Well, It turns out that I did end up getting transferred. So no more Manchester. I am currently serving right in the heart of Des Moines. It's a great place with tons more people than I am used to. Hopefully I can make the best of my time while I am here. Des Moines Architecture reminds me a whole lot of San Jose but the people here are way nicer. The Des Moines ward is a great ward with lots and lots of Africans which might surprise you. I guess they are refugees from countries effected by the civil war out there. Liberia is the main country that feeds in to Des Moines I think. We have one African investigator. He is 14 and his name is Sunday. He is super cool and really enjoys us coming over and reading with him. He accepted a baptismal date but has a big road block in front of him. He goes to a private catholic school and the Catholic church is paying for his tuition . So if he gets baptized they won't fund his schooling anymore and his mom won't let him go to public school. But he is a great kid and he loves basketball. We also work with a recent convert named Andrew. He is 19 and currently attending a college here in Des Moines. His girlfriend is a member and he got baptized on December 28th without telling his parents... in fact they still don't know. Plus he just got accepted to BYUI and is planning on serving a mission next year. His parents are very against him joining the church so he is planning on telling them after spring break. Hopefully that goes well. So pray for him!
We also teach a member named Curtis who literally lives in a crazy people home. And he is just about the funniest guy I have ever met. He's crazy... literally. We usually go over and read some scriptures with him. And all the other people with disabilities are walking around us and it's somewhat scary but Curtis needs us to stop in so we continue to visit him. Des Moines is a great place. Lots and lots of great places to eat so hopefully I don't go broke too fast. My companions name is Elder Flint. He is from Layton Utah and he's 6'4 and really really big. He's pretty freaken good at basketball and we play like 3 mornings a week and Pday so I'm looking forward to becoming a Baller. He goes home this next transfer. So hopefully I can help him stay focused. I've never been just a regular missionary yet. When your training or getting trained you get an extra hour of personal study, so leaving the apartment at 10 is a whole lot different.
Well I'm stoked to be in Des Moines and I'm stoked to teach some Africans! I love you all so much thanks for all that you do!
Love,
Elder Caleb James Wardle
Somehow I'm not impressed with encouraging people to sneak around behind their family's back to be baptized. When I had my teenage girls read your post they also were not impressed with the underhanded tactics.
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