Transfers - and I have the best companion in the world!!!

We had district meeting today - this weekend is transfers.  Elder Owens, who has been our zone leader for a loong time and has been very helpful to us is going home...here's a picture with him.  He was raised in Albuquerque and his folks have moved to Annapolis.  He'll be going to back to BYU.  He plans to be a brain surgeon.  The other two pictures are of our district - we know Elders Malloy and Treator are being transferred - their area is being closed for one cycle.  Not sure about Elders Bateman and St. Clair and Davydov.  We suspect Davydov will stay as ZL since this is President Sartoris last month and he will probably keep current leaders in place for the new president...but who knows.  Only the Lord.

Elder Bateman has really grown in the ten months that he has been here - it has been wonderful to watch.  We're pretty close to him - we think he would be a wonderful replacement for Elder Owens as ZL - one of the best reasons is that he absolutely doesn't want to be ZL!  That's a good sign.

When we say that the ZLs help us what we mean is they are the ones we call when we need a taxi ordered or need a translator.  They attend district council every week and translate for us.  If we have an emergency we call them and they help any way that we need help.  The first month we were here it was such a blessing to have someone we could call.  Now we use them and Elder Bateman a lot - for example, last night we finished cleaning out old CES materials with President Markelov...today Elder Bateman and Elder  St. Clair are taking the four heavy bags of garbage to the dumpster three blocks away.  I keep lifting too much and tweaking my back so I really appreciate that kind of support - and they do it without being asked.  Wonderful examples.

My companion was asked to give the spiritual thought in district meeting today and gave the best spiritual thought I've ever heard.  I wish you could have been there.  She sweetly told about her Dad dying and meeting me and some spiritual experiences we've had with prayer and how they are anchors to our souls, which they are.  Then the district sang A Child's Prayer which had Sherry and I in tears. Sherry told about walking through camp at Girl's Camp and hearing the girls singing that at campfire and how sweet it sounded.  We always think about that when we hear that song...although now we may well remember our Elders singing it today...not quite as sweet as the girls but pretty awesome..."Heavenly Father, are You really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer...?"  We know He is there and we know that He answers our prayers - because He has answered our prayers in immediate and obvious ways - so that even a guy like me can understand.  We love Him and are so grateful to be serving a mission to help His children here is Saratov.