Townsend

As of today, I have been home from my mission for exactly one month.

Hope you can forgive what may seem like random interjections and haphazardly strewn together thoughts. I'm reminiscing here for the benefit of those who know Townsend, Montana, and who I know and love. I would appreciate any memories or thoughts you have to share, long or short...if you would post them as comments below.
If you are not from Townsend, and if you don't know me, please read on. 

This is the first post about an area of my mission that I will write post-mission. I've waited for awhile to continue writing because it's hard to look back during such a huge transition. I must have sat down to write at least fifteen times, and just couldn't bring my mind to focus.

I've already written much about Townsend, in pieces here and there, in other posts. Some of those posts include Homecoming Talk, Art's Conversion, Erin's Conversion, Sheri's Conversion, Leah's Conversion, and The Reason I Came. These can all be found under the My Montana Mission tab at the top of this blog.

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My transfer to Townsend came as a huge surprise. I was serving in Miles City, on the other side of Montana, with Elder Anderson. I had only been in Miles City one transfer (a transfer is 6 weeks); Elder Anderson had been there for three. The typical pattern would be for the elder who had been in the area the longest to transfer out. But that was not the plan. I still remember President Gardner's voice on the phone. He explained that they had just opened up a new area called Townsend, and he wanted me to go in with Elder Roerdanz. Both of us would be new to the area. He said there were people who had been prepared for years by the sister missionaries, and that we had big shoes to fill because the sisters had always done amazing work there.

I met up with Elder Roerdanz in Billings and worked with him for a day there, getting to know him a little bit. We set out together the next day, on my birthday. October 26, 2009. I turned 20 that day, but spent the day on a bus. 

The bus ride was long. We went the long way around. I think we could have arrived three hours earlier had we gone straight to Townsend, but we went in a big circle around it, landing in Helena. We met a few elders at the bus station and they drove us down to meet the family with whom we would be staying.

I could never forget my first night there. I walked into the home of the Prices, my new home for seven months to come, and felt like I had been there before. Sister Price instantly registered in my mind as one of those incredible people you just don't find very often. She is just an angel. I knew that if she found out it was my birthday, she would make a fuss and pull something together for me, even though it was late at night when we arrived. That's just the kind of person she is. So I kept my mouth shut. But, of course, Elder Roerdanz took the liberty of informing her that I had turned 20 that day; she disappeared from the room and came back with a huge tub of ice cream and candles.

I must say, I have never felt so welcome anywhere as I did there.


Elder Goff and Elder Child had served in Townsend just before I arrived, but were living in Helena and could only make it to Townsend occasionally. They were there with us our first night, as well as Elder Heywood, who awaited a new companion to arrive a few days later. The next day we started out to work. We went to a local sawmill (R Y Timber) to their scrap wood pile to put together a community wood pile. A few months later, we would return to the new woodpile to split most of it. 


We received a list of names of individuals of note in the area, meaning those who needed missionary attention.Wayne and Rebecca Mitchell were on that list. Elder Goff said, "You are going to love Wayne Mitchell." 
I love Wayne Mitchell.
I now refer to Wayne as the old Codger. We worked with Wayne during the entire duration of my stay in Townsend, which was over seven months. We had many many dinners at their home. Each month, they would put on a community Gospel Sing, where many of the local congregations would come together to sing songs together and to hear soloists play as well. I had the opportunity to play a piano piece for one of those sings. 
Wayne was baptized shortly after I left. I have had the opportunity to see the Mitchells many times since then. We're definitely friends for life.
At the bottom of the list of names we received was the Heffelfinger family. I could write a novel about our experiences there, but I have already detailed much of my association with them in the Conversion Stories tab, and those posts are listed at the top of this article. There were many with whom people I had the privilege of meeting and coming to love and know and serve as a missionary. With all of these, I knew that I had come into their lives, and they into mine, for a divine purpose. There were some who I felt could have been reached by a wide range of personalities of missionaries, some by a narrow range. There were also those who I felt I was specifically sent for, like a personal mission only I could fulfill. The Heffelfingers were that family for me.

Elder Roerdanz and I began, for whatever reason, to work with a lot of members of the local Methodist congregation. I got to where I knew many of their members by name. Looking back, I'm sure we caused the Pastor some consternation as he could see that we were so tightly affiliated with his congregation. But we made some great friends. For Christmas, we spent most of the day providing meals to anyone who came in to  the Methodist Church. I called my family from their chapel that afternoon.

After three months of serving together, Elder Roerdanz and I parted, and I waited anxiously for a brand new missionary to arrive. Elder Davis became my "firstborn in the wilderness," or my first trainee. I picked him up in Helena late one night and brought him straight to the Heffelfingers for the first lesson of his mission. Here on the left is a "three-generation" picture of my trainer Elder West, myself, and Elder Davis, whom I trained. We have a great "line of posterity" established. Elder Davis and I got along great. He was the easiest companion a missionary could hope to have. It was really cold when he arrived. We had some very cold days, out walking the streets of Townsend in the negatives together. 

The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Townsend are some of the greatest people I know. I feel like I could leave home today, drive to Townsend, and have at least 15 places to stay there without feeling awkward or out of place. It's like one huge extended family to me. I think of Townsend and I think of Prices, Christensens, Coopers, Bruces, Scoffields, Grandma Regan, Tim Pool, Burt's Hardware (Hornsvelds), the Davis family, Mauna Shadoan, my friends in Radersburg and Toston like Hunsakers and Williams, Bairs, Hensleys, Blancos, Diehls, Hollands, Jenkins, Pratts and Olivers, Moffits, Saltzmans, and many many others. I'm sorry if you're from Townsend, reading this, and your name doesn't appear here. I got to know so many amazing people, and you're one of them!

The ward holds an annual Christmas singing event called Nativity Night. Hundreds of nativity sets are brought to the chapel by people from all around town, and put on display in the LDS building. There is a full musical program, headed mainly by Sisters Scoffield and Diehl. Elder Roerdanz and I were able to practice for and sing in that event. I thought it was an incredible witness of the power of persistence in missionary work, as, over ten years ago (I think), when the event was first organized, there was little attendance, and many denominations refused to participate because it was to be held in a "mormon" venue. Presently, there is representation from most denominations at the event, and hundreds of people attend each year. It has become a community tradition, and an essential part of the holiday season in Townsend. What a wonderful thing to be a part of. I was in awe of the strength and capacity of the good people there in moving the work of God forward.

I remember also seeing the ward come together to help out those in need. We provided a community wood pile, as earlier mentioned. Members worked at local charities like the food bank. When a family in the ward fell on hard times, and faced some extreme health challenges, a fundraiser event was put together to help them out. A silent and a live auction were held, local musicians performed, amazing food was provided, and many members donated directly to help in the effort.

I can't wait to go back to see the good people living in Townsend.

One of the highlight fun activities of my mission was a trip to an ice cave. There is an old abandoned train tunnel near Helena, Montana, which has a small stream running through it. In the cold Montana winters, the stream freezes into a flat, smooth sheet of ice the whole way through the tunnel. There are some awesome ice formations inside. It felt like the tunnel went on for miles. I don't know how long it really is, or really where it is, to be honest, but I would love to go back someday.

Another of my favorite Preparation Day activities was hiking to the top of Mount Helena, which, naturally, overlooks Helena. We took the missionaries from the surrounding areas and made a two trips up there during my time in Townsend.

After six months, I fully expected to be transferred somewhere new. I was sad at the thought, but also excited, because six months is a long time to be anywhere as a missionary. I thought I was ready for somewhere new. But when Elder Davis was called to leave, and I was assigned to stay, I had to rewire my brain and prepare for another six weeks in Townsend.
Elder Kuck came in next. I'm not going to let this post go too much longer. But I wanted to say that Elder Kuck was a great example and friend to me. All of my companions helped me in major ways. I just remember that I was having such a difficult time during this last transfer in Townsend, and Elder Kuck took the time to listen to me and help me out.
After six months, I still had not been able to bring a soul to baptism in Townsend, and I felt very depressed about it. After all, I had become senior companion when I arrived in Townsend. I felt like this was the time for me to show myself and the Lord what I was really made of as a leader and not just a follower. But despite my hardest work and prayers and effort, I didn't feel I had much to show for it. At least, there were no measurable results. Of course I had grown, and loved, and accomplished much with His help. I felt there just wasn't anything concrete to show for it.
So Elder Kuck came in, and he was able to help me see what I was doing right, and to focus on what was good in the work. He helped me to go easy on myself, where before I had been so critical.
And I learned, through the days and weeks and months, that there was a very important need for me to remain in Townsend. There was still so much for me to do. Leah Heffelfinger was baptized. The rest of the family made crucial steps as well. Wayne Mitchell made great progress in preparing for baptism. There were many others.

In the moment, it can be so hard to understand why we do what we do. It can be hard to understand how the routine little steps we take can add up.
In retrospect. it brings us to our knees as we recognize the miracles that God has done in our lives, and in the lives of those around us.

I had heard during my mission about the beautiful northwestern part of Montana. Many referred to it as God's Country. I had secretly wanted to go there. When my mission president called, he told me I would be moving next to Kalispell, Montana. I felt like I had won the lottery. Kalispell in the summer. Glacier National Park. Flathead Lake.
But I could never explain the feeling of leaving Townsend, Montana. I missed it terribly my first day away.
I still do.