Brandon's Mission Blog: Transfer Week!

This week I will have my first transfer on my mission. That means I will be leaving the area I started in and move to work somewhere else in Georgia. I've been here for about four months. The members here are awesome and I will definately miss being with them but I'm sure as a missionary it's not hard to grow to love the people you work with. :)

I am in the Cherokee spanish branch in the Marietta stake, kinda the north west corner of Georgia, and now I will be moving a tad bit east to the Cumorah branch. Biggest change I think will be the main mode of transportation there. I have had a vehicle up to this point in my mission and now I am going to a bike area. I'm down! :) It's about time I get to use my bike! Maybe I'll get to have one of those stories where I ride all the way to an appointment in the rain and they aren't there but some miracle occurs and we end up baptizing the next prophet. I don't know, I'm sure it happens more than you think!

This past Sunday we had the nice experience of attending a Southern Baptist church service. So the term 'mega-church' is used when churches try and be LDS conference centers for one congregation. This church was huge. First Baptist Woodstock Church. I have nothing bad at all to say about my experience there. My companion and five other missionaries in our suits and ties and skirts ( the sisters had the skirts. I promise I don't wear skirts to church) we went into a building which on the inside did remind be of the conference center. It was a little less formal with a bit more colorful lights and a choir and band on stage but it was cool. The main preacher wasn't there but there was a substitue who spoke about a parable Jesus gave about how 'the harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few'. Really great scripture and really great doctrine. They are honestly so right about the importance of Christ in our lives yet lack much of His Gospel, especially on the part where they believe that if you die without a relationship with Christ you go straight to hell for eternity. When put into perspective with the doctrine that has been revealed to us through prophets it is relieving to know that there will be a chance for everyone, even after death. The people were nice there and I would for sure go back another day to see a little more. :) Next church: Pentecostal. I hear they have a pretty good time at church.

Well that would seem to be it for now. We are going to be heading off to a barbecue that is being held in another ward. But our missionary tags are like a VIP pass to all church activities everywhere. So It's all good :)

Stay safe! Have fun! You only live once, at least in this mortal state of probation, so be smart!

Elder Vance

P.s. Just wanted to give a quick update about the Rodolfo and his wife that I talked about in my last email. We did go back and talk more with them. They didn't read the assignment we gave them :( But we have not lost hope! I won't be here any longer but I'm sure Elder Rindlisbacher will take good care of them.

P.s.s. Sorry about any spelling errors. Spell Check isn't working right now :(