Notes from Sam - 15 May 2008

Dear family,

I LOVED talking to you on Sunday. When I got off the phone, I felt like I was floating with happiness. : ) And Elder Webb's dad did eventually call, so you don't have to worry for him.

Lots of big news this week. First of all, I've been transferred. To Manchester! It's really exciting to be in the big, big city finally. Manchester and environs encompasses two of our mission's seven stakes; I'm in the Manchester stake in the Manchester South ward, which is one of the biggest wards (probably the biggest ward) in the mission. It meets in the oldest LDS chapel in England, which happens to be the chapel we all congregate to on transfer day. This is President Jacobsen's ward (although he's often visiting other ones around the mission), and has six missionaries right now. The sub-area within the ward that I'm covering has been covered by the assistants to the President for a long time (a couple of years, I think), so you can bet that the ward has a lot of trust for the missionaries and that the records for our area have been well-kept. We also have a really nice flat, with hardwood floors, two showers, and a big space-commander desk that I get to use for my morning study. My new address is
Elder Sam Pimentel
Flat 7, 2 Moor Lane
Wythenshawe, Manchester
M23 0QG
ENGLAND

The even bigger news, however, is that I'm training a new missionary! His name is Elder Adams. Here's what the mission newsletter said about him when it announced all the incoming missionaries:

Elder Carl Jay Adams is from Ammon, Idaho (near Idaho Falls). He writes, plays, and records music. He plays the piano, violin, guitar, drums and harmonica. Elder Adams loves running and he excelled in track and field events in high school (300m and 100m hurdles). He received the Idaho Top Scholar award.

When I showed that to Elder Adams last night, he said he doesn't actually play the violin very well - he just barely started taking lessons before he came out. But that still leaves him being a pretty impressive guy. : ) He's a very together person and we will have a great transfer (or hopefully two) together. He and I are both a little overwhelmed right now, though, because we are whitewashing our area (i.e. neither of us was in the area last transfer, so we are brand-new). On our very first day, we had our missionary coordination meeting, and we just sat there with glazed expressions while the other four (very competent) Manchester South missionaries went through a long stream of business with the ward mission leader. When I asked Elder Adams if there was anything that I needed explained better, he said, "Not anything that you know more about than I do." : ) But we'll get going pretty soon - we have some pretty good investigators, apparently, and our area looks good so far.

Being a trainer is a huge jump in responsibility for me - When President Jacobsen issued the call to me on Sunday night, I was really, really excited. By the time we got to the chapel on transfer day to meet the new missionaries, though, I was practically shaking because I was so nervous. Just like when I came out, President Jacobsen didn't tell either the new missionaries or the trainers who they would be serving with until we were all in the chapel. 16 new missionaries were arriving, and I was the last one to be assigned, so I was pretty tense by the time I found out which one I would be getting. Not only am I senior companion for the first time, I am whitewashing an area. And, it turns out, I'm the oldest missionary in our district. Kind of crazy stuff

I have tons more to say but I have less than 120 seconds left. I love you all! I love England! I love training! I love Manchester especially!

Love,
Elder Pimentel