Transferred!! Oh yeah! And more news.

I got some of the best most relieving news of my life on Saturday morning.  I'M BEING TRANSFERRED!!!  I don't find out where to until Wednesday though.  But it was the most hilarious thing ever because my companion has already been here in Johnson City for 6 months so he though FOR SURE he was leaving, so he started packing up his stuff like a week ago, his bicycle and two suitcases: all ready to go.  Then we find out I'm leaving after only 3 months and he's staying.  HAHAHAHA!!!  I pointed and laughed at him until he unpacked everything.  Just kidding.  I didn't really do that.  I was kind about it.  It was kind of a relief though cause he kept driving to far places without confirming our appointments and we only have  1150 miles to use each month and we've already used almost 800 and it's halfway through the month so I was getting a little ticked.  I though he was going to 'peace out' and leave me with like 250 miles for the last two weeks of the month.  Joke's on him now.  He's being a lot more conscientious about his driving now.  That's the only stab I get in every day, just teasing him about how many miles he has left.  But he'll probably get the last laugh... I bet I'll be transferred to a "bike only" area. 

Anyway, Ginger is not so good.  She still doesn't understand what it all means.  She thinks we're just another Christian church preaching salvation through baptism and just believing in Jesus Christ (even though that is partly true...).  I just need to find out how we can get the Spirit to help her realize that THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION OF YOUR LIFE AND GREATER BLESSINGS AND HAPPINESS THAN YOU HAVE EVER KNOWN (that no one else can offer) WILL BE YOURS IF YOU WILL JUST READ THIS BOOK AND ASK GOD IF IT'S TRUE!  Ugh...  But Vicki's doing a little better.  She's still afraid of reading the Book of Mormon, even though she already has and hasn't found anything wrong with it.  But we had a member go with us to visit with her and the member did a really good job of getting the point across in simple terms.  She's still on the line, but we have to be really careful about reeling her in.  Progress is slow, but progress is progress.

Yes, the Zone Leaders have their car again.  Whoop-de-doo.

That's a perfect example!!!  I was talking to this baptist preacher on Friday and it was all pretty civil, but he took a few underhanded digs at us and whatnot.  Anyway, first thing he says "We believe the Bible to be the only word of God."  I asked him, "Do you think God could speak to us today?"  "I KNOW HE DOES!"  (he didn't get it.  Seriously, a lot of people out here are so thick.)  Moving on, he told us he had a Book of Mormon.  I asked him if he'd read it.  Yes.  What'd you think?  He said it was confusing.  He later said that he didn't understand how we could put our faith in one man's (Joseph Smith) opinion.  That led me to believe that he hadn't actually read the Book of Mormon and that he doesn't understand what it is.  He, like many people out here, think the Book of Mormon is some sort of "constitution of the religion of mormonism" or whatever authored by Joseph Smith.  I even talked to person that had formerly investigated the church and talked to her about the Book of Mormon and she still that that Joseph Smith had written it.  Every day I just say to myself, "WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR YOU ALL TO JUST LISTEN TO OUR WORDS?!"

Anyway, one of those new investigators is aight.  She took a Book of Mormon and was excited to read it and wants to meet with us again.  The other one put a note up on her door so that when we showed up, it informed us that she wasn't home... a few times over.  Of course, she was hiding from us and just wouldn't answer the door.  I'll take pics of these hilarious notes and make sure to include them next time.  It was just so funny because these investigators live within sight of each other, and when we went to our appointment with the good investigator, we saw the other out on her porch, so we decided to drop by unannounced after our discussion with the good investigator, and there was a note up for us again, even though we didn't even have an appointment this time.  I chuckled.

Wow, I'm super excited about all the home improvement being done.  It sounds like a blast.

It's time to talk about serious issues though:  Dinner appointments.  SPAGHETTI IS THE WORST POSSIBLE MEAL FOR MISSIONARIES because it the sauce ALWAYS ends up on a white shirt.  Keep that in mind.  Maybe you could provide bibs or ponchos if you do indeed serve spaghetti or a related dish.

Also, some people out here enjoy buttermilk as a tastydelicious beverage.  I will tell you that buttermilk has the consistency of egg nogg and tastes like sour cream.  Go ahead and form your own opinion... but if your opinion is that buttermilk is yummy, then you're wrong.

Sometimes my confidence wavers.  Like we tracted into another person that only spoke Spanish this week and I didn't even try that time.  I gave her a card and left.  I wish I had time to practice...

I'm excited cause there's a Zone Activity today and we're having dinner at the Peralta's who are real-life Mexicans who make delicious and authentic food.  They're always afraid to make it too spicy for us "gringos" though and we always have to tell them SPICIER!  However, I did much appreciate the package of Chile Pepper burritos I received this week (and those magnificent cinnamon rolls).  "MUCHAS GRACIAS A MI FAMILIA!"

So.  We had companionship inventory last Thursday.  I learned something really weird.  I asked my comp. about something he was doing and how he felt about it and he was like "I'M DOING AWESOME!" and I was like "That's blatant disobedience."  So yeah.  Sometimes when people do things that are wrong, maybe they don't even know it's wrong.  We have to talk to people and communicate with them so that we all are edified.  So I learned to communicate last week instead of be silently grumpy about sinfulness that wasn't so obvious.

Dang, Fawn, you and Doug had quite the busy week!  I laughed soooooooooo hard in the middle of the library here when I read that Grandma Bonnie was trying to get you and Doug to have a picture holding Zane.  HAHAHAHA!!!  Classic...  Also don't worry about the Kierre Lewis album anymore.  I've got it taken care of  :}

Well, I suppose I'm out of things to say, but before I go, read the following obligatory weekly appeal for letters:

WRITE ME!!!  Here are some analogies:

Christmas: Normal People :: Days Where Mail Is Received: MissionariesBath Salts: Tennessee Teens :: Letters : MissionariesButtermilk:  Delicioustastybeverage :: Mail : Unwarranted acts of hatred

Also, I've recently found out that you can go to DearElder.com and write your loving sentiments have them mail those sentiments to me at my expense!!!  DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS!?  I WILL PAY FOR YOU TO LOVE ME!!!  well maybe I shouldn't have worded it that way...  but the point is:  I will gladly part with $.45 if you will simply write a letter to me on DearElder.com  The cool thing is, I write back. And it's personal.

Reminder to Fawn:  Please go ahead and repost the mission office address and reiterate that all mail can be sent there.  Thank you.

I love you all.

-Elder Grabinger

A little note from Fawn:

Bert's address is:

11320 Station West Dr.  STE 101

Farragut, TN  37934

Please, please, please!! Take a minute (or more) to write him. He would love it.