Surprise!

Yesterday, after I posted the update, I realized that Calvin will be reaching his 8 month mark at the end of January. He'll be 1/3 done with his mission! Wow!

So here's Calvin's email from today. No, I didn't edit it for spelling or grammar or anything:

hey momm,

so this week was transfers. I'm really sad to leave Chapel hill. I'm like already homesick.

But I'm going to northern Quebec, to a place called Chicoutamie. [Chicoutimi] And my comp is a francophone, so my days of engrish are over! I'm gonna get sooo good! 

But i am sad to leave Chapel Hill. i'm even more scared because i might not come back. Promise me that we will!!!!!!! right away!!! That way we can see everyone! [Calvin has already planned our return to Canada when he is finished with his mission.]

But i am excited to have REAL Quebec poutine!!! Aww, poutine is the best! [For those of you who don't know, like ME, I looked it up on Wikipedia and this is what they say Poutine: is a Quebec dish, made with french fries, topped with brown gravy and curd cheese. Sometimes additional ingredients are added] I'm excited to go up to the great white north. But I got to buy some boots, but i guess I'll buy some at the Salvation Army. Im serving in the area [the other Elder from our Owego Stake] just served in, too. soooo close, yet sooooo far. anyways, how did our week go?

 mon: it was monday, what else is there to write about? No, we played RISK, and [an Elder] flew his RC helicopter for a while. \

 tues: all our lesssons fell through, but we went knocking for 6 hours, and found SOOOOO many cool people! SOOO many immagrants! A phillippino lady, a Jamacan guy, a Haitian (YAY!), and a few other people. yeah, so that was a good day

wed: We had district study, and my last split with Fallowfield [an area within Ottawa]! so, we went knocking for the whole day. OHH!!! I  almost forgot to tell you!!! We have a deep fryer in our appartment, so I made fried plantin!!! I finally know what those HUGE green bannanas are, and they are sooo goood!!! So long as they have picklies (a hatian sauce, made with lemon juice, honey, beef bolion, jalapenios, vinegar?, and lots and lots, and LOTS of onions) Plantin is so good! but my first attempt was pretty messy. 

thurs: We had a lesson with [an investigator]. That went well. then we had a lesson with [a family].

fri:Everything fell through again, after weekly planning. soo, our member present lessons were destroying us. but, we still had  great day. 

Sat: same story, everything fell through. Went and talked to an older lady about missionary work, then saw [a family] again, then ate at [another family's] house, and went home for transfer calls. The rest of the night was freaking out about transfers, and starting to pack. 

Sun: was depressing. lol, not really, but i said goodbye to everyone. they actually announced it over the pulpit that [my companion] was training and I was leaving. I was soooo happy, because everyone was there!!!! I'm so jelouse of the greenie coming in, because he is coming into an area where the Ward mission leader, the Elders quorum president, and the Bishop are missionary minded, oh, and the Releif Society president has a son who JUST got back from a mission, and another who is out in France, Paris, and apparently their  district has had 35 baptisms. In FRANCE! wow. SO, MissionAry work in Chapel Hill is going to SKYROCKET! So, I want to take some of that fire to Chicoutamie. After church, we had one of the strangest lessons I have ever taught, walikg down the road, looking for a coffee shop to sit in. The lady really wasnt interested. then a lesson with [a young man] which didnt go off too badly. 

   So that was my week thus far.

   So, That is really all I can think of now for news. I feel really wierd, like I'm floating. I have no niche. I'm unnattached to any area. It's really scary!! I cant wait to get to Chicoutamie, and to get to work! 

I've been going through my old letters, seeing what I'm going to keep, and what i'm not. i guess Ill have to throw some away, which really stinks. But am I ever going to look at them? No, I just want to save them for posterities sake. 

anyways, enough ranting

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I will take lots of pictures, and study my French SUPER hard!

LOVE!!
Calvin

So this week is his very first transfer "in the field." How exciting!!