Thursday, August 7, 2014

The Bed Bug...Written 8/4/2014

Mom, How to make a missionary mom get completely freaked out in just two words. Bed Bug. Elder G found a (singular) bed bug in the apartment. We had apartment checks on Tuesday and they said nuke the place by Friday and that they'd call an exterminator to come out and check the place. I forgot to tell you but we were supposed to move out of our apartment Friday because it's is time for a new apartment according to the mission office. Anyways, the exterminator did his preliminary check on Wednesday and found no bed bugs just a few bed bug droppings. So we probably found the bed bug of the apartment. However, we aren't allowed to move out of the apartment until next Friday after the exterminator comes this Wednesday to spray the place down. Most of this last Thursday was spent packing up the apartment into boxes and bags until we got a visit from one of the senior missionaries at 5pm telling us the exterminator and apartment news. So our apartment is mostly packed up and will remain so for a week. The mission office wants to be sure that the bed bugs are completely taken care of before the move. That way we don't have to repeat the process of possible bed bugs in a new apartment. Everything is fine and there have been no bites here. They just want to make sure that there isn't one or two bed bugs hanging around.

Last week on Monday we went to do service at a place called A Wider Circle. It is an organization that is trying to end poverty. It completely supplies impoverished people with anything they want: clothing, furniture, toys, beds, supplies, etc. Most of the mission went to the service project. I helped out at first at the kids corner where there were children's toys and other items. We organized the entire section and made it look more like a showroom. (The place wants it to appear like a showroom so he people don't feel less than anyone else.) When that was done I went downstairs in the warehouse organizing and sorting their donations. It was a fun time and I enjoyed being there.

I'm glad Cousin Camp was a hit and it certainly sounds like you had boatloads of fun and had quite the busy week. My week stayed busy as well but it was filled with tons of fun too.

Monday night we visited with one of our less-active members and invited her to come to church. On Tuesday my companion and I taught a new investigator and set up a return appointment with her this week. Her husband is also friends with us so we are hoping that he can become a new investigator as well. We also taught another of our investigators and helped her with her English in the evening.

Wednesday was our temple trip (same as yours for the Cousin Camp). I brought a name and completed his initiatory and endowment. It was a great time at the temple. There is something even more wonderful about bringing a name to the temple. We saw the newest of the three new temple videos which I really enjoyed. It's amazing what you can learn from each visit from the temple. Thank you so much for getting so many of my names done at the temple. You and any of the family are welcome to take any names I find for any temple trip, Cousin Camp, or just because.

We also dropped off a table and chairs along with some other supplies at the mission office that we got donated from members. The mission has to furnish 5 new senior couple apartments and they're busy collecting all that they can. They've finally gotten enough supplies for the new apartments. On Friday, my companion and I taught our progressing investigator the law of tithing and also fasting. She accepted it and is really making some great progress. We also were able to teach one of the families in the ward that night and had a great lesson on the Book of Mormon. In the late evening we did some quick service for one of her sisters in the ward.



Saturday was the Nationals Baseball game. When you said I keep having too much fun this was not the week to disprove that. It was the Washington Nationals versus the Philadelphia Phillies. The Nationals crushed the Phillies 11-0. We all arrived in our districts and made our way into the stadium. It was a really fun game to watch and hang out with  hundreds of missionaries and members. It brought back a lot of memories of going and seeing the Angels play in Anaheim or the Padres down in San Diego. At the end of the game one of the Elders found a little store in the Park that was having a sale on some of the official Nats Hats for $10, I picked up two hats that were normally $40. It was a sweet deal first because they were selling them that cheap in the Park and second because the street vendors outside were selling the knockoff hats for more (~$15) that didn't look nearly as nice. Stores here that sell Nats Hats run from about $25-$60 depending on the hat. When the game ended, President Cooke had us leave by districts with the district with the Zone Leaders leaving last after all of the districts in their zone had gotten on the metro.


Sunday, one of the investigators I started teaching in Germantown, got baptized. He is the Dad of the 8-year old that we taught and was baptized. It was great to see him be baptized and see that decision he made actually happen. I'm glad that I was able to go to the service and see him there and watch one of the investigators I taught be baptized.

This coming Wednesday is Transfers (not that I need to tell you). We didn't receive the normal call-out from the Zone Leaders on Saturday night due to the Nationals' Game. Sunday Morning we received a call out from the Assistants for the entire mission on who was leaving or staying in the area. In my current district, over half of us are leaving our areas; Only Elder A, Elder G, and a Sister Missionary will be staying in their areas. My time on the mission will continue in another area as I will be leaving Montgomery Village South. I took a few pictures already with some of the ward members and an investigator. So now you'll have some proof I do some work out here and don't just party all the time.


 

Dad, I hope you are enjoying having everyone back home now and that you're enjoying yourself. It certainly sounds like you got a lot done at the house while they were away. Work sounds like it is about the same as when I left.

Everyone in the ward has been telling me I'm losing a lot of weight. My grey suit looks like it eats me and I'm probably going to find a tailor to get it more manageable. I'm down a few pounds (Mom's note: more than 5). I still have a lot to go and I'm hoping to continue to lower my weight. I'm not starving or anything but being on bike gives me a lot of cardio workouts.

Transfers are this Wednesday and I will be leaving Montgomery Village South. I don't know where yet but we will find out probably on Tuesday night.
Love,
Elder Braden Dahl

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