Another short update for Elder Dallen Stark...

It’s crazy that it has already almost been two months. It really doesn’t feel like it has been that long. Transfers are on Wednesday so it’s almost been one whole transfer. I loved those pictures [of Brenden's birthday]. Brenden looks great. He’ll fit right in over in the UK. He’s 16 now. That’s weird. By the time I get back he will be bigger than me and I don’t know what to think about that.

This week was kind of a weird week. We had zone meeting on Wednesday and stake conference on Saturday and Sunday so it wasn’t the normal schedule. But we still go a lot done. We were going to have a baptism next Saturday but something came up so we are pushing it back to the 5th of April. That is the biggest news I have. We’re getting a new sister missionary in the branch this transfer so it will be interesting to see who comes in and what they are like...

I don’t really have any great news. But if anything happens I will let you know. Oh yeah, I need a scan of my social security card ASAP. I need it so we can volunteer at this nursing home here. They need to do a background check and all that stuff. So if I could get that that would be great.

If you ever have questions let me know and I will answer them the best I can. I love all of you and miss you.

Love,
            Elder Dallen Stark

AND TO KAYLEN:

Tennessee is great. The people are for the most part very nice. Even though most of them aren’t willing to listen to us they aren’t mean about it. The weather is even weirder than Utah. One day it is 70 degrees and sunny the next day it is 30 degrees and sleeting. But I think that it is finally gonna start creeping into spring and staying there. It’s been it the 50-60s for the past few days. Today is a bit cold but it is sunny. We don’t have any new solid investigators, still Anthony, Peter, and Ron. We have had some nice potentials but nothing has really worked out. We’re still trying though. This week was kind of a weird week. We had zone meeting on Wednesday and stake conference on Saturday and Sunday so it wasn’t the normal schedule. But we still go a lot done. Anthony was going to be baptized next Saturday but something came up so we are pushing it back to the 5th of April. That is the biggest news I have. We’re getting a new sister missionary in the branch this transfer so it will be interesting to see who comes in and what they are like... Other than that there isn’t much to tell. I will think about sending that shirt. But as I have thought about it I really like them. So maybe I’ll just keep them. I don’t know you’ll find out I guess.

To make it fun, we came across this picture of Dallen with Grandma Stark at the Salt Lake temple. It's a good one!

Dallen and Grandma Stark!

What do we hear from Dallen?  -- a few interesting things:

Elder Stark with his District

Things are going good here. Not much to report.This week has been a pretty boring week here. Just the same old stuff: studying, teaching, and finding new people to teach. Most of our investigators are just slowly progressing but one in particular is doing really well. His name is Ron. He is in his 50s, he's a State trooper, and he has a lot of questions. His wife is a member who fell away when she was a teenager so she knows just about as much as he does at this point. So we're really teaching both of them. He has seen a lot of terrible stuff while on the road as a trooper. A lot of stuff that nobody should have to see. People getting killed and other stuff like that. He knows that there is a God but he just questions 'why would he let stuff like this happen?'. We're trying to resolve that concern as well as get his wife interested in the church again. She has her own set of concerns that I won't go into right now. He will get baptized. I don't know when but he will. He is just a great guy. He told us that if we ever need anything to just call him. That's how great he is.
Tell Grandma Happy Birthday for me. Tell them that I miss them and hope they are doing well. At least the Manwarings have found a place, even if it isn't the best. We have ants here too. Every day we have to make sure they aren't in our food. We've tried to get rid of them but they keep coming back. It's not that bad though.
I heard that Cecil was leaving. Do you know anything about the new guy. Is he supposed to be a good guy or what. I didn't know they were going to replace Cecil any time soon. Tell Brenden Happy Birthday for me. Now he can flirt with girls and all that good stuff. We never know what to get Brenden, he is terrible to shop for. Just get him a computer game and you should be safe. Get him on that learner permit. Well, I guess it doesn't really matter because you're going to England. But it would still be good.

A note to Kaylen:

I found some T-shirts at a thrift shop here in town that were really cool and I thought you would like them. I might even send one home to you if you want. Tell me which one you want. I also have some pictures of my district that you might be interested in. Let me know if you have any more questions and keep in touch.

Is this shirt a better fit for Kaylen or Dallen? Hmmm...Maybe Brenden!

Some fun things from Dallen this week...

(This part to Mike)

It sounds and looks like you had a great trip to New York and had fun. I will for sure let you'ins know if I ever get sent down to Georgia. That's what they say in this part of Tennessee. You'ins, not Y'all. It's kinda funny but it's the querk these people have...That's great news about Grandpa. Is he feeling any better? Wow, I didn't even know  that Rachel was getting married. That is so weird... 

I was actually going to ask you about my plaque (missionary plaque for the ward building). Hmm, my favorite scripture. It is probably D&C 122:7-9. I actually found this scripture out here and I really like the end of verse 7 where it says "...know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." and in verse 9 I especially like the phrase, "Hold on thy way". If I had a motto that would be it 'Hold on thy way'. That is my decision. It was a hard one but that is it. Let me know if that is going to work. 

Well, I guess that's all I have to say. Give Brenden a hard time for me about going on dates and all that good stuff. And tell everyone that I love them.

Love, Elder Dallen Stark 

(This part to Susie)

Hello,

Not much exciting happened this week that I can think of right now other than the pot luck we had on friday. We made some Scalloped potatoes out of a box we got a Walmart and for some reason you got credit. Elder Bacon wrote on a little 3X5 card "Elder Stark's mama's bacon-ranch potatoes". But whatever right? I thought it was funny. There was so much food at the pot luck. We got sent hope with three almost full pans of food. we aren't going to be able to eat it all. We get fed pretty well out here most of the time. There are stretches where we don't get fed for a few days but what can we deal with it. 

 

Ugh, I've missed so many movies. You should all go see Son of God. The new movie about Christ. I wanted to see it so bad but it didn't come out soon enough. I heard it was supposed to be really good. You'll have to let me know. Oh yeah, we also had a wildfire on the mountains across the valley. Apparently there is an arsonist around here that set the fire and it burned quite a bit of the mountain up. No one was hurt and no homes were damaged as far as we know but that is probably the most exciting thing that happened this week.

 

I emailed dad just barely with my favorite scripture. And you are right about me not really caring what picture is used. Just use one where I at least look half good. Other than that I don't care which one.

 

I'll keep you updated on any new excitement or any good stories. I'll let you know if I need anything.

 

Love, Elder Dallen Stark

(This part was written to Kaylen)

The weeks are going by pretty fast I know. Same here not much excitement or big breakthroughs with any of our investigators. One thing that is crazy is that there was or is a forrest fire burning the mountain across the valley from us. It was started by an arsonist. No big deal right? Just an every day occurance. Hey, maybe you could look up forrest fire in Jacksboro/Caryville/La Follette and see if there is any news because we don't know anything about what is going on other than what we overhear members or investigators talking about. It is really isolating. We did hear about Russia invading Ukraine and everyone calling Putin "Hitler" and all that good stuff. I think it is hilarious. It is sad that people are suffering but the situation is just so Hollywood. It's almost like a story from a movie. Definitely keep me posted on all that stuff. Like I always say, all this stuff is just another sign of the apocalypse. What else could it be.

Like I said, there isn't much new news on our investigators. Just slow progress. I still am not sure if I like my companion or not. I mean, I trust him with my life but, yeah... I don't know. It is really hard to explain. I guess the soonest I could get transfered is the 7th of May. That is when the training (12 week program) is over. But It could be months after that when I get transfered. I really don't know. Transfers happen every 6 weeks. So, I really have no idea. I'e heard of missionaries only being in areas for one transfer and other missionaries being in areas for almost a whole year. Your guess is as good as mine.