Another letter from Ryan.
Hey everyone, this is Erik again. I know I'm not very good about keeping you all updated on what's going on with Ryan, but I figure every little bit helps. So here's a letter from about a month ago when he got his first transfer; I figure this most accurately describes what is going on with him recently. I'll be adding a few comments for those of you who may not be familiar with some of the Mormon/missionary terms he uses, so anything that's in [brackets] is mine. Also, I left all his typos intact (it seems more authentic to me.) Enjoy! =D
Hey there!
Well, i finally got transfered out of my first area, and while I am going to miss a lot of people, I am quite excited to be somewhere else.
My new companion is Elder Olsen, and we got whitewashed into this area.[this means that they took out 2 missionaries and put 2 new ones in, so Ryan and his companion have to find all new contacts and also they have no one who knows the area. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but this is the 2nd time this has happened to him in the 8? months he's been out.]
Elder Olsen is the oldest of four kids and hails from Cardston, Alberta. He's only been out for 3 months, but he's a goood worker, and I have heard nothing but good things about him. We'll get some good wrok done over this next transfer.
I said I got whitewashed into the area, but the truth is that E. Olsen and I are opening it back up for full-time work. For the past year or so the area has just been being visited on tuesdays due to lack of missionaries. It's good to see the mission growing like this, and it affords more opportunities for growth for many areas.
The area the we've been sent to is the most eastern, and perhaps coldest, in the mission. Elder olsen and I are a full 5 hours from the mission office in Rawlins, Wyoming. I think that it is funny that the population of this town is only about 3000 greater than the elevation... but then there are other towns in Wyoming....
We cover two wards[congregations], and almost a branch [smaller congregation]in Rawlins... and there are a bunch of outlying towns that we cover too. Actually Wamsutter only needs two more priesthoood holders to become a branch... I think that would be a decent transfer goal, open up a new Branch!
Anyhoo, I hope everything is doing well at home... we had transfers monday, so today is Preperation day. Hopefully I have p-day[stands for preparation day, kind of like his 1 day/week that he doesn't have to wear a suit & tie] wednesday next week, but there is a possibility that it might be tuesday or thursday again... just respond to this e-mail asap and you can be sure that I'll get it. By the way, let beth know that one of her pink elephants didn't quite make it... It's sad, but I held a memorial service last night... all the others are doing quite well, and I fully expect to have a very Large colony in rawlins by the time I leave.
Keep Reading the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and let the holy hgost[ghost] work upon you until youcome to know of the truthfulness of these things. I love you all and want to let you know that the church is true, Jesus Christ lives, and he heads this organization. Remeber these things, for they are the greatest source of happiness for all people. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thinking of you often,
Elder Ryan D. Coatney
[That end there may be a little more spiritual than some of you are comfortable with, but I figure that if I'm going to leave his typos in for authenticity then it's only right to leave in everything else he wrote. And if you are one of those uncomfortable ones, then you can just skip that part.] =P
oh and btw we are at T-16 months 'til Ryan returns =)
Hey there!
Well, i finally got transfered out of my first area, and while I am going to miss a lot of people, I am quite excited to be somewhere else.
My new companion is Elder Olsen, and we got whitewashed into this area.[this means that they took out 2 missionaries and put 2 new ones in, so Ryan and his companion have to find all new contacts and also they have no one who knows the area. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but this is the 2nd time this has happened to him in the 8? months he's been out.]
Elder Olsen is the oldest of four kids and hails from Cardston, Alberta. He's only been out for 3 months, but he's a goood worker, and I have heard nothing but good things about him. We'll get some good wrok done over this next transfer.
I said I got whitewashed into the area, but the truth is that E. Olsen and I are opening it back up for full-time work. For the past year or so the area has just been being visited on tuesdays due to lack of missionaries. It's good to see the mission growing like this, and it affords more opportunities for growth for many areas.
The area the we've been sent to is the most eastern, and perhaps coldest, in the mission. Elder olsen and I are a full 5 hours from the mission office in Rawlins, Wyoming. I think that it is funny that the population of this town is only about 3000 greater than the elevation... but then there are other towns in Wyoming....
We cover two wards[congregations], and almost a branch [smaller congregation]in Rawlins... and there are a bunch of outlying towns that we cover too. Actually Wamsutter only needs two more priesthoood holders to become a branch... I think that would be a decent transfer goal, open up a new Branch!
Anyhoo, I hope everything is doing well at home... we had transfers monday, so today is Preperation day. Hopefully I have p-day[stands for preparation day, kind of like his 1 day/week that he doesn't have to wear a suit & tie] wednesday next week, but there is a possibility that it might be tuesday or thursday again... just respond to this e-mail asap and you can be sure that I'll get it. By the way, let beth know that one of her pink elephants didn't quite make it... It's sad, but I held a memorial service last night... all the others are doing quite well, and I fully expect to have a very Large colony in rawlins by the time I leave.
Keep Reading the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and let the holy hgost[ghost] work upon you until youcome to know of the truthfulness of these things. I love you all and want to let you know that the church is true, Jesus Christ lives, and he heads this organization. Remeber these things, for they are the greatest source of happiness for all people. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thinking of you often,
Elder Ryan D. Coatney
[That end there may be a little more spiritual than some of you are comfortable with, but I figure that if I'm going to leave his typos in for authenticity then it's only right to leave in everything else he wrote. And if you are one of those uncomfortable ones, then you can just skip that part.] =P
oh and btw we are at T-16 months 'til Ryan returns =)