24 February 2010

I did get to go see Elder Perry. When I called the assistants they talked to president and the Zone Leaders lied, but President Christison reimbursed 100% of the miles. So we had to drive to pick up the Frisco Elders and down to Golden in blizzard conditions. it took us from about 5-10, but there were other things that played into it. Before we left i felt like we shouldn't go, we said a prayer and left anyways. We got up to Silverthorne to pick up the Frisco Elders just fine, although a trucker made it so I couldn't see a thing for a quarter mile going like 70mph in a 55 in a blizzard when I was going about 45. We picked up the other elders and the street curves at the end, and is on a slight downhill. I found out about 300ft b4 the turn that I was driving on solid ice. I slowed down to about five by shifting down, and tried to turn, it wasn't working, so I tried to gas it and turn harder, and it started to work, but then traction control cut my power, so I went back into the slide. We hit a bank and a small tree at 7mph and were stuck. The member the other missionaries live with brought his truck with snow tires and pulled us out. We assessed the damage, and it cracked the license plate frame, and left a very small bend in the bumper, I felt sick, but drove off and got us to our destinations. I talked to the mission president, and he said to talk to the car coordinator and fill out an accident report the next day. Needless to say I didn't sleep too well that night.

We went and had the meeting with Elder Perry and Elder Halstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was amazing, we also got to shake both there hands, and Elder Perry asked us all a bit about where we're from. He was such a great speaker too, he speaks with such enthusiasm and gave us some great direction. only 121 out of 197 missionaries in the mission were able to attend.

I showed the car to the car coordinator and he couldn't even see the dent, and barely felt it. He told me not to worry about it. So no accident report or anything, its as if it didn't happen. We drove home and made it back around 3 we got to take us-285 straight out and the roads were clear with "heavy fog" in areas, but nothing compared to what we get back home.

It has been an interesting week, Thomas got to church and loved it, but I got a little sick the night b4 so we only went to Sacrament meeting since he had to work anyway. Monday was a fairly normal day, but all our appointments bailed on us, and we have been getting wind which coming off the snow the lakes, the creeks and rivers we have here, we have nasty conditions for tracting.

The wind also causes other problems. We are getting nasty snow drifts out at the house. We have a mile long county road to our house and then a 75 yard driveway off of that. We got some deep drifts yesterday and spent 5 hours digging out the driveway, jacking up the car and putting bark under the tires, etc. We finally got out and resolved to park out on the county road and walk the distance of a football field to our house and back. Which was a good decision, since it was drifted in even deeper today, and the fruits of our labor are not evident at all. Also they are plowing out the county road everyday, and last night I had to keep it at about 30mph and steer through it. but we made it home. Today they had to caterpillars out making a snow wall so hopefully it won't drift in as bad. We got out no problem though.

On top of all this I just got a call from the mission office telling me there's a recall on the car I've been driving for the gas pedal getting stuck. hahaha So I gotta have that taken care of, but the nice thing is that we have a district meeting up by the dealership next week, and were just going to have to eat the miles for district meeting, but now president will reimburse us all of the miles again. We have a 9am district meeting, so I set a 9am appointment at the dealership, and we're going to drop off our car to get worked on, and the district leader is going to pick us up and take us to district meeting. So that should hopefully work out. This week has been a whole lot of drama though, hopefully this upcoming week should be better.

I want to thank you guys for all the support. You're amazing! I hope that all is well back home, it seems so weird to hear all the great things you guys are doing, and sometimes I feel like I'm not doing anything good. But that's when I need to pray harder. Love you guys, I'm going nuts, so I'm gonna stop writing, because I can't think, because people here don't know library etiquette. They are having full blown conversations around me, and I cant think of what else to say.

Have a good week.

Love ya,
Tom