Transfer News!

The Masontown District: Elder Flint, my companion Elder Bosen,

Elder Tunnell and I

Saying my goodbyes to The Masontown Bishopric

Saying farewell to our ninja neighbor, Jonas Dixon :)

Ward mission leader, Bro. Simms and his wife

Our landlord, S.O. Pratt

The Dixon Family (neighbors)

Masontown Apartment

Tiwi Box: Big Brother is watching. haha

The Wolfes Family

My Famous "Bug Beater" (Let's just say we had quite a few "unwanted guests"

around the apartment and I DID NOT want to vacate them with my hands!

Here's the new area for this transfer.
View of city of Huntington from across the Ohio River

Harris Riverfront Park
(Not to be confused with our Riverfront Park here in Spokane.) ;)

4th of July Fireworks above Riverfront Park

Marshall University
Home to 13,000 students

Marshall Football Stadium
Nickname: Thundering Herd  Mascot: Marco the Buffalo
Colors: Green & White

Pullman Square downtown

Cabell County Courthouse

April 26, 2016

Dear Alley Family & Friends,

 A big congratulations goes to Aubrey for making the dance team! WAY TO GO AUBREY! I was so stoked to hear the news. Now I have another item on my list of things-I-want-to-do-when-I-get-home: watch Aubrey dance on the Mead High School Dance Team! Congratulations little sis! I'm so proud of you.

Now for the big news: I am being transferred to the Huntington West area in the Huntington Zone and my new companion is Elder Lane! What makes this transfer interesting to me is that I actually knew Elder Lane when he was serving in the Parkersburg South area and I was in the Parkersburg North area. We weren't in the same district but we did serve in the same ward at that time so we got see each other frequently. He's a funny guy. Another thing that makes this transfer interesting for me is that (given the fact that I have about 6 months/4 transfers left in the mission) this may possibly be my last area before I go home. It's so weird to think about that.

Other than that, this week was mainly about saying good-bye to everyone we knew here in Masontown. While we may not have a lot of investigators (by the way, still trying to get in contact with that one family that I mentioned in my last e-mail. They didn't return our phone calls) here in the Masontown area, I did make a lot of good friends here. Which is why I'm actually sad to leave. For some time, since we didn't have a lot of investigators here in this area and the work has just been moving so slow, I thought that I wouldn't be sad about leaving this area. But then again, I thought the same about my previous areas (Martin, KY; Parkersburg; and Flatwoods) and I miss my friends there like crazy. I guess, as a missionary, you never know how much you love your friends and area until you are about to leave them.

As my time here in Masontown was wrapping up and all my friends from the Masontown Ward and outside the church said farewell to me and thanked me for my service, I couldn't help but think about The Doctor (my favorite time/space-traveling hero from Doctor Who). Why? Because The Doctor and I have one thing in common: we really hate endings. This may not have been an easy area for me, but I have really come to love the people here and I'm a little sad to leave them. We are definitely coming back here when I do a mission tour for you guys.

Well, that's my news for the week. I'll write again to you on Monday. Also, looking forward to Mother's Day! As soon as I get settled in my new area, we will find out what will happen for the Mother's Day Skype. Can't wait! I love you all and miss you all. Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Elder Michael Alley

From Elder Alley's Mom
Huntington, WV Facts:
Located in western West Virginia. It sits on the Ohio River at the point where West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky meet. Huntington is part of the largest inland port in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the metropolitan area is the largest in West Virginia. It spans 7 counties across 3 states, with a population of 364,101. Huntington is the largest city in that area and the second largest city in West Virginia, with a population of 49,160 at the 2012 census. (This will be the largest city he's served in.)

The city is home to Marshall University, one of the largest employers in town and a major contributor to the heart and soul of the community. On Nov. 14, 1970, a chartered jet carrying 75 Marshall football players, coaches, staff and supporters crashed just short of Tri-State Airport as it returned home from a game in North Carolina. Everyone on board was killed.

A movie titled “We Are Marshall,” starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, was released nationally in 2006 and depicts the aftermath of the tragedy for the university and community.