The Mormons Need Another Taxi . . .

November 8, 2014

Dear Family,

It is so nice to hear from all of you!!  I am so glad that you are all having such a great time in life, that things are going well with school and work and all of that!!  It seems like things are going well back home!!

Elder McEwan and Hermana Kjersten Collins
(from Salem) ~ What a small world we live in!

Speaking of home, I just had an experience with how small the world really is!!  I went to the CCM today to buy some things for missionaries at the temple store.  I was just talking with Paulino, and I just hear someone say hi to us.  I turn around, and it was Kjiersten Collins!  What the!  I had heard that she had been called here, to the East mission, but I hadn't heard anything about it other than that!!  Let's just say that it was a huge surprise to see her!!  We took some pictures and then headed out!!  Great surprise!

So this week was super busy and stressful, just because of the transfers.  Up until today, I had slept a grand total of 8 or 9 hours this week.  On Monday, we finished up all of the final planning and stuff like that, and then got ready for all of the stuff on Tuesday.  All of the missionaries who are training, as well as those who were going home, came to sleep in the office, just so that we could all be ready to go on Tuesday.  Anyway, Tuesday was a super busy day!!  I was in charge of all of the transportation for the people coming, and then going back to their areas!!  It was a big responsability, but it was good.  I think I called the taxi company probably thirty times, and the people were probably tired of hearing that the Mormons needed another taxi, but all went well!!  I also was able to have a part in the capacitation of the new missionaries and trainers, as the translator for Sister Nuckols, my companions, and then for myself!!  It was super funny, because I would say something in spanish, then I would have to translate it into english for myself!!  It was a good experience though, and it seems like we have a really good group of kids!!  After all of that was over and all of the people had gone back to their areas, we cleaned the church and set off for the CCM, to be with the people who were going home!!  We ate pizza, then while they had a testimony meeting, Elder Van Katwyk (from the office) and I played ping pong.  We stayed up pretty late, and then finally went to bed!! 

Wednesday was an early day. We started to take people to the airport, and that was definately an interesting experience.  All of the people were just in shock, and didn't really know what was going on!!  They were all pretty happy though, so it was good to see that!!

A surprise note from the Hermanas thanking us for taking them
to the doctors

Thursday was just a normal day, but we were having to plan tons of things, because we had the monthly leadership conference on Friday.  We got all of that planned, and then Friday we did the actual conference!!  It was cool and a lot of fun to see all of my friends from my group who are leaders in the mission!!  It all went well, and then we went home.  Over all it was a stressful week,  but I learned lots and it was lots of fun!!  :)

So my comps name is Elder Paulino, he is a dominican who is going home in December.  There are lots of things to do in the mission, lots of things to try and fix so that they can work better, but overall everything is going great!! 

Love you all!!

Elder Garrett McEwan  :)

p.s. Thank you for the recipes mom. They are much appreciated!