More transfer news...

With every transfer, we get a copy of the official assignment letter sent to Elder Bellomy from President Saylin. We got our copy of the letter today.

WE knew he'd been transferred and had a new companion. We also know the Church unit he is serving in. We don't know where the area is...or where his apartment is. Eldrew did leave out one small detail regarding the transfer. He has also been assigned as a District Leader.

(Mormonspeak: A district leader is the missionary assigned to lead and coordinate the missionary work in a smaller geographic area within a mission. We don't know the size of the district, but generally a 'district' comprises between 2-4 companionships. Up to eight missionaries.)

I am sure that Elder Bellomy is excited about this assignment because he LOVES working with other missionaries. I believe that he didn't mention it because he is happy being focused on the work. This is sort of a best case scenario for him. He gets to do the missionary work he likes...and gets to share time with other missionaries.

From a trivia perspective, this also provides Elder Bellomy with chance to experience every assignment an LDS missionary can have on a mission — junior companion, senior companion, trainer, district leader, zone leader, and assistant to the President.

Tomorrow is letter day. I'm sure there are updates coming...and photos if we are lucky!

Photos of Eldrew!!!

It has been MONTHS since we got a photo from Elder Bellomy.

However, the Mom's of a couple of Eldrew's companions have sent some photos in the last week.

In case you have forgotten what Elder Bellomy looks like (we have)...here are some photos. Click to enlarge.

Elder  Bellomy in a group photo. He is the second from the left. Directly to his right is Elder Born...one of Elder Bellomy's former companions. (Thanks to his Mom for sending us this photo.)

This is Elder Bellomy with his last companion, Elder Hesterman. Eldrew was his training missionary. (Thanks to Elder Hesterman's Mom for sending this and the next photo.)

Elders Bellomy and Hesterman. I think this may be the day the two were made companions and were heading out to their area from the mission home.

General observations...

• Elder Bellomy looks more grown up than ever...amazing.
• Eldrew's haircut is shorter than I think I have ever seen it. Well...the shortest since he was about 12-years old and he shaved his head for football season. Since then, he has always had pretty long hair.
• Notice that Eldrew is wearing an orange tie in all three photos? A close look seems to show that all three ties have a different pattern. I guess he likes orange ties.

Wow...it is so good to see him.

Shameless...pandering.

In the nearly two years since we have launched ElderBellomy.com, we have had visits from 47 of the United States. If you know anyone in South Dakota, Vermont, or Alabama...please recommend they visit ElderBellomy.com. Shameless self-promotion...I know...but it would be fun to have a complete 50-state sweep!

Go South Dakota!

Go Vermont!

Go Alabama!

Final Transfer?

We don't know if this really is the final transfer...but there are only July and August transfers left on Eldrew's mission.

After only a month of training Elder Hesterman, Eldrew has transferred to the Sunnyside Branch in Houston. Elder Bellomy describes this as a "dramatic" change.

He has moved from what he has described as "the ward he wants to live in when he is married" to a tiny branch. The Sugar Land 1st Ward is a well established, affluent area. The Ward has a nice chapel and a lot of really great, active members. The Sunnyside branch has only 30 members and has no building. Until they recently rented space, they met in a member's home. The branch (Mormonspeak: a small congregation) can only rent the space for two hours, so they cut out the ususal Sunday School class.

Eldrew describes the area as "mostly extremely poor ghetto" with some areas near the University of Houston that has some nicer homes.

His companion is Elder Tufaga (pronounce Two-fong-ah) He is from Hawaii. He is part Hawaiian, Samoan, and Chinese. Eldrew says that Elder Tufaga is hard working...and he is excited to serve with him. The congregation is so small that Elder Bellomy and Tufaga took the responsibility of passing the Sacrament on Sunday.

Eldrew says that if they don't find, teach, and bring people into the Church, this small congregation will not grow. So, he and his companion are working hard.

We are excited for him and his companion!!!

Time for another Mormon Moment.

Here is an inspiring video of a young LDS mother who overcame the challenges created in her life from a terrible car accident.

Basketball, and other Sugar Land News

Now that Eldrew is no longer a Assistant to the President, he is focused on being a regular prostlytizing missionary. He is training a new missionary (Elder Hesterman) and they are working hard finding people to teach in their area. (And playing a little B-ball!)

His letters are getting longer. And, seems to be having regular preparation days now.

In his last few letters he reports:

1. The photograph of Elder Bellomy with the mystery missionary — Mystery Missionary Photo turns out to be his companion, Elder Bayles the other assistant. He was wearing another missionary's name tag because his was lost.
2. The weather is getting brutal and hot. (We are teasing him because the weather in Utah is wet and cool.)

3. He is playing basketball on preparation days. Eldrew says that he can play for about 15 minutes before he get tired.
4. They still have a car...but don't drive too much because of the small milage allowance. Eldrew says that he loves riding the bike anyways. He says you get out more, connect with the area, and talk to more people.
5. Elder Bellomy reports that with the summer weather, he is getting SUPER tanned. He says that some people say that he looks Cherokee. (Funny thing is that his great, great, great grandmother is reported to have been full Cherokee) However, I don't see that with his blond hair and blue eyes that anyone can think that.
6. He and Elder Hesterman were touched and pleased that they had six people that they are teaching come to Church on Sunday. They have a number of people planning baptisms. Getting six visitors who are committed to baptism is a BIG deal. Eldrew credits the blessing as being 90% the Lord, and 10% Elder Hesterman!

7. Riding bikes is having the effect of Eldre losing weight and getting into shape. He is now 180lbs.

8. They taught two "awesome" gentlemen from Iraq...Muslims. The taught a lesson that Elder Bellomy describes as "filled with the Spirit." They met them tracting (Mormonspeak: "Tracting" is when Mormon missionaries go door-to-door knocking and introducing themselves. They generally teach a short lesson and leave LDS Tracts (pamplets)...hence..."Tracting.)

9. He and Elder Hesterman had a outside their area. Two missionaries going home with long international flights needed to leave a day early. Since Eldrew is near the airport and knows Houston really well, he and his companion were asked to get them to the airport.

10. After nine months in Sugar Land, Elder Bellomy announced that he is getting transferred. We will learn the particulars later. He is looking forward in faith to serving in what may be his last area of this mission. Wow! I can't believe that we are getting to that point.

Historic Mission Milestone: Mother's Day call.

We reached a milestone. The Last call from Eldrew on his mission. On LDS missions, the Elders are generally allowed four calls over the two years — each Christmas and each Mother's Day.

This was the last of those calls for Eldrew. He will be home before Christmas. In fact, he will be home on September 6th. It is hard to not start counting the days.

The call was great. Mom, Dad, brother, sisters, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and little baby Preston all gathered at our house for our 40 minute call.

As usual, the call went fast. And as usual, Eldrew was giving us time checks as to how much time we had. (the kids obeys all the mission rules.)

Susan wanted to use a phone we have down stairs in the basement. It has a good speaker on it. So, right before the call, I tried moving the phone upstairs and messed something up. None of the phones in the house worked. After several paniced minutes, we got the phone working for Eldrew's call.

It was GREAT to hear his happy, relaxed voice. It is so funny how he sounds the same, yet so different. His usual humor came shining through.

We talke of mission, his companion, what he is doing, and who he is teaching. We had tender moments of expressing our love for each other. The one subject we stayed away from is discussing him coming home in a few months.

In a few minutes, our milestone was over. Eldrew had to go. We miss him a lot. But it was good to hear his voice. Knowing that we will see him in a few months makes it all the better.

Happy Mother's Day Elder Bellomy. The gift of your spirit and voice was a great present for Susan!