First off, I was transferred to Hamilton this week. It's a small town in Northwest Alabama, and we are in the Tupelo, Mississippi Stake. My new companion is Elder Porter, who has been out for about 3 months. He just finished being trained by my former companion Elder Vanderhoff. Haha it makes for some funny stories. Plus he does lots of dumb spontaneous impressions like me, so we have some funny/random conversations. Also, I just got an email from the Church Missionary Department this week, and they will be changing all missionary emails soon. Instead of "@myldsmail.net" the new emails will be "@missionary.org."
This week was awesome. One thing that's really cool about the area is our house. We don't live in an apartment, like when I was in Montgomery. In fact, I don't even know if there are apartments in this town besides senior living and the projects. There might be. Anyway, our house is huge and really cool, and we even have a storm shelter in the backyard. There is also a pond out back that we can go fishing in, though I'm not a huge fisherman.
The average branch attendance is about 40, which is what I'm used to as a missionary. I enjoy it. It's going to be odd to be back in a ward of several hundred when that day arrives. Elder Porter and I have been assigned to be the counselors in the branch presidency haha. It's pretty cool I guess. We just sit on the stand and conduct Sacrament Meeting sometimes, and have Branch Presidency and branch council meetings weekly. It's a good way to get to know people in the branch rather quickly.
On Sunday, President Ennis, the Branch President, asked us to go deliver the Sacrament to his dad, Jerry. He told us that Jerry had a stroke about a year ago, but Jerry didn't believe that he had. It was good to go see and visit with him for a bit. His state kind of seemed about like if someone had really mild Alzheimer's. However he was very kind, and very appreciative. He also asked us to give him a blessing, and it was a great experience to be able to do so.
Also on Sunday about halfway through Sacrament Meeting, President Ennis announced that the choir would be doing a number, and Elder Porter leans over to me and says, "Oh yeah, I probably should have told you this, but we're in the choir." Haha so we got up and sang and it went great. Luckily it was a song that I was familiar with.
There is an awesome recent convert in our branch named Christal that we go visit fairly often. She has 2 twin daughters named Ashley and Alexis, who aren't super eager to attend church with her or commit to do anything, but Christal is just solid and keeps inviting them to stuff. I think that eventually they'll come around. I know that they have noticed a huge change in their mom since she started learning about the gospel and since she was baptized. I didn't know her before, but I've heard she has had quite the turn around. I'm thankful for the gospel, and how living it will soften hearts, and change people for the better. As King Benjamin said, "I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God, for they are blessed in all things..." I know that when we keep the commandments, honor our covenants, and strive our best to follow the teachings and the example of the Savior, we are truly blessed in all things. Life is still tough sometimes, but it is always much more joyful and fulfilling. I have seen that, and I know Christal has as well. It's a great thing to witness, and a great thing to experience.
Hope y'all have an awesome week! Happy Valentine's Day this week too! Love y'all!
Elder Beach
#RollTide
PS - A member that we had a team-up with may or may not have (but definitely did) run over a dog with his car while we were with him. Ummmm....all dogs go to heaven, right?
Good-bye, Elder Corbett!
Missionaries going home this week.
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