Seventh companionship

Elder Carlson and
Elder Moreno

Mar. 23, 2011

College-bound!
Six weeks home from his mission, Christian Burstall contemplates his next move Mar. 25 in Austin, TX. He’s enrolled at BYU Idaho this spring.

Last night in the shed

Josh & Katie enjoyed spending time Sunday with Elder Tua’itanu (r), who stayed last night in the shed for the last time. Today he became assistant to the mission president, where he’ll help oversee 200 missionaries serving in the Fresno California Mission. He'd been a shedling (he preferred the name 'shedknight') since Dec 29. Elder Carlson, from Fresno North Stake, will be Elder Moreno’s (l) new companion starting Wednesday. They’ll be zone leaders, supporting 20 missionaries.

Companionship's last P-day haircut!

Shedling for a night

Elder Monnett (l), Dayton OH, stayed last night in the shed on an exchange from Riverview Ward. He worked today in Van Ness Ward with Elder Tua’itanu (r). Tua’itanu has a good friend serving a mission in Japan, and wondered about him and other relatives in the South Pacific after the quake-tsunami.

An overnight stay before mission ends

Elder Gutierrez (r), from Stamford CT, stayed with Elder Tua’itanu (l) Tuesday night in the shed, during an exchange with the Echo Ward where he serves as a Spanish-speaking missionary. While here he enjoyed a taste of home - 'New York'-style cheesecake : )
Gutierrez, 22, finishes his two-year mission at the end of this month and has enrolled at Utah Valley University, Orem UT, where he’ll major in business administration.
He said he leaves with sweet memories of California, including Corcoran, the first area he served in.
“That first night I couldn’t get to sleep. It was way too quiet,” said Gutierrez, whose hometown is 30 minutes from New York City.
“All night long I'm waiting for some city noise or an ambulance siren, but nothing. I never knew quiet could be that loud before!”
After graduation, Gutierrez plans to work on Wall Street where he probably won’t have that problem.

Sixth companionship

Elder Moreno and
Elder Tua'itanu
Feb. 9, 2011

Feb 12
The shed has 3 elders now (l-r) Elder Tua'itanu, Elder Moreno (who followed Elder Burstall), and Elder Riley, who flew in from SLC yesterday, awaiting a Mexican visa.

Feb 14
(l-r) Elder Moreno, Esperanza, Elder Tua’itanu
Esperanza, who has cleaned off & on at Dahvwood, met Elder Moreno today during his P-day shed-cleaning. They spoke fluent native Spanish about many things, one of which provided shock & awe. Moreno learned Esperanza joined the LDS church in the early 90s, prompted by her sister’s sudden death. The sister was LDS. Before the sister died, she told Esperanza about the church, and about a ‘warm-hearted, kindly woman’ who taught crafts at Relief Society. Esperanza said her sister loved that teacher and her crafts class.
As Esperanza mentioned her late sister’s home ward (First Ward East Stake), it dawned on us that the ‘kind woman’ who her late sister recalled with such love was Rhonda, my late wife.
It was random (or was it?), kind of like the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon only more touching and sweet and unexpected. Tears welled and we got lumps in our throats (seriously, where else would you get them?)
Inactive the last 10 years, Esperanza invited the missionaries to stop by her house.
The shed elders are zone leaders, educated and well-trained. Moreno, 27, has a 4-yr college degree in International Economics and one year toward a Master’s.

Feb 17
Elder Ingold (l), from Rochester, NY, and Elder Tua'itanu check out mormon.org this a.m. on the shedlord's kitchen computer (the library was closed). Elder Ingold had stayed last night in the shed during an exchange with Elder Moreno (who was in Echo Ward). Before his mission, Elder Ingold worked at Oak Hill Country Club, site of the 2013 PGA Championship.
In other updates, Elder Tua'itanu is testing a new moniker for occupants of the shed. The current 'shedlings' was coined by Elder Burstall in May, 2010. He was first to move into the room (and nickname it the shed). Elder Tua'itanu is trying out 'shedknights.'
Whatever they call themselves, I've been blessed to provide housing the past year for the missionaries. Smart, clean and hard-working, they love the Savior and are devoted to helping wherever they can.

Feb 24
Elder Riley (c), Layton UT, flew last night to Las Vegas on his way to Monterrey, Mexico, for his two-year mission. His visa came in two weeks! Originally they told him the wait would be four months. While in Fresno, he practiced Spanish 24/7 with Elder Moreno (r), taught with Elder Tua’itanu (l), and slept on the floor of the shed. One of the best experiences while here, he said? He had his first-ever In-N-Out burger!

Feb 28
Elder Moreno, of Mexico City, tasted Girl Scout cookies today for the first time ever! (Thanks to my daughter who brought them as a birthday gift). First he sampled a Thin Mint. Then he ate a Samoa, and wouldn't put down the box, until he ate another, and another, and . . .