The Master is Calling! : I'm being transferred??

Dear Family and Friends,

What a great week! It's hard to imagine a week that could be bad when
you start it off with a trip to the temple. It was so nice to hear the
covenants we make in the temple again. The spirit is always so strong
in the temple and answers to questions come so easily! We left there
walking on air.

This week we didn't have to shovel elk poop, which was a huge plus.
Instead we got to do yard work, I love yard work! We spread mulch over
the paths that were getting grown over with grass. The best part was
that we got to talk to a lot of people! None were interested but it is
always fun to have a conversation with a kind person!

That night we also helped the elder's quorum with splitting and
stacking a cord of wood. I love the members in this branch! They are
the absolute best. After we did that service they fed us until we
could barely move. Members really like doing that to missionaries.

The best day this week was Saturday. Biking weather is finally here so
we rode our bikes everywhere we went in Columbus. It was such a great
day! The first house we went to, a young boy answered. He said we
could come back the next day, he seemed very familiar with the
missionaries. The next door we knocked on was a young woman named
Mandi Leeper. Her young son knew who the missionaries were and as we
walked up to the door he called out, "hey missionaries! I'll go get my
mom!" When she came out she smiled and greeted us enthusiastically. As
we talked we learned that she had a Book of Mormon and she had read
from it. We also learned that she did want to meet with us but had
just gotten married and would need to talk to her husband first. We
went to another house and the woman who answered told us to come back
later that night. The next place we went, we got to talk to an elderly
couple that really loves talking to missionaries but they aren't too
interested in learning the lessons. We had a cool conversation about
religion with them. We're praying that their hearts soften and
they gain a desire to learn. Finally we went back and knocked on the
door where he woman told us to come back. Her husband was home now and
they came out on the porch to talk to us. They had so many questions
and we could barely keep up with everything they wanted to know. We
eventually had to go because it was getting late but they really want
us to come back!

I have spent a ton of time and energy trying to get the work in this
area moving. I love the members here and all those I've had the
opportunity to teach. I know I was called to Red Lodge and Absarokee
for a reason and I'm gonna leave that place better than I found it. On
Sunday we got transfer calls, I am getting transferred to Corvallis
Montana. My companion will be Elder Angle, who came out with me. I
love Elder Angle, he is a good kid and he reminds me of Nephi. He is
the district leader up there in Corvallis and everyone tells me I'm
going to love it! I'm really excited. Just to make me even more sad
that I'm leaving, Eliza,that less-active we taught, Mitch Johnson, the
investigator we were going to go hiking with, and Adam & Christina
have all started coming to church! We also went and contacted that
last person who told us to come back and though we caught the family
around the dining table, he asked us to please come back. Saying bye to
the Fowler's and the Mccally's was hard because I have grown very
close to both of them, they're our respective branch mission leaders.
The work is moving here and I am ready to find out what work the Lord
has for me in Corvallis!

I love you all very much!

Love,
Elder Thomas

The FOWLER'S