Welcome to the new transfer, and a Labor Day weekend that pushed P-Day back to today - Tuesday. Transfers came and went; Elder Allen is now serving in Milwaukee where he will continue to ride the buses. Elder McMoore is now serving with me in the Appleton First Ward. Elder McMoore is 19 and originally from New Zealand. He started his mission at the age of 18, so he is a younger Elder. Elder McMoore and his family moved from New Zealand to Hawaii at the age of 13 (He lives across the street from BYU - Hawaii). He plays Rugby and Football. His High School team won state back to back his junior and senior year. Elder McMoore has a scholarship to play football at BYU Provo after his mission. He stands 6'2'' and he speaks Samoan. Elder McMoore has an older brother who is currently serving a mission in Italy. Serving with Elder McMoore has been a lot of fun so far. The Polynesian people are a bundle of joy and Elder McMoore is a hard worker with a great understanding of why he is here and what he should be getting out of a mission as well as putting into it. Our first couple days were slow because people were still out of town, and we had no appointments. But once Elder McMoore begins to catch the atmosphere of the area, than his experience as well as mine will be a great blessing to the people and the members here. Elder McMoore has been on a mission for 10 1/2 months, the most experienced missionary that I have ever served with. He came out of the MTC three transfers after me.

Elder McMoore is all settled in and Jammin' with me.

Goofin' with Elder McMoore

 On Friday, we got a strange call from the missionaries serving in Neenah. They were asking for help for us to move a member’s son from his apartment in Appleton. When we arrived we found that the son was a Garage Sale Treasure secure. He had odd ball stuff in his garage and in the apartment. Some of it was pretty cool like a ball in chain, a CD collection that was very impressive (a lot of originals from the 70-90s, most of the major bands) We also found a cool sign that said "We Be Jammin!" the members let us keep the sign, so Elder McMoore took it upon himself to improve the quality of our tiny apartment by hanging the sign just above our beds. I must admit, it’s pretty tight! And when we put glow stick behind it last night before going to bed... it was a sweet sight but not good for photos because of the low light. Attached are three photos: one with me and the ball in chain, another with me and the Jammin sign, and a third with the Jammin sign hanging above our beds.

 

The old Ball and Chain

 

Short Story: Last week P-Day, right after we finished up with emails. We went shopping and I found a three foot sandwich for only $10. I had to buy it, which I did, and I enjoyed my three foot sandwich. The Hmong Elders were pretty jealous. I shared some with Elder Allen :)

School starts today; this should make schedules a whole lot easier for us and our investigator families. Elder McMoore and I have spent a lot of time talking about the struggles of the area and also what good things we do have. We both see that this area has a lot more to offer and that there is potential for this area to be baptizing every month. We are blessed right now with some good families to be teaching, and a few other choice individuals that we are working with they just need to read the Book of Mormon a little more often and accept a baptismal date. Elder McMoore and I really want to tap into the potential of this area and we know that it will be very hard.

Scripture for the week: 1 Nephi 8:10-12

 10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

 11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

Thank you all, please continue to pray for the missionaries serving all throughout the world.

Love,

Elder Luymes

Elder Pounds on the left with Elder Allen on the right.  
MTC companions and best buds and I got to work with both of them.