Hello everybody!
I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here, video or otherwise. This was not my intention in any way, but I do apologize for that. Now that things are coming together here and I am starting to get on a schedule, I will hopefully be posting more regularly. Anyways, onto the important stuff!
Just as a quick refresher, since it has been awhile, I am in Grass Valley, CA, my teammate recently left, and I've been staying with a couple from church until I get an apartment. At the end of July, I attended the Tahoe Family Encampment, which is a week-long retreat at Lake Tahoe put on my the churches of Christ and had people from across the country attend. This was only my second time at Lake Tahoe since I have been here, and I am loving it more and more. Besides the location, the encampment itself was very encouraging, with speakers from all over coming and teaching, including a certain Mr. Chris Swinford from Sunset. We were also camping in tents, something I hadn't done in a very long time. All in all, the experience was great. And then things started to get a little crazy for me.
During my stay in Tahoe, I had a phone interview for a job I had applied for. As I have talked about before, my plan has been to stay in the Grass Valley area after my AIM time is over. I hadn't planned on getting a job so soon, but a friend from church told me about this opportunity and it was too good to pass up. So, while at Tahoe, I had a phone interview that Monday, and then was asked to come to Folsom where the job is located, about 4 hours away, the next day for a group interview. This obviously wasn't something that was going to work well for me, but I was able to get them to let me join via video chat (luckily there were places with internet not too far from the campgrounds). Then Friday morning I got an email saying I got the job!...right when my family showed up. Great timing!
So, at the end of the encampment, my family drove up to Tahoe in a rental after flying in the previous day. We spent the day in Tahoe exploring and hiking, and then came back to Grass Valley. I got to show them around, introduce them at church, and make a spontaneous trip to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, something I hadn't done yet since being here. I even got to preach on one of the Sundays they were here, just for added pressure. One thing that my parents surprised me with is that they decided to buy me a car while they were here, with the expectation that I pay them back once I am on my feet. I am extremely thankful for them and all that they have done for me over the years.
With that, we come to the present. My family has left, I have started training for my new job, and I'm moving into an apartment on September 1. Now, this may leave some of you wondering where that puts me with AIM. I have talked to AIM as well as my missions deacon and have decided that after this month I will no longer be supported as an AIMer.
This doesn't mean I am no longer being a missionary here, though. I will never stop encouraging people and trying to reach out to those who need it, I am just no longer doing it in a supported capacity. So, to everyone who has been supporting me through this time, I would like to thank you for bringing me to this point. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to grow and experience all I have gone through these past two years. I would encourage you all to keep supporting missions, there are two new AIMers and two on the field from the Valley church that could use it.
To anyone wanting to know, my official graduation from the AIM program will be March 11 in Lubbock, and I am planning to make a return trip to Alaska the following summer to see everyone there again and answer any questions people may have about my time.
Again, thank you to all my supporters these past two years, and until we see each other again, God bless.
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