This week will mark the last leg of The Vagabond Tour... Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota. With that said, I still haven't finished writing about the previous adventures. I get writing SO MUCH, that it is exhausting. So, I think I will just do bullet points to finish... That way, everything gets done AND nobody gets exhausted writing/reading (hopefully). Here goes!
Day 25 - July 5:
- Took pictures in Cemetery
- Volunteered rebuilding a home ruined by Hurricane Katrina through the St. Bernard Project.
Day 26 - July 6:
- Volunteered @ same home, this time meeting the owners of the home. What an experience!
- Hit the road to Angleton, Texas to visit with an old friend (shout out to Jovana)! While there we went to dinner, and visited a farm where I got to pet a horse and a cow. So cool!
- Went home and watched Invisible Children's "Black is for Sunday" Documentary
Day 27 - July 7:
- DROVE! I must brag that I drove from Orange, TX to Angleton, TX to Dallas, TX on one tank of gas... I felt pretty accomplished!
- Visited with the Wisemans (Mission companion)! We watched a documentary on some street artists (Sorry IC). Good stuff!
Day 28 - July 8:
Today was a great day for picture taking, but I didn't take pictures... I drove through a couple dozen little towns that didn't even have a stop sign - let alone a stop LIGHT!
- Met family descendants of Geronimo at a gas station as I was trying to get into Fort Sill (My map led me to a dead end...)! What an honor!
- At Fort Sill, I saw where Geronimo's jail cell was, as well as the burial site of many Native Chiefs, including Geronimo.
- On the road again, I followed Route 66 to Amarillo. Before I made it there, I stopped in Groom, TX to see their infamous leaning water tower and giant cross!
Day 29 - July 9:
- Made it to Albuquerque, NM
- Visited with the Sanders (friend from mission).
- Went to do FREE HUGS, but was rained out... :(
- Visited Old Town, including attending a church service in the oldest church in Albuquerque! Holla!
Day 30 - July 10:
- Woke up early so that I could make it to Thoreau, NM for church - It was a cool little town in the middle of nowhere. Loved it! One of the missionaries there tried to hook me up with his sister.
- Hit the road again and ended up driving through a bunch of forests and national parks in Arizona, trying to get to Mesa. I have some super great family in Mesa that I got to stay with for a while! We played pool and a bunch of card game. Good times for sure!
Day 31 - July 11:
- Visited another friend from my mission (Reidheads)
- Then, my aunt's family came over for dinner, which was a blast. They had thick New Yorker accents. I don't think I have ever heard a real New Yorker accent... and it was great!
Day 32 - July 12:
- Headed off to California
- While stopped by border patrol, I shared some Vagabond Tour flyers and talked about what it was all about. Schweet.
- BEACH!!!
Day 33 - July 13:
- First thing in the morning, I headed over to the Invisible Children office, and had the time of my life. SERIOUSLY. Story time:
When I got there, I visited with my "tour guide" (Holly) and explained the Vagabond Tour. While we were talking, one of the founders (Laren) of IC casually walked by. It was crazy! It was like I just saw a superstar or something! We joked about it, and then were on our way with the tour. Our first stop was the Roadie Intern area, where all the interns were planning the Fall tour. Holly gets everyone's attention and introduces me and explains what I have been doing on the Vagabond Tour. They were all stoked and tried to get me to be a Roadie, while I casually laughed it off... not thinking too much about it. We go on with the tour and I meet a bunch of fantastic people in the various departments. We stop by the shipping department (where all the merch is), and as we are leaving, I ask about getting a new bracelet, since I lost mine in Florida. We go back and I ask them about it... and they commence giving me a TON of stuff! Bracelets, flyers, stickers, etc. So, now I can do stellar major screenings!
Next, we were in the hall looking at pictures of past events, talking about how we both got involved in IC, when another founder (Jason) of IC walks by! This time, Holly stops him and introduces me and tells him about my tour. Not only was he impressed, but he asked if I would be down for an interview! AN INTERVIEW IN AT THE INVISIBLE CHILDREN OFFICE! The next thing I know, I am in a room being interviewed... What is going on?! SO COOL!
But it gets better...
I finish up the interview, and am about the head out, and figured that it would be cool to get some pictures! I ask if I could get a Vagabond Tour picture with the Interns. They agree to it, and we get a way cool picture in the office. Then the thought came to mind to get a picture with Jason and Laren. Holly wasn't sure about it, but decided to take me to find out if it were possible. We go back and... IT WAS. We take the picture, and then Jason explained to Laren what I was doing. We started just talking about random stuff, and then Jason stopped and said, "Hold on, I will be right back." He runs into his office and comes out with a book. He hands it to me and says "This guy is one of my favorite authors, I think you would really like this book." I had recognized it as a book talked about by the founder of To Write Love On Her Arms, Jamie Tworkowski. It was called "Blue Like Jazz." I told him I would check it out, and tried to hand it back. "You keep it." What??? The founder of Invisible Children just gave me his book?! OK?! How cool is this?! Then to top it off, they (along with everyone else in the office) tried to get me to be a roadie. I asked lots of questions, and was ready to do it... Seriously, it all felt like a blur.
A little more conversation was had, and then I was out the door - walking on a cloud. Thank you Invisible Children for such an amazing experience!
- After leaving the IC office, I headed up to San Pedro to see another friend from the mission (Arie Santana).
- We went to the Hollywood sign, Hollywood Blvd, and to the Hard Rock Cafe
Day 34 - July 14:
- Headed to Santa Monica to see the TOMS Headquarters.
- Back into Hollywood, I visited with a friend (who was on Broadway, mind you) for a little bit, and then was on the road again.
- Landing in Las Vegas, I spent the rest of the day and night (till 1:30ish) on the strip with another mission buddy, Sam Tualatamalelagi.
Day 35 - July 15:
- St. George!
- Visited some family (the Rogers)
- Visited a friend, Anna, and played some racquet ball, mini golf, etc. at her family's day spa
- Went to the St. George LDS Temple visitors center and as I walked in, the missionary that greeted me ended up being the sister of one of my missionary companions! What are the odds?! Small world...
Day 36 - July 16:
- Headed north to visit my first mission president and his wife, which was such a great time! Shout out to the Brimhalls!
- Then to Hurricane to visit some family of my neighbors. We even got to go hiking a little bit!
- Lastly, I visited some more family who happened to be in Hurricane as well. Its nice to have everyone so close by!
Day 37 - July 17:
- Woke up early so I could make it to Sandy to hear my second mission president and his wife speak in church. After the service, it was like a mission reunion! There were a TON of missionaries there, and it was great to see them all!
- Then... I drove home.
Conceptual thought can be perceived as a miracle. Have you ever made the attempt to encapsulate a miracle? This is my attempt...
Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label documentary. Show all posts
15 August 2011
18 June 2011
Week 1.143
Well, I have been away from home for a complete week (Sat morn to Sat morn). So, without further delay:
Day 1 - June 11: I hit the road at 8am. I drove and drove and drove. I took pictures and tweeted while I drove. I listened to the epic Vagabond Mixtape. I reached my first destination: Erie/Denver, CO. I visited with some relatives and went to dinner downtown with them. It was an honor to spend time with them (Shout out to the Bohns!) and walk the streets of such an incredible city and try to help a person or two. Then it was back on the road! Granted, I did get lost trying to get out of of the city... cause it was a big complicated one... Regardless, I drove and drove until I hit Sterling, Colorado. Sterling was where I slept... In the back of an LDS church parking lot in the back of my car.
Day 2 - June 12: I was able to stay for church in Sterling, which was a ward conference. I must say that the Stake President in that area is a spiritual rock star. He shared some of the most incredible messages I have heard in a long time! And they were much needed messages too, so that was even better!
After church, I hit the road again and drove through the road-trippers nightmare: Nebraska. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be, but it was still pretty dang flat. I landed in Lincoln much earlier than I had planned, so I had lots of time for some relaxing and partying with my buddy Cody Oppermann. I got a nice tour of downtown Lincoln and the campus. Then we went home and watched the (Brown) Tony Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children. Good times were had by all! I got to crash on his comfy couch instead of my highly uncomfortable car. Thank you Cody!
Day 3 - June 13: After arising bright and early for the third day in a row (probably a record!), I hopped in my beautiful vehicle and headed eastward! As I drove over the Missouri River into Iowa, the rivers had been flooding, so I had to drive on the side-ish part of the road, since the other half of the freeway was covered in river. Yeah...
On this day, I drove through 4 states before noon. Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. I stopped in Kansas City and wandered - trying to share my message of the Vagabond Tour. Harder than I thought. I left the city sweaty (HUMID!!!) and a little discouraged (I am not a missionary any more) and full of secondhand smoke (maybe I just came at the wrong time, but I was AMAZED at how many smokers there were. DANG.)
A little while later, I landed in the wonderful city of St. Louis! I went directly to the home of a gentleman I ran into on my mission by the name of Eddie Byrd! It was so good to visit with him! During our visit, I was able to show him the (Grey) Rescue Bracelet DVD and we had a nice little discussion afterwards on it. Schweet!
After leaving Eddies, I headed on over to a friend from college who happens to be living just outside of St. Louis: JaNae Stoddard. Talk about a freakin' rockstar (and a great story teller). We talked about the Vagabond Tour, religion, diversity, LGBT topics, cicadas, Invisible Children, and a plethora of other things. I must say that she was an EXCELLENT host (I slept on their couch). Thanks JaNae and friends for the great time.
Day 4 - June 14: To continue the record, I arose early, got ready, and snuck out while everyone was still sleeping, only to be faced with a long stretch of old pavement. While I drove a minivan drove by and a couple kids in the back seat took a bunch of pictures of me with their camera. OK? I was hoping they would post them on the facebook page, but nope.
Fast forward a wee bit and I roll on in to Kentucky! The greatest place on earth! I drive in and the first thing I see: The West End (of Louisville). I would have it no other way. :)
I didn't stop in the West End though, but rather headed back up into Indiana. I went to visit the one and only Marie Robertson of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Marie is one of the most charitable people ever. She is getting on the older side, and needs knee surgery, so she has been down and out for a bit - please pray for her health and Gods will for her. It was an excellent visit!
After that, I headed to the glorious West End. I was able to spend some time with Jerry Cox and Jim Coombs (awesome Portlanders). Then, I went on a search to find another person I had worked with and baptized as a missionary. I tried to find his number... it was shut off. I tried to stop by his old place... nobody was there. I tried finding his new place - He had mentioned the last time I talked with him that he had moved to a certain street - I drove up and down the street a couple times, then got out of the car and started talking to anything that moved if they knew him... no success. Finally, I thought I would go try a phone book at a gas station... no good. All that work and I wasn't able to see him. Super bummed. BUT! When I was leaving the gas station, I ran into someone I had known from way back when! We talked for a while, and I ended up going over to visit him and the family later on that day. What are the odds of running into someone at a gas station?! It was crazy.
After my run in at the gas station, I went over to see if my favorite person - Mike Thompson - was still living in the same place. As I was going up the stairs, a neighbor told me he wasn't there, but down at the liquor store on the corner... I went down there and found him sitting in the liquor store, smoking a cigarette and drinking. "Hey you're that Mormon boy, right?" We talked for a while and then were eventually on our way. It was sad to see him in the state he was in... Hmmm...
As I was headed to another church parking lot to sleep, I remembered that I was supposed to be on TV the next morning, so I tried calling my friend who had set it up to get the details. When she heard that I was in the West End and headed to sleep in a church parking lot, she used some strong language to tell me otherwise. I ended up sleeping in her guest room. Thanks Tara! I have such amazing friends.
Day 5 - June 15: For breakfast, Tara and I went to Nancy's Bagels, which was where we first met one fateful day in 2008. Afterwards, we cruised on over to the studio and I awaited my time on the air. I ended up going on and we talked about my experience coming home from an LDS mission and trying to stay actively involved in the community, first by starting Project: 1200 and then by now going on The Vagabond Tour. We talked about Project: 1200 for a bit and then talked about Invisible Children. It was such a great opportunity to have air time! (ps - I went on right before Paula Dean).
After the show, I headed to the mission office and mission home. I was able to do my own little "going home" interview with President and Sister Glende, since they are going home in a week or so. After our discussion, President Glende gave me a blessing and sent me on my way. It was such an honor to spend time with such an amazing couple.
I then hit the road for a drive out to the country to visit the Toombs family at their new home in the middle of nowhere. I got a little lost, and while trying to find the house, I totally saw a few goats kickin' it IN a broken down van on the side of the road. It was hilarious and definitely something you only see in the country. The visit with the Toombs (when I finally found them) was great!
I had to cruise back in to Louisville QUICKLY to make it to see the Gabays before they got too busy. It was a short visit, but definitely a nice one. (PS - Thanks for the pizza!)
My last stop in Louisville was the Emge residence. I crashed their dinner and was granted a delicious homemade popsicle. I even got to visit Brother Hanson, since he was over for dinner, and Newborn Emge, who... kind of just laid there the whole time. ;)
Then it was on the road again...
I arrived in Lexington pretty late in the evening and had a fantastic conversation with Armando Chavez, a close friend that I had met while a missionary. He actually managed the apartments that we lived in, so we saw him quite often.
Then... I slept.
Day 6 - June 16: After breakfast with Armando, he went to work and my explorations began. I headed over to the Lighthouse Ministries just in time to help out serve lunch to those in need. Lighthouse Ministries is a little organization that we did service with every week while in Lexington. Though nobody I knew was there, the familiar routine and experience was definitely a great one.
I had to leave a little early so that I could catch some lunch for myself. This time, with Armando and the LDS missionaries. We went to Ramsey's, which has the Veggie Hot Brown - the worlds greatest dish. I don't think I have ever eaten anything so wonderful (so, of course I had to get it again)!
Afterwards, we all went our separate ways again, and I was able to meet up with Tyler Isaacs and Curtis Blevins (and Company) for a while. I baptized Tyler many many moons ago! Needless to say, it was great to see the gang.
Next, I went to the Blancett household! What an awesome and energetic family! It started off an empty home except for Tara, then as we were talking, people slowly showed up. About that time, Tara decided to call the missionaries over for dinner, followed by her and I going to pick them up.
After the food, I took the missionaries teaching! We taught a super intelligent lady named... Margurite? I dunno how exactly to spell her, but the whole thing was AMAZING. She accepted the invitation to be baptized when she knew things were true, and had a highly impressive vocabulary for her age. :)
When that glorious experience was finished, Armando and myself headed back over to the Blancett's, where we played cards and talked till about 1am! DANG!
Day 7 - June 17th: Woke up bright and early and headed over to visit with Steve Coffin, a guy I met in Winchester Kentucky. We talked about all kinds of things... The environment, changing the world, protests, Invisible Children, and about The Vagabond Tour. Then, we watched the (black) Sunday Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children and had a discussion on that. Good times had by all!
Following that visit, I met up with Armando and went to an Indian Restaurant for lunch, followed by our final farewell. Then I was off to Winchester!
In Winchester, I tried stopping by an old friend (who had moved, of course!) and then visited the old Winchester LDS Bishop's home. His daughter was home, and after a nice little conversation with her, I headed out with a plan to return for dinner.
I then called the missionaries and spent the next few hours with them. We knocked door after door. It was such a fantastic opportunity to go tracting again! We had some good conversation and has given me a brighter outlook on how things are going in this world! Missionary work is probably the greatest thing on the planet...
When my time with the missionaries were up, I headed back over to the Wells home and visited with them for quite a while! Over dinner, we talked about road trips, causes, Project: 1200 and a TON of other things. I got to hear some pretty crazy stories from the lives of the Wells. That night, I watched the (red) Emmy Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children with Nicole and had a pretty good chat about Invisible Children afterwards. I gotta say that the Wells are amazing people! Everyone I have had a chance to visit with have been OFF DA HOOK incredible. 'Nuff said.
THE END (of week 1)
---
Though it isn't part of the first week, I figured I would give a current update as well. I am sitting in the parking lot of McDonalds in Knoxvill, TN. This morning I visited with the Packs in Winchester, and this evening I will be visiting with (Elder) Kelton Gubler - From NSL, UT but serving an LDS mission in Cornelia, GA. I just had a heck of a drive to get to Knoxville, seeing as it has been storming something terrible since this morning. I have never hydroplaned like I have today. These roads are not suitable for driving in these conditions... but alas, I drive anyway!
I just got done chit chatting with a nice lady from Alaska about The Praise Project, Invisible Children, The Tour, and her story as a Native American fashionista/healer/smoker. It was definitely an interesting experience!
Alrighty then... my break time is definitely up. I think the storm I just drove through has passed on to my next stretch of road, so I will probably be driving in bad weather all over again! Woot!
Stay safe and healthy. Be good and kind. Take care!
peter.moosman.
Day 1 - June 11: I hit the road at 8am. I drove and drove and drove. I took pictures and tweeted while I drove. I listened to the epic Vagabond Mixtape. I reached my first destination: Erie/Denver, CO. I visited with some relatives and went to dinner downtown with them. It was an honor to spend time with them (Shout out to the Bohns!) and walk the streets of such an incredible city and try to help a person or two. Then it was back on the road! Granted, I did get lost trying to get out of of the city... cause it was a big complicated one... Regardless, I drove and drove until I hit Sterling, Colorado. Sterling was where I slept... In the back of an LDS church parking lot in the back of my car.
Day 2 - June 12: I was able to stay for church in Sterling, which was a ward conference. I must say that the Stake President in that area is a spiritual rock star. He shared some of the most incredible messages I have heard in a long time! And they were much needed messages too, so that was even better!
After church, I hit the road again and drove through the road-trippers nightmare: Nebraska. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be, but it was still pretty dang flat. I landed in Lincoln much earlier than I had planned, so I had lots of time for some relaxing and partying with my buddy Cody Oppermann. I got a nice tour of downtown Lincoln and the campus. Then we went home and watched the (Brown) Tony Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children. Good times were had by all! I got to crash on his comfy couch instead of my highly uncomfortable car. Thank you Cody!
Day 3 - June 13: After arising bright and early for the third day in a row (probably a record!), I hopped in my beautiful vehicle and headed eastward! As I drove over the Missouri River into Iowa, the rivers had been flooding, so I had to drive on the side-ish part of the road, since the other half of the freeway was covered in river. Yeah...
On this day, I drove through 4 states before noon. Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. I stopped in Kansas City and wandered - trying to share my message of the Vagabond Tour. Harder than I thought. I left the city sweaty (HUMID!!!) and a little discouraged (I am not a missionary any more) and full of secondhand smoke (maybe I just came at the wrong time, but I was AMAZED at how many smokers there were. DANG.)
A little while later, I landed in the wonderful city of St. Louis! I went directly to the home of a gentleman I ran into on my mission by the name of Eddie Byrd! It was so good to visit with him! During our visit, I was able to show him the (Grey) Rescue Bracelet DVD and we had a nice little discussion afterwards on it. Schweet!
After leaving Eddies, I headed on over to a friend from college who happens to be living just outside of St. Louis: JaNae Stoddard. Talk about a freakin' rockstar (and a great story teller). We talked about the Vagabond Tour, religion, diversity, LGBT topics, cicadas, Invisible Children, and a plethora of other things. I must say that she was an EXCELLENT host (I slept on their couch). Thanks JaNae and friends for the great time.
Day 4 - June 14: To continue the record, I arose early, got ready, and snuck out while everyone was still sleeping, only to be faced with a long stretch of old pavement. While I drove a minivan drove by and a couple kids in the back seat took a bunch of pictures of me with their camera. OK? I was hoping they would post them on the facebook page, but nope.
Fast forward a wee bit and I roll on in to Kentucky! The greatest place on earth! I drive in and the first thing I see: The West End (of Louisville). I would have it no other way. :)
I didn't stop in the West End though, but rather headed back up into Indiana. I went to visit the one and only Marie Robertson of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Marie is one of the most charitable people ever. She is getting on the older side, and needs knee surgery, so she has been down and out for a bit - please pray for her health and Gods will for her. It was an excellent visit!
After that, I headed to the glorious West End. I was able to spend some time with Jerry Cox and Jim Coombs (awesome Portlanders). Then, I went on a search to find another person I had worked with and baptized as a missionary. I tried to find his number... it was shut off. I tried to stop by his old place... nobody was there. I tried finding his new place - He had mentioned the last time I talked with him that he had moved to a certain street - I drove up and down the street a couple times, then got out of the car and started talking to anything that moved if they knew him... no success. Finally, I thought I would go try a phone book at a gas station... no good. All that work and I wasn't able to see him. Super bummed. BUT! When I was leaving the gas station, I ran into someone I had known from way back when! We talked for a while, and I ended up going over to visit him and the family later on that day. What are the odds of running into someone at a gas station?! It was crazy.
After my run in at the gas station, I went over to see if my favorite person - Mike Thompson - was still living in the same place. As I was going up the stairs, a neighbor told me he wasn't there, but down at the liquor store on the corner... I went down there and found him sitting in the liquor store, smoking a cigarette and drinking. "Hey you're that Mormon boy, right?" We talked for a while and then were eventually on our way. It was sad to see him in the state he was in... Hmmm...
As I was headed to another church parking lot to sleep, I remembered that I was supposed to be on TV the next morning, so I tried calling my friend who had set it up to get the details. When she heard that I was in the West End and headed to sleep in a church parking lot, she used some strong language to tell me otherwise. I ended up sleeping in her guest room. Thanks Tara! I have such amazing friends.
Day 5 - June 15: For breakfast, Tara and I went to Nancy's Bagels, which was where we first met one fateful day in 2008. Afterwards, we cruised on over to the studio and I awaited my time on the air. I ended up going on and we talked about my experience coming home from an LDS mission and trying to stay actively involved in the community, first by starting Project: 1200 and then by now going on The Vagabond Tour. We talked about Project: 1200 for a bit and then talked about Invisible Children. It was such a great opportunity to have air time! (ps - I went on right before Paula Dean).
After the show, I headed to the mission office and mission home. I was able to do my own little "going home" interview with President and Sister Glende, since they are going home in a week or so. After our discussion, President Glende gave me a blessing and sent me on my way. It was such an honor to spend time with such an amazing couple.
I then hit the road for a drive out to the country to visit the Toombs family at their new home in the middle of nowhere. I got a little lost, and while trying to find the house, I totally saw a few goats kickin' it IN a broken down van on the side of the road. It was hilarious and definitely something you only see in the country. The visit with the Toombs (when I finally found them) was great!
I had to cruise back in to Louisville QUICKLY to make it to see the Gabays before they got too busy. It was a short visit, but definitely a nice one. (PS - Thanks for the pizza!)
My last stop in Louisville was the Emge residence. I crashed their dinner and was granted a delicious homemade popsicle. I even got to visit Brother Hanson, since he was over for dinner, and Newborn Emge, who... kind of just laid there the whole time. ;)
Then it was on the road again...
I arrived in Lexington pretty late in the evening and had a fantastic conversation with Armando Chavez, a close friend that I had met while a missionary. He actually managed the apartments that we lived in, so we saw him quite often.
Then... I slept.
Day 6 - June 16: After breakfast with Armando, he went to work and my explorations began. I headed over to the Lighthouse Ministries just in time to help out serve lunch to those in need. Lighthouse Ministries is a little organization that we did service with every week while in Lexington. Though nobody I knew was there, the familiar routine and experience was definitely a great one.
I had to leave a little early so that I could catch some lunch for myself. This time, with Armando and the LDS missionaries. We went to Ramsey's, which has the Veggie Hot Brown - the worlds greatest dish. I don't think I have ever eaten anything so wonderful (so, of course I had to get it again)!
Afterwards, we all went our separate ways again, and I was able to meet up with Tyler Isaacs and Curtis Blevins (and Company) for a while. I baptized Tyler many many moons ago! Needless to say, it was great to see the gang.
Next, I went to the Blancett household! What an awesome and energetic family! It started off an empty home except for Tara, then as we were talking, people slowly showed up. About that time, Tara decided to call the missionaries over for dinner, followed by her and I going to pick them up.
After the food, I took the missionaries teaching! We taught a super intelligent lady named... Margurite? I dunno how exactly to spell her, but the whole thing was AMAZING. She accepted the invitation to be baptized when she knew things were true, and had a highly impressive vocabulary for her age. :)
When that glorious experience was finished, Armando and myself headed back over to the Blancett's, where we played cards and talked till about 1am! DANG!
Day 7 - June 17th: Woke up bright and early and headed over to visit with Steve Coffin, a guy I met in Winchester Kentucky. We talked about all kinds of things... The environment, changing the world, protests, Invisible Children, and about The Vagabond Tour. Then, we watched the (black) Sunday Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children and had a discussion on that. Good times had by all!
Following that visit, I met up with Armando and went to an Indian Restaurant for lunch, followed by our final farewell. Then I was off to Winchester!
In Winchester, I tried stopping by an old friend (who had moved, of course!) and then visited the old Winchester LDS Bishop's home. His daughter was home, and after a nice little conversation with her, I headed out with a plan to return for dinner.
I then called the missionaries and spent the next few hours with them. We knocked door after door. It was such a fantastic opportunity to go tracting again! We had some good conversation and has given me a brighter outlook on how things are going in this world! Missionary work is probably the greatest thing on the planet...
When my time with the missionaries were up, I headed back over to the Wells home and visited with them for quite a while! Over dinner, we talked about road trips, causes, Project: 1200 and a TON of other things. I got to hear some pretty crazy stories from the lives of the Wells. That night, I watched the (red) Emmy Bracelet DVD from Invisible Children with Nicole and had a pretty good chat about Invisible Children afterwards. I gotta say that the Wells are amazing people! Everyone I have had a chance to visit with have been OFF DA HOOK incredible. 'Nuff said.
THE END (of week 1)
---
Though it isn't part of the first week, I figured I would give a current update as well. I am sitting in the parking lot of McDonalds in Knoxvill, TN. This morning I visited with the Packs in Winchester, and this evening I will be visiting with (Elder) Kelton Gubler - From NSL, UT but serving an LDS mission in Cornelia, GA. I just had a heck of a drive to get to Knoxville, seeing as it has been storming something terrible since this morning. I have never hydroplaned like I have today. These roads are not suitable for driving in these conditions... but alas, I drive anyway!
I just got done chit chatting with a nice lady from Alaska about The Praise Project, Invisible Children, The Tour, and her story as a Native American fashionista/healer/smoker. It was definitely an interesting experience!
Alrighty then... my break time is definitely up. I think the storm I just drove through has passed on to my next stretch of road, so I will probably be driving in bad weather all over again! Woot!
Stay safe and healthy. Be good and kind. Take care!
peter.moosman.
30 May 2011
The Vagabond Tour, or, My Life is About to Change Drastically
G'day.
The name's Peter. But you may already know that. I just hopped on to tell you a story about life - my life to be exact. It is an interesting one, and it is about to get a whole lot more interesting. Let me begin.
Hit the rewind button and we are taken back to March-ish. Around this time, I decided that I was going to go on an "extravagant vacation." I wanted to be a beach bum in Florida for a couple months. No responsibility, no due dates, no commitments. Just me, the beach, and... well... me. I distinctly remember mapping out my first draft of my trip on April 2nd. I spent the next month or so dreaming of the possibilities as I traveled the country. The risks, the excitement, and the memories made. I think a good word to describe me at this time was "giddy."
About the second week into May, my mind began to be uneasy about the trip. Not because it was unsafe or unwise to do it, but something I couldn't really describe. Just a simple uneasiness. I prayed a whole lot for direction to know what was needing to happen - whether I should cancel my trip, or plan something else... I wasn't sure! All I was sure of was that I felt God calling me to do something different.
I don't remember the date, but late one night, I couldn't really sleep. My mind had been racing about a bunch of random things. One of those things was how I was being a selfish person for spending so much time and money on this trip for no reason other than I WANTED TO... The next thing I know, I am googling information on Mother Teresa. I found a movie online about her and decided to watch it...
It starts with her as a nun in Calcutta, India. One day, she begins to feel that she should be doing something more... She eventually left her abbey to serve the poor. The rest of her life was dedicated to humanitarian efforts and the betterment of those suffering.
Needless to say, I shed a few tears and had A LOT on my mind. My mind was racing even more than it was earlier! I could no longer go on a vacation. I just could not be that selfish... God wanted me to know that I should be doing something else. I contemplated what that "something else" was for a while after that. It was driving me crazy! Should I donate all the money to a certain cause? Should I put my money into bettering my situation (education, work, etc.) so that I could help with something greater down the road? The praying didn't stop as I tried to figure out what God wanted me to do with my time and money.
One day, I get a little package in the mail. It was the long awaited Tony Bracelet + DVD from Invisible Children. I had been waiting for this for a while now [I had even called Invisible Children a couple times about it]. That night, I popped the DVD in my computer and began watching.
This documentary had a few stories within it. First, it summed up the efforts of Invisible Children and the history of the war going on in Central Africa. Second, it told the story of a man named Tony, whom has been tied to Invisible Children since the very beginning. Lastly, it told of a man named Nate Henn. Nate was a volunteer for Invisible Children. He quit his job and put his life on hold for roughly a year to travel across the US and spread the message of Invisible Children. While on tour, he was able to develop great friendships with Tony and others from Uganda. Well after the tours had ended and Tony had gone back to Uganda, Nate had the opportunity to go to Africa to see his friends. While there, he was caught in a terrorist bombing and was killed.
As the movie ended, I fought through my tears to face the answer that I had prayed for: I need to go on tour: The Vagabond Tour. I revised my trip to hit more major cities, and less of my vacation destinations. I started to create a vision for my summer, in which I would spend each day promoting a cause that can change and save lives. That, I feel, is what God is calling me to do this summer.
Most days, I will be sleeping in my car, eating at the mercy of others, and hopefully sparking a new light in the lives of complete strangers. I will be offering free hugs and thoughtful conversation, I will be showing Invisible Children DVDs as much as I can, and learning A LOT about myself and this huge community that I am wrapped up in. I hope to make a lot of friends along the way, experience a new life, and learn what God wants me to learn from this.
What better way to spend a month of my life? Lets take liberation to a whole new level. See you on the road!
[The Vagabond Tour 2011 is dedicated to Kyle Hutchings and Nate Henn. Their passion for life and service lives on.]
The name's Peter. But you may already know that. I just hopped on to tell you a story about life - my life to be exact. It is an interesting one, and it is about to get a whole lot more interesting. Let me begin.
Hit the rewind button and we are taken back to March-ish. Around this time, I decided that I was going to go on an "extravagant vacation." I wanted to be a beach bum in Florida for a couple months. No responsibility, no due dates, no commitments. Just me, the beach, and... well... me. I distinctly remember mapping out my first draft of my trip on April 2nd. I spent the next month or so dreaming of the possibilities as I traveled the country. The risks, the excitement, and the memories made. I think a good word to describe me at this time was "giddy."
About the second week into May, my mind began to be uneasy about the trip. Not because it was unsafe or unwise to do it, but something I couldn't really describe. Just a simple uneasiness. I prayed a whole lot for direction to know what was needing to happen - whether I should cancel my trip, or plan something else... I wasn't sure! All I was sure of was that I felt God calling me to do something different.
I don't remember the date, but late one night, I couldn't really sleep. My mind had been racing about a bunch of random things. One of those things was how I was being a selfish person for spending so much time and money on this trip for no reason other than I WANTED TO... The next thing I know, I am googling information on Mother Teresa. I found a movie online about her and decided to watch it...
It starts with her as a nun in Calcutta, India. One day, she begins to feel that she should be doing something more... She eventually left her abbey to serve the poor. The rest of her life was dedicated to humanitarian efforts and the betterment of those suffering.
Needless to say, I shed a few tears and had A LOT on my mind. My mind was racing even more than it was earlier! I could no longer go on a vacation. I just could not be that selfish... God wanted me to know that I should be doing something else. I contemplated what that "something else" was for a while after that. It was driving me crazy! Should I donate all the money to a certain cause? Should I put my money into bettering my situation (education, work, etc.) so that I could help with something greater down the road? The praying didn't stop as I tried to figure out what God wanted me to do with my time and money.
One day, I get a little package in the mail. It was the long awaited Tony Bracelet + DVD from Invisible Children. I had been waiting for this for a while now [I had even called Invisible Children a couple times about it]. That night, I popped the DVD in my computer and began watching.
This documentary had a few stories within it. First, it summed up the efforts of Invisible Children and the history of the war going on in Central Africa. Second, it told the story of a man named Tony, whom has been tied to Invisible Children since the very beginning. Lastly, it told of a man named Nate Henn. Nate was a volunteer for Invisible Children. He quit his job and put his life on hold for roughly a year to travel across the US and spread the message of Invisible Children. While on tour, he was able to develop great friendships with Tony and others from Uganda. Well after the tours had ended and Tony had gone back to Uganda, Nate had the opportunity to go to Africa to see his friends. While there, he was caught in a terrorist bombing and was killed.
As the movie ended, I fought through my tears to face the answer that I had prayed for: I need to go on tour: The Vagabond Tour. I revised my trip to hit more major cities, and less of my vacation destinations. I started to create a vision for my summer, in which I would spend each day promoting a cause that can change and save lives. That, I feel, is what God is calling me to do this summer.
Most days, I will be sleeping in my car, eating at the mercy of others, and hopefully sparking a new light in the lives of complete strangers. I will be offering free hugs and thoughtful conversation, I will be showing Invisible Children DVDs as much as I can, and learning A LOT about myself and this huge community that I am wrapped up in. I hope to make a lot of friends along the way, experience a new life, and learn what God wants me to learn from this.
What better way to spend a month of my life? Lets take liberation to a whole new level. See you on the road!
[The Vagabond Tour 2011 is dedicated to Kyle Hutchings and Nate Henn. Their passion for life and service lives on.]
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