Dec. 1, 2014 in Huntersville, NC, New Companion Elder S

Elder S is my new companion and he is super great!! He has 3 months left and is also our district leader. He's from Provo and is 21 but looks young like me still, so Brother K is fondly referring to us as the "Deacon Elders." Haha, it's great :). 

We are working hard. Thanksgiving was great and life is good in Huntersville. We are visiting lots of members and getting to know them better. We sent them all a "Happy Thanksgiving" text and have been visiting and serving them. One neat experience was at dinner yesterday. We finished dinner and shared a message, and just before we left we realized we hadn't cleared the dishes. We went to the table and I cleared while Elder S washed the dishes. Sister D said "Wow, we've never had missionaries do that before." It was great!!

So as far as transfers, they work this way. On Saturday we get a phone call telling us if we're going and what time the transfer meeting is. Then we pack our stuff if we are leaving kinda throughout Saturday to Monday. Then on Tuesday, we all go to the transfer meeting and they have the departing missionaries bear testimony and usually there is a special musical number (this time it was Savior, Redeemer of My Soul and it was sooo good!!!!!!).

Then President C calls groups of missionaries to the front, and from all those gathered in front, he calls the companionships. Then once all the transfers are taken care of, President and Sister C share testimony and we close with the NCCM mission song, which always makes the departing missionaries cry. 

"We sure love Ya North Carolina, and we pray you'll receive His word. No place else we go could be finer, for this is where we've come to serve the Lord." 

Then we close, everyone grabs baggage, bikes, media orders, and everything else missionaries need. We also get a couple minutes while this is going on to say "Hi" to any past companions or MTC friends or anyone else you know. (I saw Elder J, my MTC zone leader, at this last one. He is now companions with Elder B!!) After that, we all head to our areas and start a'workin and the departing missionaries head to the mission home for a last night devotional from President and Sister C. Then the departing missionaries fly home the next day. Pretty snazzy, huh!?

Our 5th Sunday Lesson at church was all about consecrating our time, talents, and energy to the Lord and in the 3rd hour, the W's asked the group how they make church service a blessing to their families. I shared how when I was little, whenever you had home teaching and your partner couldn't go, you would bring me along as your "companion." I heard one brother a couple rows back say to himself, "that's a great idea."  I think so too  ;) 

Have you seen "He is the Gift"?  It's the best!!
 He is the Gift 

Well, I love you soooo much!!!! Thanks for the emails!!

Love you Elder Branch