Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Week 57 -- Columbia, District Leader and Elder Ahovkava

Mom,
This week has been great! I still have this nasty cold, but it is getting better.. So Columbia! It is a small town, but actually one of the bigger towns I have served in, and it is pretty sweet. There is a university here and not to many farms. In fact, in the town of Columbia i haven't seen one yet. But the surrounding area is pretty much pastures and fields. Columbia is a poor area.  Definitely one of the poorest places I have been in Tennessee. It's got some rich place and definitely poor places. The weather is more cold then McMinnville, but in McMinnville we definitely were out in the open A LOT more than here in Columbia. We are always in the town. Downtown Columbia is where they filmed part of the "Hannah Montana" movie. The farmers market scene where Miley goes with her grandma to sell food.. Just ask Danielle and she will know!!!!  Haha!!!!
Elder Ahovkava is the man!!! He is from New Zealand and is Tongan. He is so humble and dedicated to the work. His family is Methodist except his immediate family. His family got baptized when he was 9.  He plays rugby and gave up a scholarship to come out on a mission!! He has been out 6 months and is going to be a great missionary! Being a district leader is fun! You get to do trainings each week and watch over the Elders in your district. You get to go on exchanges with each of the other areas and provide help for them. Then you work with the zone leaders. I am still learning, but I learn best by experience and just doing what I need to do. It is like when I told grandpa I didn't know how to drive stick, then he put me on the tractor to go plow the fields.  He is crazy! 
The work here is going really well. The member help is awesome! They feed us all the time! Good food too!!! We eat so much, and you will be surprised but we started to go running in the morning.  I can't go very far without stopping to take a breathe because of being sick, but it's getting better. There are about 3 to 4 part member families that we are teaching and one lady has a baptismal date! And we set a soft date with a man named Olin.... But I was afraid that he may have been drunk. But we came back a couple days later and he remembered it all. So we are working with him too!
That's pretty crazy about Tenley serving a mission. She will be a good missionary.  Halloween sounded like a good time for yall! We sat in the apartment and wrote out some goals That's sweet about Devan and his football game! I hope they win this week! I got your packages and they are great.
Well this weeek will be great! And i hope that yall have a great week! I sure miss yall lots and am again grateful for this chance to serve the Lord! Love yall much!
Love Elder Vaughn Dee Perkins

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