Penultimate P-day

Okay, first of all, here are some picture from the Statue.
The first picture is myself and Elder Godfrey at the top of the pedestal. In the background you can see New Jersey on the Left side and New York on the Right side. The next picture is me in front of the statue, and the last picture is the entire group of departing missionaries.

This week we also went to the temple for our departing trip. I forgot my camera, unfortunately. On the temple trip we had some interesting adventures as well. After the session we had a meeting with a member of the temple presidency. It was really awesome. I learned a lot. After we left the temple we had lunch in the releif society room of the chapel on the third floor. After lunch we went back to the van, only to find that the garage where we left it had left the lights on, and they wanted to charge $20 to jump it. I was their fault, though, so they gave us a jump, and we got on our way. We drove for a while, and then the van dies again. We tried for about 10 minutes unsuccessfully to flag someone down to give us a jump, and finally someone helped us out. It was interesting to say the least. After we got the car jumped again we were waiting for the other van, and president Bahr told me to pull the van up a few feet out of the intersection. (I had been in the drivers seat revving the engine so it could charge the battery a little.) It was the first I've driven a car in 20 months! I was excited.

Side note, I am a little nervous about driving when I get home. I haven't driven in about 20 months or so, I may need to re-learn how to drive.

After that we got on our way, and that was it. We got home safe and sound, though very late...
Tomorrow we have transfers. Neither Elder Yates or I are leaving the area, though we still have no idea what IS happening. I don't know if it'll ne just us and they'll combine areas when I leave or if we'll be in a threesome for almost 2 weeks. Tommorow is transfer conference. At transfer conference tommorow I'll give my "departing testimony", I'm not sure at all what to say... Then I spend the night in the mission home with the other departing missionaries, and then come back to Jersey City on Wednesday.

I still can't beleive that I'm going home in 2 weeks. It's so crazy. I've become so used to the life of a missionary, and I don't know what it will be like to leave it. I think I'm more scared to go home than I was to leave on a mission.

I mean, there is a lot of mixed feelings about it. I am really excited to see you again. I've missed you all so much. And I know that it's time to get on with my life, time to go to college and so forth, but at the same time, it's so hard to leave the people here in New Jersey. I've gotten to know so many people, and grown to love them, it'll be hard to leave.

This week has been a rough week, but we ended it well. We had an activity that I've been working hard to plan that happened on Saturday. It went really well, although it killed most of Saturday setting up and preparing. Yesterday was a really good day. We brought a member named Deybi with us to visit Samuel and Joseph, and it was the perfect choice. Deybi and Samuel clicked instantly, it was a really good apppointment. I know Samuel will get baptized, I'd say in no more than 2 or 3 months more. Joseph is not sure about baptism, I would love to see him get baptized before I leave, but I don't want to push him too hard, because if he gets baptised out of pressure, than it doesn't mean anything.

Quick note: This week and next week I'm going to be sending some stuff home, and I am going to need to cut down on space and weight in my luggage. There'll be some packages coming your way.

Also, I would like to know when I am going to give my homecoming talk and what the topic is, I think you mentioned that you knew a few weeks ago. I also want to give Elder Barker a heads up, he told me he wants to come to it.

I love you so much and miss you all. I'm glad that Dad and Nick got home safe and sound from the trip, and it sounds like it was a blast. I hope you have a great week!
Love,
Elder Isaac Ellsworth.