Week 79

So I got transferred on Wednesday and now I'm down here in Poterville which is the most south part of the mission. It is an all bike area which is good because I really wanted to get in good shape and this will defiantly help out. We have a pretty nice apartment with a washer and dryer so that saves a lot of time and money each transfer. This is the most ghetto city I've served in so far, an extremely poor town and most of the people are low income which can also be a good thing as they are more willing to hear the gospel. The ward is pretty small, probably about 70-80 people there but they seem nice and willing to help out. The work in the area is very slow and we only have 2 investigators here so pretty slim compared to the 20+ in Exeter. We are going to be working on getting our teaching pool up so we will be doing a lot of finding the next couple weeks. My companion is Elder Mueller and he is from Philadelphia so another east coast companion. We went biking the other day and we saw a shortcut through a field so we decided to go through it because it looked pretty dry but we got about 50 feet and then we got stuck in the mud so we had to walk to the other side and we were covered in mud and our bikes wouldn't go because of all the mud so we spent the next hour cleaning them and then finally got on our way. Tomorrow we have a zone conference and then the rest of the week we don't have anything planned so we will just be finding new people. 

Everyone here is talking about the Superbowl and whenever I mention that I'm from Baltimore they bring it up but everyone here is going for the 49ers so hopefully the Ravens win this Sunday. That's crazy that Luke is home, that picture of him doesn't even look like him, he's really changed.

Week 78

Thanks for all the emails and to hear how all of you are doing. It's been a good past week here in Exeter but it is my final day here as I found out on Saturday that I am getting transferred to Porterville which is about 30 minutes south of where I am at right now. I was a little surprised that I am leaving because the work has improved so much since I've been here and we have a lot of people going to be baptized so bummed I won't be here to see them get baptized but I feel good about going to a new area because there are more people I need to meet there. It will probably be my last area as I only have this transfer and then one more after that and this transfer is only a month long as the MTC has changed how long missionaries are there. My new companion is Elder Mueller and I don't know him yet so not too sure where he is from or how long he has been out. I have been feeling good the past week and I think it has just been a very hard couple months as I have had some tough companions and after a while it takes a toll on you. I have been re energized the past couple days as I have been saying goodbye to everyone and how great it is to be a missionary. We did some tiling this morning for a member and moved some stuff into his house and it was a lot of fun. Well tomorrow I am off to Porterville and I will let you know next week how it goes.

Week 77

Thanks for all the letters this week, was good to hear how all of you are doing. Another week has flown by and I'm trying to remember all that has happened. I need to start remembering so I can include things in my email. Yesterday for preparation day we went to the stake center and played indoor soccer and it was the first time I've played on my mission and it was so much fun and I was surprisingly good so that made it all the better. I'm trying to organize it again for this Monday because it was awesome. On Sunday we had a lot of investigators at church again and we are going to have a good upcoming months as we have quite a few dates set. I've been feeling kind of depressed recently, I'm not sure what it is but I'm in a funk. We are having a lot of success and I really like my companion so not sure what it is but it's bothering me. I'm trying to figure out what it is and hopefully will figure it out sooner than later. I'm happy most of the time and its only sometimes I feel down and it's odd because I've never had this before, especially because I am normally always happy. So this upcoming week we have transfer calls and I'm really hoping that I don't leave because we have improved the work so much and I don't want to leave because I have a really good relationship with the ward. I'm a little nervous for transfer calls but I will be fine with whatever happens as every area so far has been a new experience.
Well, I better get going but I love you guys and hope that you have a great week.

Week 76

It was great to get your letters and see what is happening back home. It was a great week for us. Bree was baptized on Saturday and then confirmed on Sunday and it was a quick 25 minute baptism but the spirit was strong and no one was antsy to get out of there when its that quick. And then on Sunday we had eleven investigators at church and that is the most I've ever had so that was awesome to have that many people there and they all have been more than three times already so they need to take the next step and be baptized, so these next two months we could have over ten baptisms plus new people we meet so that would be a great way to end the  mission. My companion doesn't believe in going out and knocking doors and talking to people in the street so I kind of have to drag him behind and when we contact he doesn't say anything because he thinks its weird so that has been a struggle but I just do all the talking which is alright with me but not ideal. Members are treating us like Kings, we now our starting to get lunches
a couple days a week so the members really like us, I feel bad for the elders who only get dinner a couple times a week. We have a busy week this week with a lot of people to teach and then hit the streets and do some finding.
That's cool about Emily and Don being called as ward missionaries, they will do a good job with that. Last thing is about my release date and I just checked my email from President Gelwix and he said that it will be in April and he will know the exact date when he emails me next week so I do know it's April for sure but now just need to get the exact day so I'll let you know for sure next week. Well I got to get going but I love you so much and miss you. Look forward to
your emails next week, Talk to you next week!

Week 75

Thanks for all the emails, I am so happy that Kirk got baptized. Tell him that I love him and am excited and proud of him. His plan is to go to BYU-Idaho?

So this past week was great. Played basketball on Tuesday night and didn't get hurt so that was a success. We taught Christina four times in the past week and last night she said she wants to be baptized and now she is just trying to figure out a date that everyone in her family can be there. Had a really spiritual experience and I would say it but I wrote it in my journal so will save it to share later. Christina is defiantly one of those people that was prepared to receive the gospel as we have only known her a week and she is ready to be baptized and is super solid, she is actually planning on going to BYU-Idaho with her cousin, it feels good to baptize these people that you know are going to be in a good spiritual place and stick with the gospel and not leaving the church because some people I see getting baptized, stick with it a couple months but it they have the fellowship they stick with it. We had an excellent day at church yesterday as we had five investigators there and a couple new ones for the first time. We are doing really well on getting people to church right now but I'm scared of what is going to be said in sacrament meeting and yesterday was no different. We had a lady get up and she lives by herself and has no kids and never been married and she started talking about how her pets have strengthened her testimony and went on for 10 minutes about pets so that was interesting, normally it would just be funny but with investigators there you are worrying about what they think about it. I went on exchange on Saturday and it was the first exchange in a couple months so it felt weird to be with a different companion. This week we are meeting with Christina to finish the lessons and hopefully getting the rest of them with a solid baptismal date. This week is transfer calls and I'm hoping that I stay here in Exeter with Elder Leavitt another transfer but I think that he's leaving and I will stay so good that I'm staying. I am really hoping that I will stay here for the rest of my mission as I really am doing well here and love the members. Well that's about it for this week.

Thanks for the picture of Kirk and Ethan mom and thanks em for all the pictures of Carter, he is looking good, who do you think he looks more like? you or don? Well I better get going but I love you all so very much and thankful for all your love and prayers and support. I am so happy right now, this is easily the best part of my mission so far, just happy all the time. Love you all so much.