Week 1 Lake Placid

I finally got transferred and I am whitewashing (when an area gets 2 completely new missionaries and takes the last 2 out) a brand new area to the mission called lake placid branch. It's a tiny town where everyone knows everyone. It is super hard. The hardest part about it though is that this past week for some reason we haven't been able to access any information on the area! All we had when we got here was the number and address to our branch president (I'm serving in a branch btw) We literally had to start from scratch! About as white of whitewashing as there is! 😅 It's crazy stuff. We should be getting all of our info on the area today thank goodness. Last week mostly consisted of visiting members and getting to know the ward. Our mission President came down to visit us for our district meeting. He is a way awesome guy! It makes me feel good that he trusts me enough
to fill this role haha.

Lake Placid

Lake Placid

 

Anyways my new companion is Elder Rowley. It's kind of ironic because he has served in the same ward as me my whole mission so I already know him super well. We used to hang out every Monday for P-day. He's from Nampa Idaho and he has been out for 16 months. We get along pretty well because we both like the small town country life style. He even talked me into getting a belt buckle haha. I'm super excited about these next few transfers.

So a little background on this area. It is an orange farming town full of retired people. The average age here is probably right around 80! Everyone is so nice though and southern country kind of people. It reminds me of home because when we go to the stores, everyone knows everyone and talks to everyone. It's so cool. The majority of the oranges here go to make orange juice at the "Florida's Natural" orange juice plant not too far from us. We got to have some fresh oranges the day I got into the area. I haven't ever had an orange that even compares to these! We made some orange juice with them also. It doesn't taste anything like the store bought stuff. It's so much better! The other day Elder Rowley and I were out checking up on a less active and decided to knock on a door. Guess, who opened the door... Bessy. She is about as stereotypical as it gets when it comes to southern country "y'all" style. Her husbands name is Billy. The best part is that we gave her a Book of Mormon so now Bessy and Billy are potential investigators. They are the nicest people though.

I also had a unique experience yesterday. I have an Uncle that lives in Melborne that I have never met. We were in the area yesterday for a church meeting so I had the opportunity to stop by! It was so great to be able to talk about family and all of the great memories. That was definitely a tender mercy of the Lord.













Also yesterday at the church meeting we had the opportunity to listen to a few members of the 70. Elder Kapishka said an amazing quote. He said, "Enduring doesn't mean just sitting through it. It means making the most of it." Sometimes we are faced with trials that don't make sense. Rather than just sitting it out and baring it, make the most of it.

Well I love y'all!

Elder Goff