Trainer!

I'm Staying!

AND I'M TRAINING!

I will admit, that I am sad to see Elder Reese go, he's a pretty cool cat, but I am really stoked to be able to train a new missionary. I feel like a big boy now. Elder Reese is going to Harryet Oklahoma. They spell things really weird here, and if it's not spelt weird, it's pronounced weird. 

It's been a pretty great week, we FINALLY hit the mission standard of excellence as far as total number of lessons taught, which is an awesome achievement for us. When I came in, the area was doing about 7 lessons a week, and we finally got it up past 20 this week. Our teaching pool is getting better and better, and Elder Reese keeps complaining that I and my trainee are going to get to see the results of all his hard work. Since I'm training, it is also probable that I will be here in Bentonville through Christmas, which is awesome. 

The great thing about this week, was that's not the most awesome news I've got for all y'all. On Saturday, I was on exchanges with the Sugar Creek ward. Those are the ones who lived with us for a few weeks. We got a call at about 8 asking if we could help move some people, so we threw on our service clothes, picked up Elder Reese and Elder Powers from the 1st Ward apartment, and drove off into the sunrise. We arrived shortly after 9, and started moving heavy things into a big truck. Everything was pretty well boxed up and ready to go, but it was not the most organized move I've ever been to. There were a few guys in the truck yelling out what they wanted to be packing next. "Boxes! We need boxes!" everybody would scatter and look for some more boxes. By the time some of us found a box that wasn't already packed, the new call would be "BAGS! Give us bags of stuff! We need bags!" So we'd put the boxes down, and grab a bag if we could find one. Then they'd change it again, "GET THAT COUCH IN HERE! We don't want any of those dumb bags! Get the couch!!" This went on for about an hour, and eventually there were so many people running around being helpful, and because I had no idea whether they wanted boxes or couches, I sat down on a cooler and enjoyed some leftover Halloween candy that the lady who was moving offered us. As I was enjoying a nice Twix bar, Elder Reed got an assignment from somebody to go and move some other less-active lady. So off we went.

 After about 3 hours of moving extremely heavy furniture that we were sure contained rocks or perhaps baby elephants, we took a lunch break. After our break, we went over to our investigator, Dawn's, and helped her move all of her stuff. It wasn't heavy, but it also wasn't packed very well. We had two pickups and four guys and we got it done. I had to carry a piece of carpet that served as a rug, that reeked of dog urine. If she wasn't such an awesome lady who's growing so strong, I might have quit. So we moved from about 9 until 4. I was very tired. Dawn has started to read the Book of Mormon and has been improving her prayers. She said her first out loud prayer the other day and we were very proud of her. She said she felt awesome, and after the move, she said the prayer without us even asking. She is doing great. In her own words, "The lights are starting to get brighter."

The ward and I are sad to see Elder Reese go, but everyone is excited to get a brand new missionary. Bentonville is awesome. I love it here. 

Fam, and friends, keep on keepin on. This church is the Church of Jesus Christ, The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we are blessed to have a prophet on the earth who receives revelation for this day and age directly from the Lord Himself. I have seen the blessings of the gospel explode into people's lives and make huge differences for them. The fruits of the Gospel are obvious and very tasty. 

I love you all to pieces and can't wait to see you again.

So this first one is Elder Reese and I with Dylan Barland at his baptism. The second one is Elder Reese dressed as spiffy as he possibly could. Thought you guys would enjoy that.

Love, 

Elder Christopher Drake