Greetings from Kenosha Wisconsin! My first impression – it’s still cold and windy. We had the coldest week here in Kenosha. Of course the cold and windy weather wasn't only for us. It hit all of Wisconsin, and the wind chill was probably in the negative teens, or maybe -20 on the big gusts. But my stay in Kenosha has been great so far. The Ward is so much larger than any of the Wards that I have previously served in, especially the Germfask group, which only had 21 active members while I was serving there. My address for Kenosha is:

Elder Andrew Luymes

4013 39th Ave. #11
Kenosha, WI 53144

Wednesday is transfer day for our mission. What normally takes place on transfer day is all the missionaries gather at the stake centers for the stake they currently are serving in. Then from the stake center the members drive all the missionaries that are getting moved to the central point of the mission - Oshkosh. We gather in Oshkosh, have a short devotional, move all the luggage, and then climb in the car that will take you to the stake center of the new area you are getting moved to. You meet your new companion and go to your area. Normally transfers take about 5 hours, except for U.P missionaries where transfers take two days. What actually took place this past Wednesday was a complete and total disaster. Since I was getting moved to the Milwaukee south Zone, I was to take the Milwaukee south vehicle to get to my new area. But somebody in the mission office miscounted by 7 and forgot to factor in the missionaries that are going home. So the Milwaukee car coordinator was informed that he was only bringing back to Milwaukee 8 missionaries, but he had 15 standing outside the car all hoping for a spot. This delayed our departure from Oshkosh by an hour while President Cutler and the APs worked out logistics. They asked me if I knew any members in the Oshkosh Ward that could drive 7 missionaries, but sadly there were none that could. So the Milwaukee "fun bus" as we call it, took off from Oshkosh with all the departing missionaries (those going home). This left me and 6 others in Oshkosh to wait another 1.5 hours for a team of mission cars to come and pick us up. Due to this, the Appleton Zone leaders had to stay and the Oshkosh Elders (my former companion Elder Merrill and his new companion). So 11 missionaries went to lunch at a Chinese buffet. Eventually the car train arrived, but we had to make a special trip further north to Appleton because a Sister left her luggage in Green Bay. So another half hour north, then two hours south and we eventually made it to Milwaukee. I was supposed to arrive in Milwaukee around 3pm, but we got there at 5:30pm. My new companion - Elder Reynolds and I drove straight from the Stake Center to our dinner appointment in Kenosha.

My new companion - Elder Reynolds or "El Rey"
as they like to call him.  He's from SLC.

Elder Reynolds, or El Rey as he is often called, is from Salt Lake City, Utah. And by Salt Lake City I mean he is from Salt Lake City proper. He has lived in the same home his whole life, a 2013 high school graduate. He started his mission in April of 2014, so he has been out 10 months or so. Right now he is at the Chicago Temple. So I'm on exchanges with the other Elder that just got transferred to Kenosha. Elder Reynolds is a peculiar fellow, as one elder described him. "Elder Reynolds is like a hobbit, you can learn everything you need to know about him in five days. But, after 1000 years he will still surprise you." He loves video games, volleyball, and is a bit of a pyro. He carries with him at all times a flame thrower that he purchased at Menards. I'm pretty sure he is mentally sane, so we have no worries there. But this could be a very interesting transfer or two. Elder Reynolds is the second oldest in his family out of 6 kids. He has an older sister who is married, and three younger brothers and the youngest is a sister.

We ate a special Valentines dinner with the other Kenosha Elders.

Scripture for the week: Ether 12:11

Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

Thank you for your love and prayers. Have a warm week - we won't,

Elder Luymes

Food, glorious food! Lunch at zone conference.