Week 23: All Systems Go

June 22, 1988

Trudy was released from the hospital on Wednesday, June 15.  We stopped by her place on Thursday and showed here video, Nephi and the Brass Plates.

In the afternoon I went on a bike ride with Tango up to Marina. Our purpose was to check on a contact but they were not at home. Suddenly I started to feel a little bit sick, I was looking it too, or so Tango said. We stopped by to see some members who live in the same trailer park as the contact we tried to visit. They gave me an apple and that really hit the spot.

We started back to Seaside and somewhere on the bike path between the two towns and west of Fort Ord and the freeway, my new bike, which I have hardly ridden, suffered a mechanical failure. One of the pedal struts came loose and I could no longer peddle. The trail we were on is full of little hills which complicated our return home. Tango towed me along the flats and down the hills, but I had to walk up the hills. Naturally, it took us quite some time to get home.

In the evening I went on team-ups with Tango and stake missionaries from the Marina ward – which, by the way, is called the Seaside Ward, while the Seaside ward which Spandau and I cover is called the Carmel Ward. First we had a scripture study class with a new member, then we went on to Fort Ord to give a member presentation. Fun day! 

We went on to Fort Ord twice on Friday.  First Spandau and I went to check on a referral, who was not at home.  In the evening we went on team ups with a stake missionary who is in the Army and assigned to Fort Ord -- which greatly simplified getting on the base.  We went to a barracks to see an investigator but he was off base as part of a funeral detail.

On Saturday, we drove over to Salinas for interview with President Douglas. I was up first and I talked about Trudy and the improvement here over Palo Alto.  On the way back to Seaside we hopped over to Carmel Valley and stopped at the Talbot tie factory outlet store. I bought two ties for about two bucks. They are what might be called “B-unit” ties. Originally worth as much as $80.00, a tiny flaw reduced them to a buck apiece.  In the evening we visited a member and then checked on a referral that was not at home. 

On Sunday, Elder Tango and I filled the font at the stake center for two different baptisms.  First the elders from Salinas, followed by the sister missionaries in our district.  During their ceremony, while the participants changed after the baptism itself, the sisters showed a new video called Together Forever.  Wow, what a great video!

On Monday, Spandau gave me the opportunity to plan our work for the day.  I picked out three streets to tract in the morning, and we got a call back.  In the evening we had a dinner appointment out in Carmel Valley. We showed our hosts the video Together Forever after dinner. 

We taught Trudy the third and fourth discussions on Tuesday morning. It went very well and all systems are go for her baptism on the twenty-six. This truly is a spectator sport. It is the spirit that converts and it is awesome to be here to see it happen. How did I get so lucky? We have another appointment scheduled for Thursday to teach Trudy the fifth and sixth discussions. Her interview is scheduled for Saturday.

The transfer calls went out while we were back at the flat having lunch.  Spandau is being transferred to Belmont-San Mateo up in the San Francisco zone. My new companion will be Elder Friend (I've already give his real name in other posts at this blog, so there is no need to change it now) who will be the senior companion. We took the rest of the day off so Spandau could pack and get ready.

Early this morning we drove up to Salinas to meet the transfer van.  The van's first stop in always in Salinas where it picks up a small U-Haul trailer for the luggage.  Late in the afternoon, the van returns to Salinas and drops of the trailer before making its last stop in Watsonville, if necessary.  So, we had to wait all day for the van to come back with Elder Friend.  We hung around with Elder Juliett, who has been called to be a trainer and a district leader.  Wow, from junior comp to DL in one transfer, that's impressive, but not really surprising.

Anyway, we played some basketball and did some other stuff while waiting for the transfer van's afternoon stop.  When Elder Friend finally arrived, we drove back down to Seaside to get him settled in.  He seems like a cool guy, and we have already found a common interest -- airplanes.

Tomorrow we will be teaching Trudy the fifth and sixth discussions and she will have her baptismal interview with Elder Tango on Saturday.

Well, that all folks.

Love

Douglas