Teaching Michael... (6/19/2013)

(Short preface to this letter.  Liz is part of an e-mail group of Missionary Moms whose sons and daughters are serving out on the East Coast.  She let the group know about the new Mission President's farewell and where it was.  Consequently, when Liz, Amanda and I went up to President and Sister Cooke's farewell, we got to meet the parent's and siblings of 5 other missionaries in Chance's mission.).  Liz has also gotten the information out to them about Chance's current Mission President's homecoming in July. 

Hey everyone!!

That's way awesome about being able to meet up with all of the families of those Elders at the Cooke's farewell! I know three of the Elders.  Donald, Jelitto, and Gardner. Jelitto was actually my ZL last transfer and then I was transferred and he was put into the Spanish program. 

I'm glad to hear that you are going to President and Sis. Matsumori's homecoming too! At transfer meeting last time we sang our mission song and then we sang an extra verse about President and Sister M that pretty much made everyone cry. We all are going to miss them a lot, but we know how great President Cooke, his wife and kids are going to be.

So this past week we have been teaching Michael! Unfortunately he is homeless and smokes. We taught him about the restoration and then a few days later part of the Plan of Salvation.  We committed him to live the Word of Wisdom. He said that he would try to live it but then a couple of days later we heard a few people tell us that they saw him smoking again.  So we will be going back to have a talk with him about that. :)

My area has a lot of poorer people in general and it's got it's share of ghetto houses. A lot of people are pack rats and they have lots of animals.  There have been a couple of times that we've needed a gas mask to go into their house because it smells so bad of animal waste. We also cover a lot of cities. Our apartment has four Elders as apartment-mates.  Me, Elder Gilbert (my comp, Sandy Utah), Elder Giles (DL Idaho Falls, ID) and his companion Elder Tavana (from Samoa/Hawaii).

I have to run but I love you all, 

Bye!

Elder Chance Gold

(kisses Mom's cheek) :)