It is a small, small, small world.

Elizabeth (Eldrew's sister) called last night and told me that a friend on Facebook just contacted her. Her friend also studied dance at BYU while Elizabeth was at BYU. She told Elizabeth that she and her husband had the missionaries over for a meal...and one of the missionaries was our very own Elder Bellomy! And, they had nice things to say about Andrew:

Well, we just love your brother. He seems to be doing great! He's always happy and full of lots to say. He's an awesome missionary, too. You can tell that he's out here for a purpose.

I know that is not a lot of news...but it is good to hear of someone else's take on Elder Bellomy and how he is doing. It is good to know that he is getting fed and people are being kind to he and his companion. It is also very interesting just how small a world it is that a former classmate of Elizabeth ends up hosting Eldrew at their home.

We got a long, long letter from Eldrew today. He is happy. We are still digesting it and will post a weekly update in the next couple of days.

Hello to the "801" from the 281.

Houston Texas South Mission: Weekly update:

Or, should I say semi-weekly update. Sorry to have skipped a week. Eldrew’s letter last week was short and not very newsy. I think he was having a dip in excitement from his arrival.

Eldrew is funny. He complains every week that he does not get enough news from us. So this week we wrote a MONSTER email. It was 1,998 words long. His reply that arrived this morning was all of 435 words. I guess Eldrew has no concept of reciprocity. But, we don’t really care. We are happy to hear from him and know that he is okay.

Here are the highlights from this week’s report.

His salutation: “To the 801.” (That’s us in the Utah area code of ‘801’)

The Bike: We bought him a used bike through the mission. We asked how it was doing. Eldrew replied that he mostly drives in a car and only rides every few days when they ‘want to OYM (open your mouth). I can only imagine that has something to do with getting a workout.

The work: Going slow, but they feel like they are seeing results. He believes that he and Elder Rios’ diligence and obedience are paying off.

Testimony: Eldrew’s love and faith in the Gospel are growing every day. He knows the Book of Mormon is the word of God. As he puts it is…”to legit to quit…believing in..ha ha.”

His area and the people: He loves the area and the people. He really enjoys all the different kinds of people he is meeting. He is getting into the swing of it so he is better at talking to people. The better he gets, the more people are opening up. He is learning that a big part of being a good missionary is being personable. (I think he is learning to be himself, and have fun talking to people in a genuine way.)

His testimony: I won’t share the specifics…but it is getting stronger and more articulate every week. I can feel his conviction as he speaks. He is really starting to understand the scope of the Gospel message.

He finishes with some comments to each member of the family and (dare I say this) teases his girlfriend for having the Swine Flu.
The sign off: With Love...the real kind, Elder Bellomy.

(One last note...I'm sure that Eldrew would love to hear from everyone who visits the blog. If it has been a week or two since you've written, drop him a note. If you haven't written him yet...send him a nice long letter. He'll love it!)

Mail call: Photo and letter from President and Sister Saylin.

We got a nice letter from President and Sister Salylin (Elder Bellomy's mission president and wife) today. The letter was letting us know that Eldrew has arrived safely, is in good health, and is with his mission companion in the field. They also provided his missionary apartment address. They enclosed the photo above. It was taken the same night as the group photo that was email and posted before.

I think they sent the letter just in case their original email had not arrived...or if Eldrew hadn't bothered to write and keep us updated on his status. They said some wonderful things about our missionary. It was great to get the letter and the photo. We love to get any news. Many thanks to them.

Susan has some sort of supernatural power of discernment. She can tell by simply looking at the photo that Eldrew is genuinely happy...not just smiling because he is posing for a photo.

She's usually scary good with that Mommy Radar thing...so I trust her instincts.

In da hood! (Maple-hood.)

Texas Houston South Mission: Weekly update from Elder Bellomy.
Andrew is doing GREAT! If you know Andrew from his pre-mission days, you know that he is wise-cracker. (He was voted the funniest person in Viewmont High School his senior year.) His humor is a barometer of how he is feeling. Susan and I each read his email this week separate from each other. I asked Susan later how she thought Eldrew was doing…and she replied “Great!” I agreed. We both recognized the dead giveaway being that Eldrew’s trade-mark humor was back — in full force.

Door approaches:
I figure that I knocked on about 25,000 doors on my mission. Eldrew is just getting started and he feels like he is doing well.

"The work is going well and I am getting better at door approaches...I don't feel the extreme anxiety I did the first week each time I knock on a door...soooooo I think that's a good thing."

Funny, strange stuff:
Eldrew had a few experiences this week he found to be “very odd” and that he thought we might like to hear about.

“1. We delivered a Book of Mormon to this one individual and when he invited us into his room there was creepy writing all over the wall and the room was dim and he was really quiet and jumpy. I was thinking, "I hope I live to tell about this" ha ha ha but It all worked out, we taught the first lesson and lived to talk about it. (he hasn't called us back for lesson 2 though)

2. I was told to, "get out da 'hood"... apparently I'm in 'da hood'. Elder Rios told me this area is called Maplehood. (Kim’s note: The area is actually named ‘Maplewood.”) I take great delight in knowing that my mission won't only prepare me for the future by establishing good study habits and work ethic but it is also giving me gangster status that will ultimately help move my rap career along. ha ha

3. I talk to my drunken neighbor at nights and he rambles all the time. He said when he looks at Elder Rios and I he sees God. He's a good guy though, he can't read or write BUT he loves God. "And that's it brother, you gotta love big Daddy." (As he would say)

Mail news:
As mentioned in a previous post, the goof with the Zip Code may be slowing down the mail. Here is his sardonic comment about the empty mailbox:

"I hope all is well in C ville? I better be getting some mail this week...Elder Rios and I check it every night and I think he's astonished at the dramatic cynicism I've developed towards the mail. "that mail box is just a dark cube of failed dreams and false hopes."

 I sent Eldrew a hard copy of the blog so far…he seemed to like it. He also thinks that Elder Rios was cool with being an ‘internet celebrity.”

Miracle!
Miracles do occur on missions. For example, Eldrew now actually pays attention at General Conference…and enjoys it. I passed out at the following comments.

"Conference is about 100 times better while you're on your mission...Personal revelation was exploding while I was taking notes. Elder Holland got a vocal approval from all the missionaries around me...and I must admit, I was pumped up as well. Who dares deny this book of God. Elder Holland's my boy...we're now listening to all his past conference talks...he's the bees knees. All the talks were great though, and Elder Bednar's talk (which will surely be quoted) did bring me some guilt however...I wasn't always as 'diligent and concerned at home' as I could have been and as an official show of my repentance I would like to say I love you all and tell you all that I know that God lives. That I've felt his spirit testify of his Prophet's validity. The heavens are open and God speaks today. Joseph Smith saw God and His son and as a result our souls need not hunger. We can feast on the words of Christ and I know that word is the Book of Mormon. This is His ordained church and I promise you as you abide by commandments both modern and old and establish a firm faith in Jesus Christ we will find happiness now and salvation in the world to come. I know this because I've felt its truth and I feel it's truth. My stomach burns when I exclaim His Glorious message. I bear you this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Gaining weight.
Eldrew describes his mission diet plan…

"I'm still getting fat even though I'm on the "a lot at dinner diet". I invented that diet....you can't turn down food at dinner appointments so the only meals I can control are breakfast and lunch so I eat sparingly then and pig out at dinner ha ha"

As you can see, he is upbeat and seems to be devoting himself in the work. Thanks for all those who are supporting Elder Bellomy with their prayers and good wishes.

Address correction.

In his email yesterday, Eldrew reports, "Elder Rios and I check it [the mailbox] every night and I think he's astonished at the dramatic cynicism I've developed towards the mail. "that mail box is just a dark cube of failed dreams and false hopes."

We have had some reports that mail is being returned. We confirmed last night that the zip code on the address that Eldrew gave us is incorrect. Here is the correct address:

Elder Andrew Bellomy
12945 South Post Oak # 165
Houston, TX 77045

We need to work on curing Eldrew's mailbox cynicism. Please send him a note or a card.

If you are interested in understanding where Elder Bellomy is serving in the greater Houston area, here is a Google map. (You can turn off the address bubble)

View Larger Map

Welcoming the world to ElderBellomy.com

It is hard to believe that Eldrew has been on his mission for over a month. If the rest of his mission goes as fast as this past month…he’ll be home before we know it!

To mark the one month mark, I’d like to engage in a little geek analytics – Google analytics – to be exact. This website has been set up so we get an sense of where our anonymous traffic comes from. We don’t know who anyone is, but we are having a little fun knowing what states and countries visits come from. Here are a few trivia points about ElderBellomy.com:

Total visits: 322

USA visitors: They come from 27 states: Utah, Texas, New Jersey, Iowa, Tennessee, Washington, Idaho, Maryland, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Montana, Nevada, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio, Oklahoma, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Kansas, Maine

International visitors: They have come from ten countries: USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Brazil, New Zealand, India, and Australia

Make up of visitors: 43% find us through links from other websites. (Thanks webmasters) 36% visit from typing in ElderBellomy.com. 21% find us from doing a search on Google, Yahoo, or Bing.

Search rank: As of right now, ElderBellomy.com is ranked as the #3 website on Google for “Texas Houston South Mission” searches

Don’t worry, we have no idea who is visiting this site. Its just fun knowing that people all across America and around the world are learning about Elder Bellomy’s mission.

Last thing...we got a long newsy email from Eldrew today. I will update what he has to say in an upcoming post. For now, I will share words of wisdom from Elders Bellomy's and Rios' next door neighbor:

"I talk to my drunk neighbor at nights and he rambles all the time. He said when he looks at Elder Rios and I he sees God. He's a good guy though, he can't read or write BUT he loves God. "And that's it brother, you gotta love big Daddy." (as he would say)"

More to come....

Meet Elder Rios

Yesterday, we got a wonderful call and email from Robert and Joy Rios. They are the proud parents of Elder Ryan Rios – Elder Bellomy's training companion.

From Elder Bellomy's email, it was clear that he has a great 'trainer.' The contact from Robert and Joy confirmed that fact.

Elder Rios is from Highland, Utah. (I think I remember that correctly.) He is also the District Leader over ten companionships. He has been on his mission for over a year. He and Elder Bellomy have a lot in common. They both enjoy music, play instruments, and are interested in accounting careers. Robert said that Elder Rios told them in his email home that Elder Bellomy is a hard worker and a good missionary. Being the companion to a District Leader has the added benefit that Elder Bellomy will get to see and experience different areas, situations, and missionaries in his first area. The district is close enough to the city that they have several Houston landmarks within the district. Susan (Elder Bellomy's Mom) is very pleased that Elder Rios is such a good guy and that his first area and companion is shaping up to prepare him well for his entire mission.

The Rios' also included some photos of the missionary apartment. I must say that it looks better than I thought it would...and nicer than almost all of my apartments. (You know that I slept in the snow without blankets on my pioneer-era mission.) Here is what the place looks like.

We want to thank the Rioses for having such a great son and missionary. We appreciate the contact and photos from them. We're thankful for the kind things they have been doing for Andrew...even praying for him before they knew who their son would be training. Elder Rios is in our family's prayers as well.

Diversity, roaches, guns, and tracting.

Mondays are preparation days in the Texas Houston South Mission. Elder Bellomy just sent his first email from his first area. Elder Bellomy is happy, challenged...and having a LOT of new experiences.

His trainer companion is Elder Rios. Eldrew (short for Elder Andrew) reports that Elder Rios thinks that he is an "amazing missionary already." He is encouraged by this.
The companionship's apartment is small, smelly, and overrun with coach roaches. (That brings back fond memories of my apartments on my mission) He seems okay with the living arrangements. Tracting is hard (hmmmm...same as on my mission.) People can be rude — but Elder Bellomy is already learning to "shrug" that off. In fact, he thinks he is pretty good at tracting. He finds that teaching the restored Gospel brings the Spirit the most.

They are in a rougher part of town. However, the people seem to know the missionaries and he feels safe. One guy flashed a gun at them while they were tracting...but because the guy said that he liked Eldrew's blue tie he thinks that he was pretty safe. One fellow called them and threatened them with an announced visit with a gun if the missionaries came to his house unannounced again.

Overall, Eldrew says that right now it is emotionally stressful — but that he can do it. He misses home and Whitney in the evenings when he has time to think. He gets to sleep quickly and he says he will do fine
Elder Bellomy reports that the ward is ethnically diverse. There are people from all over. He met an African American convert named Goldy May Johnson. She's 94 Years old and joined the Church two years ago. She gave him some SNICKAS! (snickers candy bars). He thinks she is really cool.

He can only exchange emails with direct family. He can write once a week on Mondays. He can receive snail mail every day. Soooo, he is asking everyone to send mail. He'd love to hear from everyone.

His current address is:

Elder Andrew Bellomy
12945 South Post Oak # 165
Houston, TX 77046

Be sure to drop him a line.

Elder Whipple...Hurricane Ike....and F.E.M.A.

Elder Whipple who came home from the Texas Houston South Mission reported his mission today.

Because I happen to be vested in this particular mission, his report was of great interest to me.

Elder Whipple told some of some great experiences while on his mission. He really grew in Spirit and dedication. He is an outstanding young man.

I asked him if he got to see Elder Bellomy -- he did. The departing missionaries were sitting and waiting in the airport terminal while the new missionaries got off the plane. (The flight returns to Salt Lake City.) Elder Whipple says he was sitting watching the sixteen new missionaries as they walked down the concourse. He said that Elder Bellomy was in front, leading the way. He said that Elder Bellomy looked great and seemed happy and enthusiastic.

Elder Whipple described the amazing impact of Hurricane Ike. It was a Category 3 hurricane that tore right through their mission area. Elder Whipple told how the eye of the hurricane passed right over his location. After the hurricane, they more or less suspended missionary work and spent weeks helping with the clean up. The LDS Church is always very active in after-disaster service. In fact, the local joke is that if you needed assistance after the hurricane, you should get F.E.M.A. -- Find Every Mormon Available!

Given that Elder Whipple was the Assistant to the President, I asked him if he knew where Elder Bellomy's first area is. If I heard him correctly, he is in an area known as Maplewood. I will confirm that tomorrow when Elder Bellomy emails us.

It was great to shake the hand of Elder Whipple who so recently shook the hand of Elder Bellomy!

Coming tomorrow...Mission report from Elder Whipple.

This Sunday, Elder Greg Whipple of the Deuel Creek Ward will be reporting his mission to the High Council and will be speaking to his ward. He is the son of Brent and MaryKay Whipple. They live in the ward next to ours. (We have known them for years from the time when our home was in that ward.)

Elder Whipple just finished serving in the Texas Houston South Mission. He served as the Assistant to the President for his last few months. He came home the same day that Elder Bellomy arrived in Texas. I am told that the arriving missionaries and the homecoming missionaries get a chance to meet at the airport. If so, then Elder Whipple will have seen Elder Bellomy this week.

I happen to serve on the High Council, so I will share later his report to the Council. Susan and I are planning on attending the Deuel Creek ward to hear Elder Whipple's talk. If you are interested, the meeting is at 12:30 PM located at 960 North 400 West in Centerville, Utah. If you are coming  via I-15 simply take the Centerville exit going east, turn north (left) at the Dairy Queen intersection...and the chapel is about two blocks on your left.

It should be interesting to hear about the Texas Houston South Mission from someone who just served there.

See you there!

Arrival in Texas. (According to Elder Bellomy)

We got snail mail today from Elder Bellomy announcing his safe arrival in Texas. (We'd already gotten an email from Sister Saylin — Your Missionary has arrived.) We just thought we'd share his note home:

He also included some artwork given him by one President and Sister Sayln's children. He is obviously pleased with it to send it home for safe-keeping in the scrapbook that his Mom is going to do.

Your Missionary Has Arrived

We got the following email today:

Hello loved ones! Greetings from the Texas Houston South Mission….

Pres. Saylin and I wanted to let each of you know your missionary has arrived safe and sound. They are happy and well and we love them already! You should be very proud of them. They are incredible and a wonderful addition to the mission. Tomorrow they will have some training in the morning and by later afternoon they will be off to their first area with their trainers. Their P-day will be on Mondays, so please look for their email that day. I know they will be looking for one from you!


May you know of our great love for them and may your family be blessed by their missionary labors as they help to bring souls unto Christ.


Much love,


Pres. and Sister Saylin and family

Kate, Scott (not pictured), Keith (not pictured), Seth, Sophie and Chloe

(Note from us: Elder Bellomy is on the far right of the first row of elders.)

Texas Bound.

(Texas Houston South Mission) General update and news from the travel front.

MTC update: News from Elder Bellomy has been all good. We even had a chance to talk to him today while he was at the airport in Salt Lake City waiting for his flight.

First news from Elder Bellomy's last letter. We got an email late last week. He was excited and loving the MTC. He told us that he was studying as much as eight hours straight and keeping up and attentive. (WOW!!!) He and his district were so excited to hear Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Apostles speak that they skipped dinner to get a seat in the auditorium. He was excited and ready to get to the mission field

On the road to Texas. Today is the day that Elder Bellomy arrived in the 'Mission Field."

Today, around 9:30 I got the call from him at the air port. It was great to hear his voice. He sounds happy and content. He said he really enjoyed the MTC and said that he told one of the trainers after two days that he couldn't understand why anyone would leave. He really enjoys teaching the missionary discussions and feels the spirit when he is doing them. He is a little nervous that he doesn't know them better, but is ready to teach.

Fat and Sassy: Elder Bellomy said that he didn't eat too much the first couple of days because he was nervous...happy...but nervous. But once he was acclimated to the MTC, he chowed down. He says he gained SEVEN POUNDS in less than three weeks at the MTC. His favorite meal is the Fiesta Chicken with mashed potatoes.

Apparently, prep days at the MTC are very efficient...and short. You have a regular day until lunch. Then you go to the temple and do laundry you don't really have time to do anything else. In a display of genius efficiency, the MTC puts the computers for writing emails home in the Laundromat. That way, the missionaries can do emails while they wait for the laundry to get done.

Elder Bellomy's travel companion is Elder Oliver. He was really excited because he and Elder Oliver were room mates and have so much in common. Having a great elder like that helped Elder Bellomy adapt to the whole MTC routine.

I can't help but wonder where and what Elder Bellomy is doing right this moment. He is actually in Texas...and is starting the real part of his mission. Send good thoughts and prayers his way.

A new twist on a family tradition.

It is a tradition in our family to gather for Sunday dinner. We eat, relax and enjoy talking.

Tonight, we burned some hamburgers and started a new tradition. Now that Elder Bellomy in on his mission, we gather around the living room and read all the letters Andrew has sent to family, ward, and his girlfriend. This collective sharing provides the most complete view of how Elder Bellomy is doing. We also spend time telling Andrew stories from before he went on his mission.

From the other letters we heard tonight, we learn that the Elders have a pull up contest every night...and Andrew always wins. He enjoys going to the Temple with his companion and district. He misses Whitney...and she misses him. One of the Elders in his district (I think the one from West Point) has a lot of common interests with Elder Bellomy. They listened to the same radio shows, enjoy the same music, and other interests. He describes staying up late one night and talking with his companion, whom he really respects. From everything we are hearing...he is very happy.

He has his travel itinerary. He will be flying out on September 22. We don't know the time...and I don't think we are supposed to.

We will keep you posted on any more updates. In the meantime, we are going to finish just hanging out.

If you are ever interested in coming and hanging out on Sunday afternoon and listening to the letters...just give us a call for the time.

Love from Elder Bellomy.

We received Elder Bellomy's letter today.
He is doing well. He sounds energetic and engaged. He is learning and working. He reports that he has mastered the first missionary lesson. From what we can tell from his letter, he has an assignment to work in some sort of call center to contact people who have asked for materials from the Church. Elder Bellomy says that he has arranged for two missionary visits with people interested in the Church. This is getting him excited. He says he can't wait to teach. He says the manifestations of the Spirit are "so strong" when he presents the lessons.

As mentioned earlier, he really likes his room mate and his companion is a good guy.
He made requests of each member of the family: 

Sarah: "Stay away from the boys!"

Adam: "Postpone the wedding until 2012!" (fat chance says Dad)

Liz &Spencer: "I want neices or nephews!"

Ma &Pa: "Keep praying for me!"

Sounds like he is off to a good start. It would be great if his letters were longer.

Here is his signature:

"I'm as happy as I can be."

I just had the opportunity to speak with Elder Bellomy on the phone. With the permission of the MTC, we were taking care of some insurance matters. Elder Bellomy's District President stepped away for a moment to receive and email from me, and gave us permission to talk.

With the clock ticking...I got in as many questions in as I could. Elder Bellomy says that he is doing well. He told me that "I'm as happy as I can be." The tone of his voice, his manner, his confidence all told me this is true.

He reports that he likes his companion. He is particularly happy with one of his room mates who is going to the same mission he is. The Elder is from just a few miles down north of Centerville -- West Point. The Elder attended Clearfield High School where Susan did some substitute teaching. I think that this link to home with an Elder of similar background is great for Elder Bellomy.

We expect a letter from Andrew today, so I am sure there will be more to tell later.

Snail mail coming...

I just knew that as soon as I said we have not heard from Elder Bellomy...something would happen. Susan just discovered an email from Elder Bellomy in her inbox. It was a test email to sent this around 6PM. No real news in the email...just a test and letting us know that a snail mail is on the way.

The email is only 33 words...but it is good to hear from him. I will update his status as soon as the snail mail arrives on Friday.

One week today.

Well, it has been one week today since Elder Bellomy went into the MTC to prepare for his service in the Texas Houston South Mission. We have received one short note from him last Friday. He said he is doing well, he likes his companion, and that his faith and testimony have 'doubled.'

Interestingly enough, we don't know when preparation days are in the MTC. Nor do we know when he can receive and read emails. We think he has an email address, but do not know what it is.

So, for now we are in something of a bubble. We will keep everyone posted when we hear something.

Letter from the MTC Presidency.

We got an email from the MTC Presidency letting us know that Andrew is all checked in. It has some useful information regarding his address and mail policies. Since all of you are sharing this experience, here is the letter:

Dear family of Andrew Paul Bellomy,

We are pleased to inform you that your missionary has been safely checked in at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. We thank you for supporting your missionary and know that your family will be blessed as a result.

Your missionary's mailing address while at the MTC is:

Andrew Paul Bellomy
MTC Mailbox # 257
TX-HOUS 0922
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please note the following items:

1. Missionary service began upon arrival. Please do not arrange or request visits with your missionary, particularly "unanticipated" meetings at the temple or in proximity to the MTC.
2. All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services. Hand delivered items will NOT be accepted. Do not send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours. Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.

3. Communicate with your missionary weekly through letters sent to the above address or through the email account that the missionary will set up within the first two weeks. Only immediate family can send to this email account. Telephone calls for missionaries cannot be accepted.

4. Families and friends should not plan to visit departing missionaries at the airport or MTC. Farewells should have been said at home before the missionary arrived at the MTC.

Should you need to communicate with the MTC, do not reply to this email, but call 801-000-0000.

Sincerely,

Provo MTC Presidency

I you are inclined to send him a letter, I know he'd appreciate it. He leaves the MTC on September 22. So, time any mail to arrive before then.

What was lost is found.

There was one apparent mishap during the room cleaning that had Andrew very concerned (can you say---semi-meltdown). It definitely threatened to permanently alter his I.D. collection that was for sure! You see, he thought he had thrown away $50 in cash and his very first...and former driver's license. (He had to get a new one with a later expiration date for his mission). Andrew has every picture I.D. since Junior High school and now his collection would never be complete. The money was an inconvenience but more easily replaced in his mind. In his fervor to declutter, he had emptied a big tub full of stuff into a trash bag.

Because it was garbage day the next day, his dad made sure that Andrew deposited the bag in the trash can at the curb. The next day, when Andrew was putting the finishing touches on the room, he realized that the money and I.D....and uh oh...his new credit card were missing. Once he reached the trash can at the curb...he realized that it was too late and the garbage man had already come! There was much weeping and wailing but after a few hours there was a degree of resignation...though he had to tell everyone the story placing the blame squarely on his dad for asking him to take the bag to the curb.

Adam on the other hand was not convinced that all was lost. He said, "Watch, we'll find all that stuff tucked away somewhere." It turned out he was right but it was much more obvious than that. Adam picked up a pair of pants that Andrew had left on the bathroom floor, reached into the pocket and tah dah!!!! There was the $50, Andrew's former license and the credit card.
Hurray! Our very first mission miracle. :)