Wrapping up his time in Provo
Wow....That's all I can really say right now. The past three days have really been quite an experience. I would have emailed yesterday, but since it was Labor Day all the libraries are closed around here....plus they kind of had some tornado warnings....not that people around here really think twice about them! But anyway. So our flight landed in Birmingham late Friday night....Walking outside literally felt like I walked into a sauna....I could NOT BELIEVE how warm it was....and at 10 PM too! That was my welcome to the south I suppose! The humidity is probably the most foreign part to me. The best way I can describe it is like being wrapped up in a really big blanket after right after running a mile. It's not that bad, but it is definitely an adjustment.
On his way to Alabama!
We were picked up by Elder and Sister Sessions, a senior missionary couple in our mission. They took us to eat (there were 6 of us missionaries) and then to the Assistants to the President's apartments, Elder Rock and Elder Abac. They had a place for us to stay in their apartment overnight. The next morning, we went into the mission office and had a group interview with our mission president, President Holzapfl (try holes-affle). He said that he likes receiving what he calls "visa missionaries", or missionaries that are waiting on visas to serve in another country. He has said that they are typically some of the best and hardest working missionaries that he has ever had. President Holzapfl was a professor of religion at BYU. From what I have heard from a lot of the missionaries around here, he is a stud. He talked to us a little bit about how unique our mission is here, and some of the challenges that we face. One of which is the overwhelmingly-majority of the population being Baptist. I have personally found almost everyone I've met here to be extremely nice...there must be something to this "southern hospitality". Everyone is so friendly and willing to start a conversation or hold a door for you or anything like that. Once you start talking about religion is when problems pop up I think.
Testing out the bike...looking like a legit missionary now
Speaking of which, there are a few things that are taken extremely seriously here in Alabama....Jesus and Football. A lot of the missionaries here are afraid to go to tracting on Saturdays for fear of interrupting someone's football game on TV. I personally have been chomping at the bit to get out and go tracting (I haven't been yet since I've been here, but we are planning on going later tonight.) Anyway, back to the interview, our President mentioned that we would be wise to continue studying Portuguese, but to forget about Brazil. I've honestly been waiting for someone to say that to me for a long time. That has kind of been my attitude lately, but it's been hard to convince myself to buy into it. He said that no one has been here waiting for longer that 6 months for a visa. Regardless, I am going about the work here as if there was no Brazil in my future. If that's where the Lord wants me, he will get me there.
After we finished up our interview with the president, we met his wife and several other missionaries and then received our new companions. My companion was actually not at the mission office (for some reason they stayed at their apartments), so Elder Skousen (my travel companion and friend from the MTC) had Elder and Sister Rugg (another pair of senior missionaries) drive us from Birmingham to Prattsville which is about an hour south and where our apartment is. It turns out that Elder Skousen and I are living in the same apartment which is really quite a blessing, mainly because we have one another to practice our Portuguese with. So my companion is Elder Gibson from Las Vegas, Nevada. He has been out here for just about a year. He is a good guy, but hasn't had a ton of success since he has been out here, which is something that he said he would like to change. He said that he has been waiting for a "missionary like me" for a while....by that I think he means what one of the other elders described as "Greenie Fire", or someone who is extra excited to work after being in the MTC for a while. Personally, It seems like every elder should have "Greenie Fire"....I might even go as far as to expect that every missionary who wants success should be excited for this work. Hopefully I can help be a source of that drive for Elder Gibson.
Sunday we got to meet our ward, which is actually one of the biggest in AL. Almost 300 actives. We had fast and testimony meeting, and I didn't hesitate to bear my testimony. I did my best to try and get to know the members, but there were a lot of faces. To add to that, we currently have 7 missionaries assigned to one ward....kind of crazy I know. There's a little bit of "territorial claim" here....the ward boundaries are split up between the different companionships, and I feel like the other missionaries get protective if you tract or visit with members in "their" boundaries....Luckily we have plenty of people we can find in our area. That brings me to mention that there is almost zero potential investigators or activity in our area....at least as of Saturday when we arrived. I'm not sure what the missionaries here had been doing exactly, but the field really is white and ready to harvest here. Sunday after church we stopped by a less active members house, Andrea, who had invited us over. She had a ton of family over (most of whom were not members) who we met, talked to, and got contact information for (about 5 people in total). I'm really excited for some of the potential that we have here in this area.
Yesterday was Pday. Tornadoes are a real threat here, but they are pretty well set up here (especially among the missionaries) to warn and respond to any tornado threat. We have a "tornado alarm" in our apartment that is ridiculously loud. Don't worry about me....we will know well in advance if there is any threat here. We spent a lot of our P-Day sitting around not doing anything, which I really did not enjoy. I'm ready to get to work. I actually get a little bit depressed just sitting around, and it's only when I'm up and out and about that I find joy in the work. I do find joy in this work. Let that be clear.
Monday night we had dinner at a member's house, David and Ramonna. They are fantastic people. David has a problem with smoking, and hasn't been to church in a while. Between the four missionaries that were there, we tried to invite him to come to church this week, but it didn't exactly make it through to him completely. Try, try, again I suppose! I definitely have developed a love (even if it is only in the beginning stages of growth right now) for the people that I serve. I know that there are people out there who are looking for this message and the powerful changes that it brings about it people's lives. I know this work message is true! Hopefully I can find those who are ready to hear it!
Until next time,
Elder McKinley
Millbrook Alabama
After we finished up our interview with the president, we met his wife and several other missionaries and then received our new companions. My companion was actually not at the mission office (for some reason they stayed at their apartments), so Elder Skousen (my travel companion and friend from the MTC) had Elder and Sister Rugg (another pair of senior missionaries) drive us from Birmingham to Prattsville which is about an hour south and where our apartment is. It turns out that Elder Skousen and I are living in the same apartment which is really quite a blessing, mainly because we have one another to practice our Portuguese with. So my companion is Elder Gibson from Las Vegas, Nevada. He has been out here for just about a year. He is a good guy, but hasn't had a ton of success since he has been out here, which is something that he said he would like to change. He said that he has been waiting for a "missionary like me" for a while....by that I think he means what one of the other elders described as "Greenie Fire", or someone who is extra excited to work after being in the MTC for a while. Personally, It seems like every elder should have "Greenie Fire"....I might even go as far as to expect that every missionary who wants success should be excited for this work. Hopefully I can help be a source of that drive for Elder Gibson.
Sunday we got to meet our ward, which is actually one of the biggest in AL. Almost 300 actives. We had fast and testimony meeting, and I didn't hesitate to bear my testimony. I did my best to try and get to know the members, but there were a lot of faces. To add to that, we currently have 7 missionaries assigned to one ward....kind of crazy I know. There's a little bit of "territorial claim" here....the ward boundaries are split up between the different companionships, and I feel like the other missionaries get protective if you tract or visit with members in "their" boundaries....Luckily we have plenty of people we can find in our area. That brings me to mention that there is almost zero potential investigators or activity in our area....at least as of Saturday when we arrived. I'm not sure what the missionaries here had been doing exactly, but the field really is white and ready to harvest here. Sunday after church we stopped by a less active members house, Andrea, who had invited us over. She had a ton of family over (most of whom were not members) who we met, talked to, and got contact information for (about 5 people in total). I'm really excited for some of the potential that we have here in this area.
with Elder Apeland
Yesterday was Pday. Tornadoes are a real threat here, but they are pretty well set up here (especially among the missionaries) to warn and respond to any tornado threat. We have a "tornado alarm" in our apartment that is ridiculously loud. Don't worry about me....we will know well in advance if there is any threat here. We spent a lot of our P-Day sitting around not doing anything, which I really did not enjoy. I'm ready to get to work. I actually get a little bit depressed just sitting around, and it's only when I'm up and out and about that I find joy in the work. I do find joy in this work. Let that be clear.
Monday night we had dinner at a member's house, David and Ramonna. They are fantastic people. David has a problem with smoking, and hasn't been to church in a while. Between the four missionaries that were there, we tried to invite him to come to church this week, but it didn't exactly make it through to him completely. Try, try, again I suppose! I definitely have developed a love (even if it is only in the beginning stages of growth right now) for the people that I serve. I know that there are people out there who are looking for this message and the powerful changes that it brings about it people's lives. I know this work message is true! Hopefully I can find those who are ready to hear it!
Until next time,
Elder McKinley
Millbrook Alabama
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