Elder Warczak is Alive

My deepest apologies for not writing last week. Indeed I was unable to get to the local computer lab to do so, not having a car is becoming a burden. Well, today is transfer day, and guess what!?!?! Elder Warczak is now serving in...the granger stake. Yup, I'm STAYING here in West Valley with Elder Burkard another transfer! A six month area, whoah. I thought I would be upset to be here another six weeks, but when I found out I thought, "Well, I love the members here. Thanksgiving will be amazing because I will know which houses to go to and which to avoid (some people's idea of food is...interesting, to say the least). I don't have to make nice with a new companion. And we have some new investigators that I believe will be getting baptized, so now I won't miss out on those." So all in all, I am happy. I know the Lord wants me here another six weeks for a reason. Perhaps He needs me to step up or learn something here before I can move on. Whatever it is, I am making sure to do everything I can. I love this stake, and I want to go out with a bang. Next transfer I am 99% sure I will be leaving, I don't believe President Winn would keep me in one area longer than six months, unless I was in a leadership position or in a program like the Tongan or Swahili programs that covers the entire valley.

The past two weeks have been incredible. The Salt Lake Valley had their regional conference two Sundays ago. It was held in the conference center, and all 71 stakes in the valley were able to watch. Granger stake was one of eleven invited to attend it live, so Elder Burkard and I sat down in front, the seventh row! Elder Evans of the presidency of the seventy spoke, along with the church primary president, Elder Nelson of the twelve apostles, and President Uchtdorf. I was so close to them I didn't have to watch the giant screens to see them. Amazing. They talked on missionary work, how we need more missionaries, and better quality of missionaries! It made me happy to know that I was on a mission doing my best to serve.

Later that week, we had a mission tour, where a general authority of the church comes and speaks to all the missionaries in the Salt Lake mission. Elder Evans, the same one that spoke at regional conference, was assigned to speak to us. We were trained by him for six hours! We all got to meet him and shake his hand. I learned so much, I have seven pages of notes!

I feel like winter will fly by. With Thanksgiving coming up and then on to Christmas, these months will flash right before my eyes, and then onto Spring! I am pumped to listen to Christmas music, it's the greatest. The music rule is we can listen to any song that is in the church hymn book, so I'll be getting all kinds of Christmas music by various artist. Hey, N'SYNC has a Christmas album, they sing hymns on there, right!?!? Hahaha I know, I'm a funny guy! I look forward most to the lights at Temple Square. What a wonderful spirit at the temple during Christmas. I hope we can take many investigators there to experience it.

Thanks to everyone that sends me cards and letters updating me on home life and what's going on. It really means a lot to me to receive a letter of encouragement from my friends. Keep 'em coming!

Love,

Elder Scotty