January 20

Traverse City is HUGE! My new companion, Elder Chidester, has been here since halloween, and he still gets lost. We rely heavily on his GPS. I don't know how things are going to go when he leaves.

There are countless places to shop here. It was a bit overwhelming to decide where to go p-day. We were gonna go to the mall, but we were both shopped out before we got there.

So, about my new companion:
He's 20, & he's from Idaho. When he speaks, it's usually loud, not quite as loud as Mc.Dowell, but he's definitely not soft spoken. He's also really into lifting, & wrestling. In fact I could definitely see him being a coach. Also, he loves Batman.

The Traverse City Branch belongs to a district, not a stake. I had no Idea that there were even districts until I came here. We have enough members that we could easily become a ward.

It seems like most of the members here are rich geniuses. I've had dinner with a couple of doctors, both are good at what they do, & read like no other. 

Friday we saw a kid walking home from school making owl noises, he stopped and talked to us about how his uncle can make all sorts of animal sounds. Then later that evening we had 2 cats fallow us around in the cold. One of them leaped into one of the residents house.

I've decided I'm not going to have pets. At least not until I'm an empty nester.

Sunday, all 4 of us Elders spoke in sacrament meeting.
I bore my testimony on how our experience in life is going to be very different from the next person. However if we live the gospel, we are promised peace & joy, in this life, & the next.

I'm enjoying my time out here. I hop you're enjoying yourselves.

TTYL!

Love,
Elder Candland


[new address]
5067 village lane court, Apt. A
Traverse City, MI 49685

1. 45° from equator