where youthful optimism meets experience or out with the old and in with the new

This week has felt like a year has gone by in between the 2 weeks, like I realize that it is only 2 weeks but it just feels that way, especially with everything that has happened with the new missionary coming in. So his name is Elder Christensen, he's from Hurricane Utah, and he's 19, amd he's my new missionary for the next 9 weeks. We wound up not going to Prague to pick him up in the mission office so they just sent  him in my train and car and when they were announcing who was going and where, they called us and put us on speaker phone and did it so we never had even seen him, we just knew his name and that he was going to come in that day haha. He wound up coming in at 10:35 at night so we stayed up late to pick up our new friend. He's fun and definitely has that "just out of the MTC" fire, and we're working with him on his language and he's going to be a pro. Elder Guymon is getting sad about leaving because he doesn't have a lot of time left, only about 2 more P-Days before he leaves and he's sad about it. Kind of funny about bringing in the new  while saying goodbye to the old I suppose, I have a few pictures that you'll probably want to see, they're rather funny at the meeting in Prague that they sent to us. He comes in and every other trainer tells him about how they have all heard of Elder Guymon but none except Elder Barber and Fredrickson knew me. I don't really know of any of the Elders that are serving in the Czech either, but that will change when we have the Christmas concert this month on the 23rd.  Everyone is going to Prague and it will be fun. We already bought our tickets for it. It's really expensive and we have to go to Brno this week, so... I'm probably going to run out of money, I will probably need some more money in my account to use for a bit until I can pay myself back.

Anyway, this week was kind of slow we didn't have a very successful week and we tried really hard but we just could not get anything going. It was rather hectic. We started out well and we did some amazing work and saw some awesome miracles of course but we just had a tough week in general. But we shalt not give up and we will continue to strive to do our best and continue to find people so we can thrive at Christmas! And we shall!  Well, it's exciting to hear that everyone will be at home for Christmas. I'm sure ya'll will love to see the grandkids, I can't believe I'm missing all of it but at the same time I'm stoked to be able to serve in Kosice for Christmas. Just everything that has already happened here and all the people that just become so much more happy and things like that.  It's wonderful to see the change in people during the holidays. I don't really know why but this is always the best time of the year even if I'm not home, it's still my favorite time of the year.

Well this week we are going to Bratislava, actually tomorrow, because Elder Christensen has to get his Visa work done, so we have to be there tomorrow night so that we can be at the foreign police in Bratislava at 6:45 while Elder Chrstensens group gets all the bloodwork and medical stuff taken care of. It's actually kind of funny because medical here is somewhat... lacking and their care isn't exactly the same, so it's just a crazy experience for all new missionaries. I found out today that Elder Guymon actually recommended me for training this transfer. President asked him about how well I could speak and Elder Guymon said he knew what he had in mind and he told him that I'd be fine and that I speak well enough; that I could do it. Of course Elder Guymon is here already so it will be easier for sure, but it's just cool that he felt that way about me, just something that has weighed on my mind a little bit in the past few days. Elder Christensen doesn't have any idea what to think about it all, he is just super giddy and really enthusiastic. It's kind of funny, but I already love his enthusiasm to death. He'll do great things over here, and I'll be happy to leave the city of Kosice in his hands when I leave after this transfer if I am transferred. I still have to take care of this transfer. But yeah this entire next week we're gone and then the week after is a full week and then we go to Prague and that's Christmas week which will be crazy and then back to work after the new year. We'll get the skype thing all worked out next week and concrete right now. We're hoping to skype and not have you call us on the phones and then we're hoping it will be around 6 pm or something like that. We'll make all the arrangements and then you just have to show up for it.

Anyway, it's kind of short this week, I don't really know what to say I'm sure we'll all have some funny and crazy adventures this week in Bratislava but until then I wish you all a safe week and I love you all for everything that you do for me!

Elder Ferrell