Dave Downey
Currently serving as the excecutive secretary in the 8th Branch.
This is a story from his mission:
I served in the AZ Phoenix mission 87-89. At that time, the mission comprised most of AZ, the west-side of NM, and the 4 corners region of Blanding, UT and Durango, CO. I served on the Indian reservation to include serving the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni tribes. The only other mission in AZ at that time was the AZ Tempe mission. My mission was very diverse with big city of Phoenix (much bigger now) and contrast rural Indian reservation. I served in both. I enjoyed wearing jeans and cowboy 🤠boots on the Indian reservation. We had a small pick up truck and would do service projects frequently. I fondly remember the missionary double-wide trailer on a hill in Gallup, NM. Sometimes thought the wind would blow the trailer over! I also enjoyed Phoenix and surrounding cities. Scottsdale was mission headquarters, which is a very nice “affluent” city at that time. I remember all the expensive vehicles in the church parking lots on Sundays. Summers were hot 🥵 I remember one day it was 117. We stopped at a Bishop’s house and will always remember how euphoric the cold soda pop provided to us tasted!
Probably the highlight of my mission was baptizing a family that lived on the reservation outside of Gallup NM. If I remember correctly, they were part Navajo and part other tribe (can’t remember). The family was golden and accepted the gospel immediately.