Week 21

 Dear Friends and Family,

What a week! With holidays right around the corner and plenty of new people we are working with, Elder Clove and I have been outstandingly busy. 

For the last month and a half or so, Elder Clove and I have been planning a stocking drive. We have planned to give all inactive members of the Bristol Ward a stocking to wish them a merry Christmas and a happy new year. As we have been doing this, it has been a joy to meet so many new people from all walks of life. During our visits, we drop off a stocking and see how they are doing. Usually our conversation turns to religion, and we extend an invitation to them to come back to church. 

All of this is predicated upon us finding the right address. While it seems like a rather simple thing, in Bristol (where google maps is finicky and there are poorly marked dirt roads everywhere) this has become quite a challenge. In fact, because everyone knows everyone in Bristol, addresses are rather obsolete. People use landmarks to orient themselves rather than numbers and street names. When we ask people for directions it often goes as follows: "head down yonder 'til you see three yellow mailboxes. Once you done hit the third, make a sharp left down the dirt road, then you'll about hit 2 big oak trees. Now after them oak trees you'll see a fence, take a left at the fence and you'll see a blue house. That's where so-and-so lives'". Despite getting these types of directions often, I still seem to not be able to get to the destination. We always wind up totally lost and even have had to drive across people's yards to get back to the main road.  

There are about 100 inactive households in the Bristol ward, so our detective skills are being honed as we travel from road to road looking for any sort of clues that might expose where these addresses could be.

Detective work aside, we have had a very exciting week. We met Michael this week! Through our church's website, people can refer themselves if they would be interested in meeting with missionaries. We had a referral from someone named Michael, but we weren't able to make contact with him. We went to have a discussion with another friend named Nicole (who had also referred herself), when she suddenly asked if we knew Michael. We told her that we had briefly talked to him on the phone but hadn't been able to sit down with him yet. She went to pick him up and we were able to teach both of them. It was amazing to be able to sit down with both of them and talk about the Gospel! Definitely a miracle!

Michael is one of the most interesting people I have met. He is very interested in spiritual things and already believes in the Book of Mormon. I will keep you updated as we get to know him better!

We received our transfer news, and Elder Clove and I will stay in Bristol and Hosford for the next month and a half. I feel very lucky to serve here. Even though I have been here for 4.5 months, I am still amazed with the wonderful people of Bristol and Hosford. They are so kind and always are willing to serve.

Happy Holidays, and I hope you are doing well!

Love you all!

Elder Garff

I attached a photo of some frost on the ground! It has been chilly here!