8-2-10
New format: Jon writes answers to questions in ALL CAPS in the text of my email to him. I've shortened my questions and comments a lot for your reading pleasure!
YUP I'M IN BIRMINGHAM NOW. I STARTED OFF WITH THE ASSISTANTS [Elders Cooley and Canevari], WHO WERE REALLY COOL. WE HAD A LEADERSHIP TRAINING MEETING FOR THE FIRST TWO DAYS, WHICH WAS INTERESTING CUZ EVERYONE ELSE THERE WAS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, AND I'M STILL AS GREEN AS THE GRASS (AS MY NEW COMPANION NEVER FORGETS TO REMIND ME). WE TAUGHT SOME COOL PEOPLE IN THE EVENINGS, AND IT WAS COOL TO SEE HOW THEY TAUGHT. I ALSO WENT OUT ON EXCHANGES WITH THE SPANISH ELDERS AND TRIED TEACHING SOME PEOPLE IN SPANISH. I FELT LIKE I ACTUALLY HELPED, ALTHOUGH I WAS SPEAKING SPANTUGUESE. ONE LADY WE TAUGHT--IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE'D MET MISSIONARIES--AND IT WAS AWESOME BECAUSE SHE TOLD US LATER IN THE VISIT THAT SHE FELT SOMETHING REALLY PEACEFUL WHEN WE CAME IN AND SHE WAS VERY ACCEPTING OF OUR MESSAGE. SHE REALLY LIKED IT AND WAS CRYING A LITTLE BY THE END...
Companions? I WAS ONLY WITH THE ASSISTANTS UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING, AND NOW I AM WITH A NEW ZEALANDER (WHO HAPPENS TO BE FRIENDS WITH MY ROOMMATE MICAH FROM BYU HAWAII) IN AN AREA CALLED HOMEWOOD. I'LL WRITE MORE ABOUT HIM AND OUR MISSIONARY WORK HERE. BUT I FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT THAT I'M ALREADY BEING TRANSFERRED THIS THURSDAY TO BE WITH ANOTHER ELDER IN ANOTHER AREA CALLED OAK MOUNTAIN.
Weather? FREAKIN HOT AND HUMID. WORSE THAN ANYWHERE I'VE BEEN, BUT WE'RE IN A NICE MALIBU WITH A/C MUCH OF THE TIME SO THAT IS NICE. APPARENTLY I LUCKED OUT CUZ USUALLY THE MISSIONARIES HAVE TO BE ON BIKE HALF THE TIME.
Food? I'VE ALREADY HAD A FEW SOUTHERN BBQS WHICH ARE VERY TASTY. PEOPLE DON'T FEED US TOO OFTEN THOUGH SO I'VE EATEN AT HARDEE'S A FEW TIMES (I STILL HAVE MY EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT CARD [from Carl's Jr/Hardee's]) AND HAD SOME TOAST FOR DINNER AND STUFF BEFORE TOO.
Spoken Portuguese? I HAVEN'T MET ANY PORTUGUESE SPEAKING MEMBERS, BUT WE GOT A REFERRAL FOR A BRASILIAN FAMILY THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE HOME NEXT TIME. I DID SPEAK A LITTLE PORTUGUESE WITH A MEMBER OF OUR WARD NAMED SISTER MAY, FORMERLY ASHTON, SISTER OF BISHOP ASHTON. YUP, AS IN SHE IS FROM OJAI [in our Stake!]
Flight to Alabama? BORING
First week there? OK SO OUR TOP 3 INVESTIGATORS (2 CAME TO CHURCH) ARE: THIS BLACK LADY MARIA WHO IS PRETTY MUCH READY TO BE BAPTIZED, HAS A BETTER TESTIMONY THAN MOST MEMBERS, AND HAS A BAPTISMAL DATE FOR THE 14TH (TOO BAD I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO CUZ I'LL BE OUT OF THIS AREA). THEN THE NEXT TWO ARE REALLY COOL, TOO. MARK IS A GUY IN HIS 20'S WHO'S BROTHER-IN-LAW IS A MEMBER. HE STARTED READING HIS BRO'S BOOK OF MORMON AND HAD QUESTIONS SO WE WENT TO ANSWER THEM. AT FIRST THE QUESTIONS WERE SKEPTICAL AND TRYING TO STUMP US, BUT AS WE ANSWERED THEM WELL, THE QUESTIONS BECAME MORE AND MORE SINCERE AND NOW WE'VE TAUGHT HIM EVERY DAY SINCE. HE CAME TO CHURCH, AND IS READING FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON EVERY DAY. THE OTHER ONE IS TERESA, MARC'S SISTER-IN-LAW. SHE IS COOL AND KNOWS THE CHURCH IS TRUE. THE ONLY THING HOLDING HER BACK NOW IS SMOKING, WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM HERE. ANOTHER OLDER BLACK LADY WE TEACH REALLY LIKES EVERYTHING BUT SHE CAN'T QUIT SMOKING.
Mission President? PRESIDENT HOLZAPFEL IS REALLY NICE, AND SUPER SMART. WE WENT BY THE MISSION PRESIDENT'S HOUSE A FEW TIMES. ONE TIME IT WAS TO HELP HIM TELL ONE OF THE ELDERS THAT HIS 55 YR OLD DAD HAD UNEXPECTEDLY DIED THAT DAY, SO THAT WAS SAD. BUT HE HANDLED IT VERY WELL.
Photos? I THINK I COULD ACTUALLY EMAIL PICTURES TO YOU NEXT WEEK, I FORGOT TO BRING [THE CAMERA] THIS TIME.
THANKS. LOVE YOU GUYS TOO.
BYE
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