new area info

To all at home and abroad.  I am happy to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Mom
I have a check up with the surgeon today.  Hopefully no cast, but we'll see I did get a nice set of X-rays.

I also lost my other suit in transfers along with all my ties, so now I'm just wearing one ugly clip on (from Leah).  That said some brothers from the ward are going to put together a few choice ties.

 Right well here is more information about the area.

I cover the four wards in the Mesa Central Stake Enrose, Harris 1st and 2nd and Grandview 2nd.  It is an awesome area with lots of prepared people.
We don't have a car, so the T-wreck has been repaired and continues to press forward.  Surprisingly there are some new sounds coming from the tire, which honestly are no cause for concern.  I had the opportunity to attend three Christmas programs yesterday.  All were wonderful.  My favorite was the second.  They had tone chimes and a stand up bass, which really filled out the sound.  With out the bass there isn't much power behind the choir, especially when the basses are hard to hear over the tenors and altos.  I also got to hear I heard the Bells on Christmas Day several times, which I greatly enjoyed.

As to my new companion, his name is Elder Kirwan from North Carolina  He has been out a few days over two months, so he is another young missionary companion, but by no means is he green.  We get along well and enjoy living in a apartment above the garage of a member family.  It is called the carriage house, and I"ll have to get pictures somehow. 

I already opened all my presents a few days ago, which I know will cause some distress from my older siblings.  That said what better way to focus on other people and helping them feel the spirit of Christmas then opening presents early.  That way I won't be focused on myself.  Not to mention some of the gifts were needed ie. batteries.

Next weeks email I promise will contain the great experiences of this Christmas season.

Love,
Elder Davidson

 

Rain, last wheels, moving, and dodgeball

Dear Mother
First my wrist is doing just fine.  I have close to 70% motion back.  I'm still working bringing my wrist backwards.  In the evenings it is still pretty painful.  Normally I don't have any pain, but in the evenings and mornings I can feel the bone, so i wonder if it is still healing.  The good news is it doesn't hurt when I use it.

As to the rain.  Lucky!  We had two days of rain and got stuck on bikes for a day.  By the end of the evening I didn't need to dry clean my pants, because they were soaked through.  I whistled Christmas Carols all the way home as I rode a Schwinn beach cruiser.  Two days ago the Trek (T-Wreck as we call it)  finally died.  As I was trying to get up a grass hill the derail-er decided to snap into the spokes and bring the bike to complete halt.  It was a bitter moment for me and I proceeded to take a picture before dismantling the frame.  If I can't find a new derailer at the mission office, I will be donating the bike and getting a loaner.  Back to the rain story.  I loved every moment of being in the rain.  I was soaked through and my hands were delightfully cold. 

Family I have news, I'm being transferred this Wednesday!  I'll be serving in an area of 5 wards!  it will be quite the experience.  I"m looking forward to it, but I will miss Elder Conaway a lot.  As I informed the Bishop in one of my wards, he was very sad to see me go.  In fact on leaving the meeting Sunday morning all the Brethren almost in unison said "Thanks Elders"  it was a sweet moment to know that we had done something for them and their families.  A young man in the ward was very sad to see me go.  It will be hard, but I hope to stay in touch and be able to see him on to his mission.

As a last party we will be playing dodge-ball with the youth, something Elder Conaway is really looking forward to.

Because of transfers I have no idea were I will be spending Christmas, and I really hope my new companion is skypeing.  I also won't know my phone number until next Monday.  The time should work for calling home.

I love you all bundles.

Oh we had a Zone breakfast this morning which was really fun.  It was outside around a campfire and we had lots of yumiie little treats (I know I spelled it wrong, but that looks cool).  It was also sad to see a few Sister missionaries go home that I watched come out on their missions.  We enjoyed a short time of friendship together and now we are all embarked on a new adventure which starts this Wednesday.

Love,
Elder Will Davidson

Life as usual

Dear Mom-
No I haven't gotten any packages from anyone as of this morning.  If we could do the same arrangements as last time.  ie. you send me contact info for your skype account and I'll just use someone from the ward.

My wrist is ok.  The day after I got the cast off I tipped over on a little foot scooter, and landed on my wrist.  I'm pretty sure I cracked the bone again, but there isn't a lot of pain unless I twist in an awkward position.  Right now I'm just trying to get movement back into the wrist by throwing a baseball, doing wall push-ups and other stuff.  I also need some handkerchiefs and stamps.  I've seen some new pixar stamps, but can't find were to get them.  A tie or two won't hurt, but please don't send them until after I leave this area.  Our apartment is really smelly.  Everything smells like smoke.  As soon as I leave this area I"m buying a new suit and getting rid of two pairs of suit pants and a jacket (the pants are dead and the jacket is old).  I have two other suits that I'll send to the dry cleaners.  I really can't think of anything else that I'm in need of.  Pictures are always a treat...so send some: people, places, flooded basements, etc.

This week has been pretty straightforward.  We enjoyed some wonderful Christmas parties in both of our wards.  I've never realized how much talent is in our home ward.  At the first party we spent most of the first hour pulling chairs and tables into the gym, because there were so many people that came.  That was one success.  In the same Christmas party we also had a 25 minute lecture on ALL the history behind Christ's birth, from Caesar to Michael.  Not the most enlightening program I've ever seen.  I did get to run the mic :).  The other party was put together better.  It was themed after an airplane ride.  We were asked to be TSA authorities with squeegees as metal detectors.  Then they played a video of a plane taking off.  The camera was in the cockpit, so that was pretty cool.  Once we reached the "Cruising" altitude the youth walked around and delivered the meal.  Really an enjoyable time.  Unfortunately Elder Conaway couldn't eat the meal because he can't eat pasta.  That was really the highlight of the week especially when one of our investigators came to the party and to church on Sunday.

In other news we found one of our lost brothers.  There is a recovery home in our area, and we were asked to go visit a man by the name of B.  After visiting with B and teaching him a little about the Book of Mormon, we got in the car to leave.  As missionaries we have to back up our vehicles.  As Elder Conaway was backing me up a young fellow walked up to us.  As soon as I saw him I knew that it was S.  A recent convert from another area who used to attend the singles ward.  He had disappeared from his apartment almost a month ago.  Upon speaking with him we discovered he had been to Cali, Maine, Florida, and several other states selling illegal substances.  He had just come to the recovery home 2 hours prior to us arriving.  Apparently he was in a rut and was walking down the street the evening before, and saw the temple lights (there's a picture on the Ensign!).  He walked in and was able to find a place to settle down.  I was so happy that we were put in the right place at the right time.  These kind of experiences happen all the time and I am so thankful for them.

With this Christmas season I'm so grateful to be a missionary.

Love you all and Merry Christmas,
Elder Davidson

Castless

Dear Mother and Friends,

I am pleased to announce that I have been freed from my Black cast.  It was a bittersweet separation from my shell.  On the down side I won't be able to use my hand as a blunt object to fix things like nails and broken bikes.  I also have a really sore wrist that doesn't really like to move.  On the plus side I can write again, and I don't get silly questions about falling on my bike.

In other news it has been a pretty good week.  We found a really nice family that went to the Christmas lights at the visitor's center.  It is a wonderful event and opportunity for people to learn about the church and our savior.  This year there is one difference.  The Elders will no longer be hosting the event.  Instead the only ones that will be hosts are the sister missionaries who work at the visitors center.  That said we are allowed to take our investigators to the lights so they can learn for themselves.  We are at the visitors center so often that soon we'll be considered the Visitor Center Elders.  The lights are not that spectacular.  They are all put up by volunteers so the quality is not as good as say the botanical gardens.  On the other hand when you go inside the Visitors Center you can really feel the spirit of Christmas.  In the large theater there are hundreds of little nativities from around the world.  My favorite is made from books that have their pages folded down so you can see a 3D image of the nativity scene.  There is another one that is carved out of a gourd.  It would be really nice if we had a good hour to just take pictures of the nativities, but sadly there is not much time.  Perhaps this afternoon we will have a chance to make it.

Another wonderful piece of the Christmas lights is you often see other people you taught.  A couple nights ago we were picking up some paper work from the center and the convert I baptized on Christmas eve last year walked up to me.  I was so excited that he was there.  I asked if he was planning on going to the temple, and he said that he was.  I got his number and I'm hoping to go through with him sometime in January.  I also met a convert from my first area, which was a good experience, but kind of sad.  He isn't doing as well as the other convert.  It was still good to see him.

We have a very interesting area.  Almost every day we run into someone who is on drugs, relapsing from drugs or selling drugs.  This is one thing that is totally new to me from back home.  According to what I've heard Mesa has a very high meth traffic.  It's pretty sad because you can see the results of that wherever you are.  In every area I have been in there have been over 7 or 8 halfway houses.  I respect that these exist for without them many of these people would not be able to get back on their feet.  On the other hand I find it so sad that there are so many that have experimented with these substances.  As far as I can see the results of this so called experiment is always the destruction of people and their families.  I am so grateful for the example of my friends and family that have helped me make wholesome decisions.  In addition I love being a missionary and helping others recover from choices that have caused havoc in their life.

In other news Merry Christmas everyone.  Already I have sung lots of Christmas hymns.  This year will truly be a special Christmas.  It is the last Christmas I get to spend devoting all my time and attention to serving The Master.  What better way can I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ than trying to be like him and following his example.  I'm about to finish the 4 gospels, and I absolutely love the Christmas story and the life of Christ.  Especially those who changed because of his example.

Well I look forward to a great week here in Arizona.

Love,
Elder Will Davidson