Thursday, December 3, 2009 - Another one into the fold

Howdy!

There's an expression that people use: " *such and such will happen* when hell freezes over!" We just had snow in Abilene, Texas. Does that count?

The last couple days, we've been getting rain and cold weather. At night, the two would combine and the result is that the following morning... there's snow randomly in patches on the ground. I've met residents here who have never seen snow in their life. I guess this is their chance.

We had a baptism on Sunday for a nine-year-old boy. They asked me to perform it. It was the first time I had ever done a baptism myself. It went a lot quicker than I expected. I'm just glad I got it right the first time. Right after coming out of the water, he commented that he was glad that no part of his body floated to the top.

We were also going to have a baptism this coming Sunday, but she is still drinking tea. We thought it would be the easiest thing to get rid of, but I figured, if it's part of the Word of Wisdom, obviously God didn't think it was so easy. We are still confident that she can be baptized. She has a great testimony and a great spirit.

I'm still sick. My cold is in its final stages, the last being a lingering dry cough. Exactly a year ago (in Midland), around Halloween time, I got a cold. As I was getting over it, I got some kind of stomach virus from something I ate. Now, a year later, I got a cold around Halloween time, and, as I was getting over it, I got some kind of stomach virus from something I ate. Last time, it was a Mexican buffet. This time, I don't know what it was, but it sure tasted great coming back up. First time I threw up in many years. It felt awful, but afterwards, it felt much better. Funny how those things are. (I guess it's like repentance - it doesn't feel good while you're doing it, but you'll feel much better after.)

We also had transfers this week. A lot of changes happened. Elder Cherrington and I are still serving together, but Elder Allred, Sister Wallwork, Sister Westover, and Elders Rasmussen and Wakefield left. Elder Allred is training in Midland. Sister Wallwork is training in Amarillo. Elder Lowe is training here in Abilene. Sweetwater got whitewashed. Now, our district is all of Abilene and Sweetwater, and Eastland is now part of the Brownwood district. The ones who came in are Sis Ficken, Elder Clove (a greenie), and Elders Rackley and Hansen for Sweetwater. It was pretty crazy. After the transfer bus left, we all went to New York Pizza for supper and got to know each other.

It's going to be an exciting transfer.

I know the Church is true.

I love you! take care.

-Elder Brandon Wong

P.S.: Isn't it interesting how it's always cold and rainy in Abilene at transfer time?