It is so exciting to be here, I'm the designated driver and I am driving an 1 week new Vauxhall Meriva. I've taken some pictures and I will send it on Monday, this morning we had to get a Boat from England, a Ferrie actually. I don't think I've ever been to another Country by boat, it's the only part of the mission that you cannot get to by car, you need to Cross the Irish Ocean and get to the Island. It's the only Island in the mission, you have main England, and then the Isle of Man.
We just got to the Isle of Man about an hour ago, and I had to get used to driving the Automatic car, I've never driven automatic before it is really scary. One of the best parts of the Isle of Man is that outside a few towns there are no speed limits!
It's techincally international- we have a different Mobile than everyone else in the mission, they all have Orange Mobiles, but Orange doesn't cover the Isle of Man so we have a different number from everyone else. Normal Missionaries in this mission have a 07800614... Number, while we have just a random number.
The most exciting part is that ever since my first 6 weeks in the mission the Isle of Man has had sister missionaries. On Sunday evening before transfers President Preston called me to tell me that we will be "White Washing" the Island. It's just me and another missionary, taking the Sister Missionaries out of the Island and replacing them, usually one missionary replaces another missionary. But when you replace a companionship with another companionship it's called White Washing. Anyway, taking the Ferry was interesting, it was like Boarding an Aeroplane... I think this will be the most exciting time of my mission because we have no clue about the Area, we have no clue who the sister missionaries were teaching, we have no clue about the members... it's just me and my companion, a car and a whole island to ourselves.
The whole Island is 227 square miles. With no speed limits except in a few towns. I was so scared driving the Automatic, a couple of times I was really scared to crash because I kept using my Left foot for the Break... Automatics don't have Clutches so my Left foot just sits there, I kept touching the Gear Stick because I keep thinking I need to Change the Gears.
We are so new to the Isle, we haven't gone back to the Flat yet, or done any shopping. We just got off the Ferry and to the Chapel to pick up our Car and all our luggage is still inside and we just came to e-mail. I haven't had anything since Breakfast.
To park on the Isle of Man you need some weird Time Disk thing... we were driving around for 30 minutes to try and look for one.
It looks so pretty here... Seriously I could come Honeymooning here. Not that I'm thinking of that right now. It's just so beautiful here. It feels so weird driving again, our mission has only a few Car areas, about 3 I think, and one of them is this Area.
I love the "Isle", I keep refering to it as just "The Isle" because it is such a legend here we just call it "The Isle" only good missionaries are sent here, very trusted ones too. Think about it, anything a missionary does in a secluded place such as an island is a reflection of the Church... if one bad missionary did something wrong, they would have to close down the Island to missionaries. Alot of released Assistants to the Mission President are sent here to finish off their mission, that is the level of trust required to serve here. Oh, yeah my companion... his name is Elder Stubbs, he is from Australia and is finishing his mission while serving with me, he has 6 weeks left. I've never been with a missionary who has to finish their mission with me.
Another funny note is that we can't techinally leave our area... missionaries can't leave their proselyting area without permission. We can't really leave our area, we are surrounded by water, that's another reason why missionaries must be trusted. If a missionary did something wrong... it would perhaps even be Days till the Mission President or his Assistants or anyone could come to tell the missionary off. It was a 3-4 hour Ferry ride from England, it really feels like I'm closer to Ireland than England.
Anyhow, I keep rambling on about "the Isle" I'm just really excited... oh and they don't have anyone who plays the Organ or the Piano so... I'm in. I'm on an Island... I'm not in England. Just think about that. Be jealous. Of all the days we could have come to the Isle of Man and I have to be driving after not driving for a whole year, and to drive an Automatic I come when it is the TT Racing thing. There are so many tourists here, and so many Motorbikes just flooding the whole Island and I have to get used to driving again.
Leaving St. Helens was a sad time, if anything, I'm not ungrateful toward my family. But it was harder leaving St. Helens than leaving my Family. St. Helens possibly could have been the best ward of the mission. Dinner appointments everyday, Shirts washed and Ironed, members who loved us so much and would do Anything for us. We bumped into a St. Helens member while we were in Chorley during a missionary meeting and he drove us home all the way to our flat. Oh... that reminds me we named our new car "Kathryn" she is such a beauty!
Back to St. Helens.... when I called/ visited the members to say goodbye... they all called each other, they put it on Facebook they just all already knew that I was leaving. It was really hard to see members who you knew carred about you telling other members that you would leave, they were all excited for me but it was so hard. I keep rambling on about the Car reading back this e-mail... I'm excited to drive... I have Car keys in my hands right now.
I wish I could show you more pictures, but my camera usb wire is still packed in my suitcase, expect it Monday. I love "the Isle" this is where Legendary missionaries are born, the kind that you hear stories about years later. The people here are called "manx" and it's a language aswell.
Anyhow, the excitement has caught up to me I wish I could write more but I haven't unpacked, shopped, been to the flat or even ate anything since this morning so... talk more on monday!
Love,
Elder Sapaden
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