Elder White:
Well, the library was closed last week and yesterday, so it's been a while since I've written. I'm not sure if I remember how any more. From the 16th (the day Elder Grow flew home) to the, well. . . until now, I've been sick with what folk round here call, "The Crud." I don't know what it is, but it ain't feel no good.

         On Christmas Eve, the Mt.Olive Elders and I drove back to Albertson which felt just like coming home again, and we went to the Stainbacks for part of the night, yes I spelled that name right, and she needed help putting the star on the Christmas tree. She didn't have a step ladder (it was a tall tree and she isn't all that tall), so Elder King and Elder Brown boosted me up so that I was standing up while they held my feet and all three of us put the star on the tree--Now that's comp unity for you.

         After we left the Stainbacks, we went to the Jones family. They are just about as good a family as they come. We went to their home for a White Elephant party with 32 of their closest family members.  'Twas the most exciting White Elephant party I've been to. There were 3 or 4 real good presents in there, like custom-made knives and a claypigeon-throwing machine, but by the end of the party we walked out with 3 pounds of sausage, and about a quart of hot sauce. However, right before we walked out, we were sitting around the table talking, and lo-and-behold, there was a knock at the door. And who could've it been on Christmas Eve? We looked, and it was Santa Claus knocking at the door, which was odd, considering they do have a chimney, after all, but either way--we let him in of course! It turns out no one even knew who it was, just a random old guy with a big white beard who was going around making a random appearances at Christmas Parties he could see from the road. We talked to him for about 10 minutes, took pictures, and gave him some cookies for the road. Seeing as there is no snow here, Santa's mode of transportation by choice was motorcycle--just in case you were curious.

         On Christmas Day we made it to the Albertson Ward to sing in the choir, and then we quickly drove to Mt.Olive just in time for their Sacrament meeting. The Mt. Olive Ward has some real musical talent. President Jones' family there (unrelated to the above-mentioned Jones clan) sang the classic hymn, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and we could've recorded it and put it on a Christmas album. That may have been the best musical number I've heard sung in a Sacrament meeting. Even their 9 year-old daughter sang better than I ever will--it was amazing. On Christmas we ate breakfast, brunch, lunch, a big afternoon snack, dinner, and still more deserts after that, which was probably the most I have eaten in a 24-hour period. We had a Breakfast casserole at Stake President Jones' house which was enough calories for 2 days straight. I got their family to sing Elder King, “Happy Birthday,” which was pretty good, considering their oldest son is already a very successful musician with his band, ‘Red Hill, ‘named after his grand dad's business in the Albertson area.

     On the 24th we got transfer calls and I will be staying here Albertson! And, I have been assigned to train a new missionary. That meant I had to be in Portsmouth, Virginia before 9am, and its a 4-hour drive the way we have to go.... so we drove with Elder Pitts, because he had to go up to Virginia also. At the trainers' meeting I met my new companion, Elder Pruitt from little-old Rigby, Idaho out-in-the-country, so he will do well here. We then drove in the transfer van 3 hours to Greenville (pronounced Green-vole), where Ben Jones picked us up to drive another hour and 15 minutes home to Albertson. We did stop for some real-deal whole-hog North Carolina BBQ on the way back and I made him try Cheerwine, which is a cherry soda that's from around here in NC.

         Since Elder Pruitt got here we have already taught a ton of lessons, met all of the really great members in the ward, did some bodywork for our investigator, Vincent, on an old Audi he was working on, had Sunday lunch with Betty Jo, James Jones and the rest of their family (where the Christmas party was), and we even watched the Zeagler boys almost blow up their dog by accident with fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Don't worry, they didn't hurt the dog, but some of its long shaggy fur was on fire. . . . We put it out. The dog got loose and tried to eat a firework, but the firework went off right before he could bite it. For all who are mothers: just know we are all safe, nobody is hurt, and we all safely made it into the start of a new year! My New Years resolution is to eat more of this good country cookin’ before it's too late, and yes, yes, become a better missionary! Until next time, have a blessed week, y'all!

 

--Elder White