped at the Garland Cafe for a birthday breakfast.  Dad would really like the Garland Cafe.  Follow-Up Training is the meeting held about halfway through the transfer for all trainers and their trainees.  At this meeting we receive training from President and Sister Taylor, along with the Assistants, we talk about how everybody is doing and feeling, share testimonies, and then, for the highlight of the meeting, we complain about each other!  I think I might have told you about this the last time I attended this meeting with Elder Alkonis, but at one point we split up and the trainers go with the assistants to another room, and the trainees stay with President and Sister Taylor, and we vent about our companions, the assistants and President and Sister Taylor write down what we say, we come back together, and the thoughts and complaints are shared anonymously.  This way, you can express what you are afraid to tell your companion to the face, and you can receive some constructive criticism without any hurt feelings!  What usually happens is the trainers just want to say what they love about their companions and get done in 10 minutes, and all the trainees are crying and take a half hour.  Maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but it's something like that.  Missions are tough!  Another highlight of the meeting that really touched me was when President and Sister Taylor talked about families, and how God takes care of missionary families.  It wasn't planned, but it turned into a testimony meeting, and missionaries were just sharing all these amazing blessings and miracles, along with difficulties, that have been seen in their families as they have been serving.  It was very spiritual and powerful.  The following scriptures were shared:
D&C 31:1 Thomas, my son, blessed are you because of your faith in my work. 2 Behold, you have had many afflictions because of your family; nevertheless, I will bless you and your family, yea, your little ones; and the day cometh that they will believe and know the truth and be one with you in my church. 3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation. 4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned. 5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live. 6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
D&C 100:1    Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.

I love love love these verses, and I have no doubt that God takes care of His missionary families! 

So that was a 6 hour meeting, and it was lots of fun!  We then went to dinner, where the members fed us and bought Elder Denos a single slice of cake....and he didn't share.... That night was a little hectic because we had to do another one of those exchanges that involves 4 companionship's.  Missionary Leadership Council was the following day, but due to icey weather that was expected Wednesday morning, we were asked to make the drive Tuesday night, and spend the night in the Assistants' apartment.  So Elder Stewart and I got to their apartment at 10:00, and slept in an apartment full of elders.  It was strange being their again, because I hadn't been there since my very first night in Dallas.  But this time I got a bed!  And a real blanket!  But that night was when the tickle in the throat began....

WEDNESDAY morning we got up super early to go play basketball.  I woke up with a killer sore throat, and all day long it was excruciatingly painful to swallow.  It was possibly the worst sore throat of my life!  Nevertheless, MLC started at 10:00 at the mission home again.  That place is like heaven on earth!  Especially compared to the places we spend most of our time in Garland.  It is so clean, smells fresh, and there is just a lovely spirit felt in that home.  That meeting lasted 7 hours, and it was jam-packed full of the Spirit and inspiration.  We did something really neat through a website called Relative Finder, and it told me that I am a fourth cousin twice removed to President Taylor!  And out of everyone in the Texas Dallas Mission, he is my closest relative.  But for the majority of the meeting we talked about the need to become "MIGHTY" in all aspects of the work.  President Taylor is really good at finding words in the scriptures that most of us skim over and give no thought to, and he makes them so significant and brings on a whole new meeting.  I think everybody at that meeting left feeling a little crumby, yet motivated to do so much more and work so much harder!  

It rained literally all day that day, and by the time we got on our way back to our areas, the rain was turning to ice, and we were asked to get off the roads and into the nearest missionary apartment asap.  So I spent another night away from my baby, and slept on the couch at Elder Stewart's and Elder Gile's apartment.  My throat was still bothering me, and I was spiritually drained and exhausted from the meeting, so I fell asleep at 8:30.

THURSDAY we were not allowed to drive for the first half of the day, which worked out for us because Elder Stewart and I were able to prepare a zone meeting for the next day.  In the afternoon I was finally reunited with Elder Denos, and we were able to get some work done and teach a few lessons.  My sore throat had not yet gone away.

FRIDAY we had a zone meeting, and our job was to basically relay all that was discussed and taught in MLC.  We sat in a circle and had a council and it went really well.  For dinner that night, a member took us to a place called WingStop.  From a missionary standpoint, it is a very worldly place.  Ginormo TVs with sports and sports and sports, loud music, and filled with all the cool, young and hip kids with fine clothing.  Some times I want to be cool, young and hip again, but there is a time and place for everything.  While WingStop may be the place, now is not the time!  Randy Farmer came out with us again that night, and it was a much better experience.  I was still sick, but my throat wasn't hurting quite so bad.  

SATURDAY was almost a normal day, until I lost my voice, starting around lunch time.  It progressively got worse and worse, until I could hardly do anything but whisper!  My throat didn't really hurt by that point, it was just frustrating and exhausting to try to teach lessons like that.  We shared the Restoration DVD a few times that day, and got into a heated debate with a lesbian about homosexuality.  It is a very difficult subject to address. 

SUNDAY we were an hour late to church, because nobody told us about daylight savings!  So that was a little embarrassing.  And then, to add to it, my voice was at it's worst, and people thought it was funny so they were bugging me and trying to get me to talk.  Argh!  That night we did another Elder jumble, and a bunch of us were separated from our companions, because I had to go to Mesquite to start another District Building activity.  Lots of District Buildings have been cancelled because of the weather, and they want to finish them all up this week, so we had to fit one in that started Sunday night and went most of the day yesterday.  Sunday night we had a council meeting, and I slept at random apartment again on the couch.  

MONDAY (yesterday) I was in a town called Seagoville for the day, on an exchange with Elder Vang.  We had no plans, no lessons, and nobody to really visit, so we contacted in lavandarias for 5 straight hours.  My voice was better than it was Saturday and Sunday, but it was still at about a level 4 strength.  I couldn't yell, sing, or talk very loud, so it took a lot of effort to get people to hear me.  It did not stop raining that entire day, so all that made for a long day.  But Elder Vang is a great kid, and we had lots of fun!  It's funny because that area - Mesquite and Seagoville and around there - is the most depressing area for me.  I feel like I would be miserable if I ever had to serve there.  And the reason is because I have never been there when it is not dark, grey, glum and rainy.  And I've been there 5 or 6 times!  So now I have this idea in my head that it is never not raining in that part of the world, and I don't like going there.  

-Rosalba is a different Rosalba than the one you know.

-My voice is starting to come back, but I can't sing or yell yet.  Oh how I wish I could sing already! 

Well, that might be the longest email ever written.  Hope you enjoyed it!  Thanks for the update!  It makes me happy to know that there are some good elders in our stake!  I hope everybody gets feeling better.  Mother, enjoy your week in Palm Springs and take pictures!  I really enjoyed the pictures you sent me, you have no idea!  Have a superb week!

Love you to Kolob and back!  

Elder Williams          

Week Ninety Three - Softening Hearts and Cold, Utah-Like Weather in Dallas!

Utah-like snow!

David and Amber!

Hi!

Thanks for telling me about y'all's week!  I am happy to hear that Dad is busy, there are some good missionaries in our area, and all is well!  All is well here in Garland as well.  The weather has been terrible all week; we got rain, ice, and some real, almost Utah-looking snow, all week.  So we spent a lot of time in the apartment, unfortunately, as well as walking around on the ice, working in the area around our apartment the best we could.  So I don't really have much to share with y'all this week.  But considering the weather conditions, we had a surprisingly good week with lots of lessons!  We received lots of support from members in driving us from lesson to lesson. 

   I would like to tell y'all about a lesson that we had with a man named Martin.  Martin is the father of a family that we have been teaching.  We have been teaching nearly everyone in that family, but never together.  They are always so busy with different work schedules and never found together at home at the same time.  So one day we will teach Mariela, the daughter, and the next we will teach Rosalba, the mother, and on the weekends we teach David, Mariela's brother.  Before this week we had never been able to teach Martin, the father.  David and Mariela and Rosalba had always told us that Martin is mean, stubborn, unwilling to listen or change, and he has "un caracter muy feo".  They tell us not to come over on certain days, the days that he is home.  Elder Keller and I had a couple of run-ins with him, where he didn't invite us in, and he wasn't really nice, but he wasn't rude either.  Well this week we were finally able to sit down with him when we went over to teach Mariela.  He wasn't really grabbing on to everything we were saying, but he was listening and we had a good chat.  At the end of the lesson, we invited him to offer a pray.  It took some convincing, but he did say a prayer, and it was a very sincere prayer, and he even got emotional toward the end.  Once he said amen, it was very quiet for a minute.  Mariela and her younger brother were shocked to see their dad cry.  The Spirit was felt strongly, and I know that Martin's heart was softened that day. 

   I just love how simple it all is!  God is so anxious to do His part; to speak to us, answer us, help us, and bless us!  Our part is so simple, maybe not always easy, but simple - read and pray with real intent, and do what he asks of us.  That's it!  As people do this, I have no doubt that they will be filled with the Spirit of God, their hearts will be changed, and their lives will be blessed in great and obvious ways!  It really is a small price to pay.  A bargain is what it is!  That experience was a testimony builder/solidifier for me to see again that this really is God's work.  All we need to do as members and missionaries is teach people how they can let God work with them, and seek out those that are willing to let it happen.  It is God that teaches, softens, changes, and converts people to His gospel and His plan. 

-I've had a bit of a cold this past week, but nothing that's slowed me down.

-Yes, Randy is the kid that Sister Wyss referred to me.  

-We just found out that Elder Foster will be coming the 13th and 14th.  Super exciting!  

-I haven't seen Sister Wyss since I got to Casa Linda.  She is in a neighboring zone, but we haven't crossed paths.  I'll probably see her at the Elder Foster meeting.  

Sorry this past week wasn't too exciting.  This week will be more eventful, with Elder Denos's birthday tomorrow, along with a follow-up training meeting, MLC on wednesday, and a zone meeting on Friday.  I love meetings!  Thank you for the reminder, Mother.  I've thought about it in months and weeks, but I hadn't gotten down to days yet!  It is hard to believe that we are already in March.  It's pretty exciting!  But I try not to think about it. Have a great week and know that I love you all to Kolob and back!  Thanks for all of your love, prayers, and support!  

Elder Williams 

Week Ninety Two - More District Building and Being Sick Is NO Fun!

Lakewood friends!

Lakewood friends!

District building exchange, with Elders Cottle and Boren!

Ice day!

Hiii!

Things have been pretty crazy here this past week.  I wasn't able to email yesterday because all of Dallas was frozen over!  So we were on lockdown for the day. I don't have much time to write today, but I have tons to tell y'all!  So I will do my best.

Monday after emailing and playing some sports, we did a big complicated exchange that involved just about every elder in the zone!  Elder Stewart drove to Lakewood Monday night for another District Building activity, where I spent the night in my old apartment with Elders Boren and Cottle and Manning, and Elder Stewart went with the Lakewood English elders.  The next day I was with Elder Cottle working in Lakewood, and I got to some old familiar faces, including a recent convert that Elder Crockett and I found forever ago!  Him and his mom were super excited to see me, and it was really nice to see that he is still active.  The ward is taking really good care of him!  Were also had a little FHE with one of the ward families and some recent converts, where I learned a super fun game called "PatoPato".  We will have to play it when I get home! The next morning we were supposed to have a district meeting at 10:00 to wrap up the activity, but Elder Adams' van at a neighboring apartment got towed!  So we had to postpone things to help him pick up the van, but luckily the keeper at the tow lot had Mormon connections, and he gave us the van for only $10.00!  I know the Lord looks out for His missionaries!  So district building was another success; very exhausting, but lots of fun and well worth it!

Thursday, Elder Denos and I went to Applebee's for lunch, because we have at least $100 in Applebee's gift cards, and I kind fellow from Utah bought our meal.  I think the majority of times that somebody has payed or offer to pay for my meal, it's when it's already payed for!   

Friday we had to do another exchange, and Elder Hutchings came with me for the day.  He is actually from St. George, Utah and was companions with Elder Alkonis in the MTC.  He wasn't feeling well, and I'm pretty sure he is the one who got me sick.  I sometimes feel a little bad for Elder Denos for sending him on so many exchanges.  Another elder made a joke that Elder Denos is like the troublesome child that nobody loves and gets passed around from aunt to uncle to grandparent.  Not true, but kinda funny!  Exchanges are good though, and he should be learning a lot by working with so many different elders!

Saturday was a day to remember.  I woke up not feeling well, thinking it was just something I ate the night before. Randy, a youth member that is waiting to leave on a mission that I had never met before, was supposed to be coming over at 8:30 to spend the morning and afternoon with us.  Long story short, I had the flu and it was a terrible missionary experience for Randy.  But he was understanding, and hopefully he will be able to join us again this weekend.  The good thing is that the next day I felt all better!   

Yesterday, like I said, was an ice day.  It was literally raining ice!  And we weren't allowed to drive or bike.  In the morning we were kept very busy with the "Ice Day TDM Olympics", which was a missionwide challenge between zones where we competed in a series of consecutive hour long events, like highest average number of exercise minutes in an hour, or most pages read out of the Book of Mormon in an hour, and fun stuff like that.  The Dallas East zone did not win, unfortunately, but we did all we could, and it was a fun and productive way to spend our morning.  We then got talked into walking to Chili's to meet up with some missionaries that couldn't stand being in the apartment for so long.  I felt like I was a pioneer trekking across the frozen plains!  It wasn't worth it.  

Today it is still cold and there is quite a bit of ice, but the roads are mostly cleared up and we have permission to drive and bike.  Yesterday we were supposed to have a conference with a member of the Quorum of the 70, Elder Bradley Foster, but the weather did not allow him to travel, so hopefully he will be able to make it out here soon!

-yes, I got the family tree. Thanks!

-what I have now will be enough for what we are trying to do.  Thanks!

-Elder Denos seems to be doing well!

-the elders brought a couple mattresses, and all apartments have couches too. 

Thanks for the pic!  I love to see familiar faces!  I want more pictures!  I'm super happy for Stevie!  She is super funny and an amazing person!  I'm happy to hear that all is well back home, and I pray that it stays that way!  Have the best week of your life and know that I love you all!  

Elder Williams 

Week Ninety One - District Building and Hanging With Elder Powell!

The District!

Elder Denos, Elder Williams, Elder Adams, Elder Powell and Elder Barton!

Howdy Y'all!

   Another week has come and gone in Garland.  And crazy fast has it done so too!  The weather was quite nice all week, Saturday it was almost too hot for me!  But today it is back down into the 30's, and I think it is supposed to be quite cold all week.  But who knows?!  Weather here is quite unpredictable. 

   This week was pretty neat.  President and Sister Taylor have come up with the idea to do "district building" exchanges, where the assistants and sister training leaders spend a day and a half with a district (a night, day, a night, and half a day).  This past week was the first time trying this, and they started with our district!  So Wednesday night, Elder Adams and Elder Powell, my two best MTC buddies, along with our district leader, Elder Barton, also from the MTC, arrived to our apartment to do nightly planning with us and spend the night.  As you can imagine, 5 elders in one apartment was a real hoot!  The next morning, we went on a long run together, had studies, and then had a 3-hour long district meeting/counsel together.  We received trainings and discussed ways to overcome the obstacles and challenges we face in our ward and areas.  It was quite helpful, because we have lots of challenges in our ward... But following the counsel, we went on exchanges for the day, where Elder Denos went with Elder Adams, and I was with Elder Powell and Elder Barton in a trio.  That too was helpful because Elder Powell drove us around in his van, and he also served in the area that I am currently in for 6 months, so he introduced me to some people and gave me lots of ideas of things we could do.  It was awesome working with Elder Powell!  We have really never served anywhere near each other since arriving to Dallas, so the last time I got to work with him, we were clueless and neither one of us spoke Spanish!  It feels good to say that we have both come along way.  Elder Powell is an incredible missionary, and it was inspiring to be his companion for the day.  At the end of the day, all five of us elders got back together at the apartment, we did nightly planning, and had another sleep over.  The following day, we had another district meeting/counsel in the morning with everybody, reported on how things went with our exchanges, and made plans for the future.  It was all very organized.  Every once in a while, I'll remember that we are all just 20 year old kids and how crazy it is that we are doing what we are doing.  It's pretty neat!  And now, I get to do the same thing all over again tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday morning with another district in the zone.  I'm going back to Lakewood baby!  Hopefully all of that made sense.  

   On Friday, as soon as we got done with the district building activity, Elder Stewart and I had to work on getting the stake president report ready for about 5 hours.  So many phone calls and number crunching and trying to keep track of so many things for so long, my brain was about to explode!  But we got it done, and Sunday morning we met with Stake President Larsen and his new counselor, President Foote.  I was really impressed with these men.  They are so kind and loving and happy and successful.  I just love meeting good quality people, especially in the Church.  It is a testimony builder to me that the Church and gospel together, when put first in our lives, can help us reach our potential and refine us as people.  

   HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!  Mother, you guessed right, Valentines Day was just another day in paradise... I mean Garland.  We splurged a little bit and went to subway for lunch, and I splurged even more by getting one of the $7.75 sandwiches.  But only because it was Valentines Day.  A single, recent convert in the ward took us out to dinner to a a chinese buffet.  But other than that, we just enjoyed the heat and did normal missionary stuff.  But I hope y'all had a fantastic day!  

-It is a bit of a challenge to train and be a zone leader, but I like it!  There is barely enough time in a day to do all that we need to do, so we are always busy and my mind is always always occupied.  It's exhausting, but it's good for me.   

-Elder Denos took a little Spanish in high school, but none of it stuck with him.  It is a little hard on the ears to listen to his Spanish, but he seems to be ahead of some of the other elders that came out with him.  He's not afraid to speak it, so he's learning fairly fast.  

-the cookies were superb and in one piece.  How did you make those things?!  Thank you very much for sending me that stuff.  You are too sweet!  I also got the card from grandma and grandpa Pratt.  Make sure they know that I love them and thank them!  

Felicidades to cousin Ryan and Amanda!!!!!!!!!!   

It makes sense what you say about the summer and work.  Working at the zoo sounds kinda fun!  I'd like to keep my options open though still.  A summer at home sounds great!  Well, as of yesterday, I have now been a missionary for 21 months.  I don't know how to feel about it, probably because nothing is really setting in yet.  But time has never flown by faster than the way it is now.  I'll be home in no time!  I am grateful for the updates and all that you and everybody does for me.  I couldn't do this without y'all! 

Love you to Kolob and back!

Elder Williams 

Week Ninety - A Trip on DART to Downtown Dallas!

Dallas with Elders Keller, Ezzell, Douglas and Perez! 

Elder Keller and David in downtown Dallas!

Downtown Dallas!

Twisted Root southern comfort burger!

Greetings Family and Friends!  

I love you all!  I love hearing from y'all!  I had a great week!  Crazy busy, overwhelming, interesting, and quite exciting with the new changes.  

MONDAY, after emailing, a group of 6 elders road the DART train to downtown Dallas.  We were going to go to the Perot museum, but that didn't work out, so we kind of just explored and wasted time down there.  It was kind of pointless, but it was refreshing to do something different than spend the whole preparation day in the chapel playing sports and emailing.  One of the missionaries we went with was Elder Scott, who went to Skyline high school!  That kid is a contacting machine!  I don't think I have ever seen a missionary so fearless in trying to contact everyone he can; going up to cars waiting at red lights and asking them to roll down their window, announcing to the whole train that we are representatives of Jesus Christ and wanting to answer questions, and really going out of his way to contact everybody.  As we went from train stop to train stop, he almost got left behind multiple times because he couldn't stop talking to people!  He is a true social butterfly, and it motivated me to put myself out there more and talk to the whole world!  For lunch we went to a famous burger joint downtown called the Twisted Root.  Super good!  While there we met a return missionary Mormon from Utah who is now pursuing his dreams of becoming an actor, and he is currently on tour with I think what is called "the Marvel Experience", where he acts as Thor.  So that was kind of neat.  Other than that, we didn't really get much done down there.  Kinda fun day though!

TUESDAY was exciting with transfers and all.  They threw us a curve ball by dividing up almost all of the zone leaders, so each zone leader has a companion that is not a zone leader, and the other zone leader is in another area.  I'm not entirely sure why they did that, but one of the reasons is because 26 elders went home, and 26 new missionaries got here, so there was a need for more trainers.  So there are a few zone leaders that are training, and I got lucky enough to be one of them!... I really wasn't too excited about it actually, but it does feel good to know that President Taylor trusts me with such responsibility.  Lots of other zone leaders were put with missionaries that are struggling or just need help.  But my new companion is Elder Denos, from Riverton, Utah, fresh from the Mexico CCM Monday.  He played football and ran track and has a trampoline at his house.  So he's a pretty cool kid!  It's crazy to think that he is two years younger than me and just graduated from high school.  I've never felt so old!  The other zone leader in the Dallas East zone is Elder Stewart, from Pleasant Grove, Utah.  He's been out six weeks less than me, and he is great!  I have kind of served around him before, but I really don't know him too well.  So I'm excited to work with him and get to know him, as well as with Elder Denos!  I've got a full plate this transfer, but I have learned to love being stretched and challenged.  I know the Lord has things for me to learn this transfer.  I love learning!   Tuesday I sent three of my dearest companions home - Elders Sheffer, Crockett, and Keller.  I am so grateful for the chance that I had to serve with them and learn from them.  They are great!  Unfortunately, I didn't really get to say goodbye to any of them, because right after the transfer meeting I had to go to a trainers meeting, and by the time we got done, they were gone!  But that's okay, I will probably see them in just three months.                               

After all the meetings on Tuesday, we went and got Elder Denos a bike, along with the other elder companionship in Casa Linda, which is Elder Barton (who came out with me) and a new missionary that came from Elder Keller's home ward.  Small world!  After eating a bunch of tacos for dinner at a member's house, Elder Denos had a cough attack and threw up his dinner all over the carpet in the apartment.  I feel like that is what I will always remember about Elder Denos.  Memorable first day!  

WEDNESDAY we did an exchange so Elder Stewart and I could plan for zone meeting the next day.  This past month we had our "Another Testament" Initiative, where we focused heavily on flooding the TDM with the Book of Mormon.  This transfer we will be focusing on another initiative called "Turning the Hearts", where we will be focusing on spreading the gospel through family history!  Just from reading a couple of talks and studying the initiative powerpoint that President and Sister Taylor put together, I am already super excited to do family history work! Elder Bednar stated that missionary work and family history work are one great work, and the invisible boundary line we tend to place between the two must be erased.  These initiatives are son inspired!  We were informed tuesday night that we needed to have a zone meeting thursday morning to introduce the new initiative to the zone.  So it was pretty stressful trying to plan with such short notice, and trying to familiarize myself with something I had never before seen, to the point where I could train and explain it to everybody the next day.  But all went well and things worked out!

The rest of the week was just typical missionary work, trying to work hard and make sure Elder Denos starts out on a good note with good experiences.  This transfer is going to be amazing!  

-same address and apartment.  we have smokers on all sides, except for above us, and I feel like I am slowly dying.  Not really, but it is not enjoyable.

-do you still have that little speaker you sent me at the beginning of my mission?  We don't have a cd player or anything of the sort, so that speaker would be nice.  Other than that, I don't need anything specific at the moment.  

-still making smoothies!  

I thank you for taking the time to write me and fill me in on things.  I will ponder and pray about a pottery store name for Em.  Keep meeting with the missionaries!  Those Elders have got to love coming to your beautiful home and discussing with such amazing people.  I actually think I would be somewhat intimidated trying to teach someone like you, because you are so intelligent.  I don't have to deal with people like you too often as a spanish missionary, but just take it easy on them!  Please have an open heart as they extend invitations to you, and willingly accept them.  They invite sincerely and out of love.  There is nothing more frustrating to a missionary than when the people they teach don't act on the invitations extended.  Trust me, I deal with it on the daily.  You are a huge blessing to those missionaries!  Congrats to cousin Mike and Katie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

-as part of the "turning the hearts" initiative, us missionaries will be doing some family history work as we invite others to do the same.  President Taylor has asked that we ask our parents for any stories or information that you have that could help us catch the "Spirit of Elijah" and get to know our ancestors better.  So if you have any stories or any documents or anything else, especially for grandparents, great grandparents, and maybe one more great, that would be great to send to me ASAP!  Thanks!  email or hard copy in mail.  whatever works!

Alright.  That's all I've got for y'all this week, and Elder Vang has been talking trash to me all week about pday basketball, so I have some business to take care of.  Have the best week ever!  Thank you for everything you do!  I love y'all to Kolob and back!  

Elder Williams