My Diverse Travels



My latest travels have taken me to the great state of New Jersey. So far, I have served all over the state of Pennsylvania: West Philadelphia, Hazleton, Bethlehem, Honesdale, and Reading. So, this trip across the Delaware River is new to me. I haven't found anything bad about it so far, and I'm not expecting to. There are a couple things that are different, such as not being able to pump your own gas. But, different is good.

 

  

http://photos.igougo.com/images/p323843-New_Jersey-Welcome_Sign.jpg



I love diversity. Even within the state of Pennsylvania, there are so many different kinds of people. I traveled all over the eastern side of Pennsylvania, and I met hundreds of people. I'm not just talking about different races, ethnicites, cultures, countries, etc, although that does add to the diversity. I'm talking about each individual person. Obviously, cultures, races, countries, and ethnicities play a mighty big factor. But, each person is different.

My Life of Crime

   Pardon me if this doesn't seem like something worthy of "things of my soul." But, bear with me. A few weeks ago, Elder Nielson and I were knocking on doors in Sinking Spring (a city just outside of Reading). It was a bit chilly, and it was getting dark, but we were staying warm, and everything was going just fine. Then, as we were talking to a lady and her husband at their door, a police car drove up to the house, and a police officer stepped out of the car. He started walking up to the door with his flashlight in his hand...



                                       Image from dispatch.com 

My Family

  
   As a missionary, I don’t get to see my family for two whole years. I can talk to them twice a year, on Christmas and Mother's Day, and I get to email them once a week. That's it. It’s hard to believe. Now, although I was always fairly close to my family, being away from them for 18 months has shown me how much I love, care for, and depend on them.

   My family can be described in so many different ways: love, humor, debate, struggles, etc. But, perhaps above it all, we are a family that is together. There are so many quirky stories that come to my mind as I remember my family.

   For instance, my older sister, Bonnie, and I are only three years apart. When we were young, we would come home from elementary school and argue about whether we were going to have Macaroni & Cheese, or Tuna & Noodles. Later in life, when we were in high school, we grew so close as we spent hours together. She was also the one I went to for advice, whether it was school, dating, or anything else.