This week has definitely been a week of change, and I feel that this is a turning point in my mission, the ending of an era and the dawning of a next. Sorry for the over-dramatization. But seriously though it's like my life has flipped a 180 from what I've gotten used to over the last 7 months.Monday was my last P-day in Memphis. We went bowling for an hour, then we cut each other's hair, then we went to the Benitez's house for 2 hours to say goodbye and eat dinner one last time. Then we went and had dinner with the Dunn's in East's area.
Monday night it snowed 4 inches, which is a ton for Memphis, so the city shut down, and transfers were postponed (a huge blessing for me because I hadn't even started packing at that point.) So I spent one more day in Memphis, and I spent most of it packing. So fun.
On Wednesday we called Hermano Ausencio Mendez, the oldest active member in the Memphis Branch, to give us a ride. He's helped us out a ton, and he didn't fail us this time either. He drove us 40 minutes in the snow and ice till we got to Bartlett. Luckily all my stuff, including my bike, fit in his SUV. What a champ. Shortly after our arrival, Elder Barron showed up. I forgot to mention that he's Elder Diaz's new companion! I think they will do well together, Elder Barron started his mission in East Memphis, and served there for 7 months, before coming to Jonesboro and serving with me, so he knows the area and the Branch pretty well.
Anyways I started talking to Elder Barron and the other missionaries there, and got so distracted that I forgot to put my things in the transfer trailer. As it started to pull away, and the transfer van started to leave, Elder Barron said: "Elder Smalley, you're supposed to be leaving with them." Oh crap. I booked it in a dead out sprint towards the Chevy Silverado pulling the trailer, just as it was about to turn of out the parking lot. I stepped on a big patch of ice right before I got to the truck and hit my knee pretty hard on the ground, bounced back up mid-stride and knocked on the window and told Elder Stiles-Culver (he's now the office Elder) that I hadn't put my stuff in yet. He just smiled and sighed. We ended up just throwing my stuff in the back of the transfer van. As I climbed, into the transfer van, everyone was looking at me. "Sorry everyone." I felt pretty stupid. As I climbed in, I got a really bad cramp in my calf, but I was already sitting down, so I just had to bear it out for the ride to North Little Rock.
The ride over was super fun. I got to tell everyone all the funny stories about Elder Diaz, and trust me: there are plenty of them.
When we got to North Little Rock, Elder Merrill and Elder Anderson were waiting there for us. Elder Short and I were to spend the day with them. Elder Anderson was trained by Elder Giles, so he's my grandson. He's a super cool kid. He's from a small town just north of Denver. He and Elder Merrill had plenty of fun stories to tell us about. They got into a car chase because they break checked a guy driving behind them one day, and this guy got super mad and chased them through half of Little Rock. They eventually lost him, but were worried about all the speed violations that would go on Elder Anderson's driving report due to the computer called tiwi that tracks our driving and tells us to slow down and reports us to the mission office if we don't slow down. Well, according to Elder Sorensen, the mission vehicle coordinator, Elder Anderson's driving record was completely clean, and we have no idea how. That's nothing short of a miracle.
Anyways we had a blast hanging out with those guys. It was fun to see Elder Merrill again. I really enjoyed being his companion, towards the end was a little rough. Sometimes it's just hard when you live with someone 24/7 for 4 and a half months. But we are still friends and that's what matters.On Thursday I met my second son. His name is Elder Alonzo. He is from Guatemala also, but his family has been been living in Oklahoma City for the last three years. He came straight to the field from his house, no MTC. He is very humble, obedient, and full of love for the people.
So we are actually living in Dardanelle Arkansas, but our area is is Danville since we serve in the Danville Branch. Dardanelle is literally just across the Arkansas river from Russellville, so I'm pretty much where I started out my mission again.
One Friday we contacted a referral named AN, and she is the most golden person I have met on my mission. She said she ordered a Book of Mormon because every Mormon she has met is so happy and she wants to know why. She was so excited to read it. Pray for her please.
I know this work is true. I love my Savior. I love all y'all. Have a wonderful week!
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