Oh Hey I'm Training!

Well family looks like another transfer bites the dust! This transfer was only five weeks because of the explosion of missionaries at the MTC...they have to come earlier for one reason or another. Anyway, looks like my time here in Little Valley has already come to an end! That was short! It's been a great transfer though...we had another baptism this past Saturday! We baptized another 11 year old named Carson! I never even got to teach him anything and have seen him like three times before but either way his baptism was awesome! His parents are inactive and haven't really given Carson a lot of support. He was supposed to get baptized like all the way back in August but it kept getting pushed back until now. Well we got him in the water! I just hope the ward can keep this little guy active. Things have been picking up with Emmy and a new nine year old named Kaden. Kaden's already on date for March 9th and Emmy is opening up more and making progress. We talked to another lady this week named Leslie who is a non member that has read the Book of Mormon cover to cover...and she read it not to attack or find fault in it but to gain insight from it. That's what we call a "golden investigator" if you've ever heard that term haha. She told us her only problem with mormons is that they seem to worship Joseph Smith a little too much and Jesus Christ not enough. Perfect opportunity for lesson 1! Well we set up an appointment for Wednesday but unfortunately I'll be gone by then. I'm just glad we finally found someone elect after 5 weeks of searching! Cool!

So anyway we were making the transition from coordination meeting to our dinner appointment last night and at about 5:10 pm or so President Leonard called us. Now, usually if President calls for transfers that means you're getting called to leadership of some sort. Well, both of us were expecting to train since we need 30+ trainers this transfer. We were right! President talked to me first and basically said, "Elder Payne, we need you to be a trainer this transfer...you will be training a new missionary and you will be opening up an additional area in the Buena Vista stake in St. George!" and I said "Cool thanks President!" haha So yeah I'm training! Buena Vista is as far as I know a lot like Little Valley and there are Sister missionaries there right now. Me and my new companion will be sharing the area with them, so that'll definitely be interesting! I'm not exactly sure how that will all work out but I'll take it as it comes. We have a car! I'm designated driver...again! I have been my whole mission haha ugh. We'll probably just park it until P-day haha I need some more exercise! Oh well! But yeah I'm actually pretty excited because I've been the big JC for 8 months and now it's time to try something different as a missionary. Should be fun!

Anyway we have a trainer's meeting on Wednesday night and Thursday morning "los gringos" will be arriving for their orientation. I won't know who my new companion will be until then! In the mean time there's changes going on all over the mission, so the missionaries who will be taking over Little Valley will be coming tomorrow to be with Elder Betham and I'll have to camp out with my new zone leaders for a day....Elder Lords and Elder Gomez! Woohoo I haven't seen Elder Gomez for like 17 weeks! I'll chill in their area until I get my new companion, then it's back to work! As for Elder Betham, he's training and opening up a new area for less active work in the St. George east stake. He covers three wards and will share them with the St. George East elders. Oh and he's going to be a district leader over there too! He didn't want to train or be district leader haha but that's how it goes. They're opening up a new zone there...the St. George Central zone and the zone leaders there will be Elder Wade and Elder Holmstead! Remember them? Holmstead was my MTC comp for three weeks! I've only seen him once out here in the field so I'm excited to see him. Apparently Elder Ramirez will be training up in Cedar North haha he definitely doesn't like training! But yeah there's a ton of changes taking place this transfer and pretty much everyone's a part of it!

Well I love you guys have a great week please and choose the right!

Love, Elder Payne!