Elder Wood, a Bird Man, and more salmon

What's up family?!It's been an alright week so far. As you know we had transfers on Monday, and I drove back from Palmer with Elder Wood. We didn't get to leave Palmer until about 5:30, and we stopped to have dinner with Elder and Sister Hintze in Glenn Allen so we didn't get back until about 11:30, and didn't get to bed until a little after 12. It was extremely foggy and misty coming into town, and Elder Wood thought we were going to drive straight into the ocean because he hadn't been on the road before. That night was the first time I have seen Valdez get kind of dark because it was later and foggy. It's always light! Elder Wood is a good kid. He has been out for a year, and has served in Sitka, Eagle River, and Fairbanks. We don't really connect the same as Elder Norton and I did, so it will take some time to become close. He doesn't have the same sense of humor like me and Elder Norton did. He is from Alamo Nevada, which is 100 miles north of Las Vegas, so we can relate a little bit there. He is obedient and he has a good work ethic and wants to work hard, so I'm expecting good results from this transfer.

The Chief of Police here is a member, and he owns an ice cream shop that is the best in town, so we asked him if we could put a card stand up at the window with pass along cards for people to take, and he let us. People have been taking them, so hopefully that will help find people and plant seeds. We have also received some referrals from members that we are going to contact this week, so the work is moving forward! Yesterday we contaced the "bird man" in town. He is a falconer, and I've knocked on his door before, but he didn't answer the first time. Elder Wood knew someone in Sitka that wanted him to see him, so we went over and talked with him in his house. He brought out a young red tail hawk that was still getting rid of some fluff but had mostly feathers. It wasn't full grown, but it was still a big bird. He cut up a dead quail with scissors and fed it to the hawk in front of us. We sat down with him and started to discuss things with him, and the hawk jump/flew over and landed on me three times. It was getting annoying so I moved and he moved the bird. Anyway, the guy's name is David, and we taked to him for about an hour, and he drew out a scientific method on a piece of paper and showed us how religion isn't valid because it can't be proved, and that we base it purely on belief and not fact. He has talked to missionaries before, but Elder Wood and I talked to him about walking by faith and not by sight, and brought up Alma 30 when Korihor wants a sign that God is real and Alma rebukes him and says that he has had signs enough. We talked to him about the Spirit and prayer. He was a nice guy, and listened to what we had to say, and said that he prays every day and wants to believe in a God or higher power but can't be convinced because it doesn't follow the pattern of evolution and time and can't be proved with science. Hopefully he will come around.

Well, I forgot to tell you about Melissa and Brandon; the brother and sister we had on date for baptism. The were on date, but their mom is against the church and wouldn't let them be baptized. We can't go behind parents' backs, so we had to drop them as investigators and not teach them anymore. It was a bummer, and Elder Norton and I got a little down about it, but we kept working. We kind of have one investigator now so we'll see how that goes. Other than that it's all about having the faith to find someone new to teach. We will also be working with som less actives. There are two right now that are kind of priorities so we are trying to build them up and get them back to church. One was offended by missionaries early in the year, and was a recent convert. The other was also recently baptized, but his wife died right before they were about to go to the temple, and then he got offended by some members so he went less active. People can really get offended easily. Well, I am about to go help this guy move some stuff for his work, and then Me and Elder Wood are going to catch some pinks so I better go. Oh ya...the silver salmon will be coming in in a week or two, and I was wondering if you would want me to send home some fresh Salmon filets from salmon that I catch myself. They flash freeze it and ship it here, but it is pricey. I think for 10 pounds of meat it would cost a little over $100, but for every ten pounds of meat added it costs less and becomes more economical. Just something I thought I'd offer if you guys want silver salmon. Supposedly what you eat in the lower 48 is pink salmon because people here think they taste the worst, and they do, so they send them to the lower 48. Let me know! I love you guys! Love Mat