Missionary tree service

Well this week, and honestly the entire time I've been here it has been way warm. I've had to use my coat, maybe 4 or 5 times. So all in all It's been good. But this last week the weather has been all of 75, one day up next to 90. So wow... It has been hot. But with all the heat, all the tulips up here are flowering, and thats way cool. They plant hundreds of tulips in each Garden and It is only getting pretier here.

    

     Overall the week was pretty normal, there was a couple exciting things though. And some fun moments, I'll see what I can do for the letter today though. To start, it's warm, spring, and leaves everywhere. Yep so we do alot of service, cutting trees, and cleaning yards. We are helping out a family, the Myttens, a member family that feeds us quite often. On removing 2 of their trees. Sketchy, its way fun getting out, doing some good manual labor, but  the whole time I'm just praying that everything will work out. Not everybody should be able to use a chainsaw, and every house needs more insurance, because I'm putting it 50/50 he drops the next tree on his house. It's kinda like blind cutting into the tree, as we pull on the direction he wants. And obviously he is a capable man, so if I say the words "we should make a back cut right here to drop it over here" he looks at me like... Hmm yeah I was going to do that... then he doesn't do it. It's good though haha.            Nextly in service an investigator wanted to take out a stump so while he talked my companion into taking this (3 and a half foot girth, beheemeth of a) stump out, I was trying to figure out what was happening, and how in spanish I could explain this is a bad idea. So now I have... and when I say I, I mean I my companions don't really know the word work all the well... anyways, I now have a hole 3 and a half feet deep, to 4 feet deep  thats about 8 feet wide, and this stump is sitting in the middle of it. and I have cut almost all the roots with either a pick ( which I have now snapped in half) or a bow saw. haha, it has been fun. I worked on it for 7 hours one day, thankfully a guy from church was there for 3. But for 2 days I couldn't open my hands haha.    It really has been great out here.

     Now to more interesting news. The Grand daughter of the person that wrote the sound track to O Brother, Where Art Though, was baptized this week. Her name is Jesika, she is amazing... She came from poverty, became filthy rich, then lost everything... and thats when the missionaries found her. So we have been teaching her for a little over a month, and she was so ready for baptism. Elder Villalobos, did the baptism and I did the Confermation. It was a really neat experiance. Her life for now it completly changed and she has found the most amazing thing in life, and that is the church.

     A different Investigator that we have been teaching, Vicente gave us a call randomly one night, so we ran over to his house. And bamm, we now have another baptisimal date also. So this week has been good. He really needs the church in his life, we extended the comitment to him a while ago about baptism. But he was scared to do it. Thankfully he came around.

     I guess there's one other good one I'll share for the week. This guy named Jason, he is about 34 or so, and he has been in prison a good portion of his life. Well his dad was always an example for him, always a terrible example. Well maybe about 10 years ago his dad got cancer... and a soft heart haha, and his dad accepted the gospel and completly changed himself before he passed away. Well Jason seeing his dad change started talking to his dad about the church. His dad sent him some litterature, and Jason gained a testimony of those things, he read basic doctrine and also alot about the priesthood. Well Jason for the last couple months now has been trying to find the church. He has called the chappel, really though, he has been calling the phone in the chappel haha. and can never get an answer. So finally over the last 2 weeks everytime he gets a lunch break at church he has been coming to our church to see if anyone is there. Yeah he is way devoted. The first time he came to the church he decided he needed to pray about it to see if it was true. Well he says two doves on sychonizm flew to the opposite peaks of the chuch and landed. I guess thats counts as an answer... This sunday he showed up so we got to talk to him, he took us out to lunch this week and he seems like he will be an amazing investigator. His wife is spanish so thats always fun, and he is going to be alot of work, but he'll make it, he wants it.

       Now for some more fun stuff I guess. Last monday we get home and get a call, the other missionaries who were boworing our bikes got a flat tire in one. So they brought it home but wanted to go to the library, so one elder Jogged as the other Elder rode the other bike. Well 2 hours later they come out of the Library and wosers the bike is gone. So out of the 3 bikes we had, the got one stollen and the other one had a flat tire. So the next morning they have splits, the elder forgets to leave the phone at home, so with no bikes they are pretty much up ... a muddy creek, We head over to there house and drop off my bike, get the other bike and tell them they need to find someone to pump up the other bike. So we head out. That night they still hadn't got a bike pump so I tell them to go door to door. Finally they get a pump, pump up the bike, return the pump ready to head out in the morning. They get up in the morning excited to go and jump on there bikes to find they had flatted my bike tire also... Elders and bikes.. What the heck is wrong with them haha. So now I got a different bike from a member and also my companion to, its a cute little blue bike for girls... Properly coined the menstraulcycle.

    One last thing... MMMM food, amazing right... Right? well not always, I'm feeling great, and head to a dinner appointment, now the dinner looks great, something like a sausage that is shaped as a burger. So I put 2 on my plate. I go to take the first bite, after properly condementing them. and well, 2 burgers was alot of burger. Give me 30 minutes to eat the two, a good hour and a half walking home... We had no bikes. and another half hour with fingers down throught in a power position over the towlet, and I'm back to normal no worries.

I love you all, and hope to hear from as many as possible so write me :)

 Peace love and Isaac its way hot here and I hate that your skiing

Ps. Mom the package is with the zone leaders I'll get it on thursday.

Cool fact, And it Came to Pass the Book of Mormon was written in Reformed egyptian.. Mormon said if they had the space it would have been in hebrew. Now a normal sentence of 15-17 words in English is 5-7 words in hebrew. So if reformed egyptian was even less than that, its amazing how precise the language would have had to been, and it is also the reason you see alot of repetition in phrases.

Michigan Address

Elder Andrew Rushton
12241 Millrun Court, Apt 2B
Holland, MI 49424

Tornados

Ohh yeah, this week was also Tornado week. As we jumped on our bikes. The night of Monday, just finishing up a great P day. We rode to what was supposed to be our dinner. Getting out side and wearing my rain jacket. I looked at the clouds and decided they looked nice. So taking my jacket off, we began our journey. Soon after starting of course, the torrential down pour began, and as sheets as water soaked the clothes I was wearing. Whats the point in pointing a jacket on top of that. So riding in this storm we started to look at the clouds... Wow they were funky. And like good missionaries do began to joke about a good way to be put into the celestial Kingdom. A tornado as we ride would just drop down on top of us and carry us up. Well the sky got darker the rain got thicker and actually thats were the story ende because we arrived at the members house for dinner. As we tapped on the door, they quickly opened it. Freaking out, and telling us to get inside. The whole town was on tornado Warning and there were Tornados that apparently had touched down in towns near us. Unfortunatly apparently we arent holly enought because I'm still he, and trust me. I'm not exalted.

     Well hopefully next time I guess. :)

Another one bites the dust!!

March 19, 2012

Letter to President Hess:

Also did you get my chip or is that lost forever. I hope that your fishing went well. and that Z is doing allright skiing and not being to crazy. Love you guys tons.

This week was really good, and at the same time it had its down moments. We started off the week pretty good, I mean we had a good amount of lessons this week, and it felt like we were doing pretty good. But then on Thursday one of our investigators (Tracy Dykstra) called and sayed she no longer wanted to be baptized. Its way hard to see people not accept the gospel, to know that all of this would help out their lives so much and yet they don't let it. I guess I'm just glad I've always had it, because at the same time I can see where they are coming from and it has got to be hard to contemplate changing religions. The rest of our investigators are doing great though, I was in Grandville Spanish on Wednesday and also Grandrapids on Thursday, so I didn't have aton of time around Holland this week, but apparently we commited Andrew Blunt to Baptism and he also came to church, that really is great.

   Being able to do 2 trade offs was good to. It made me see how good of a job Elder Villalobos was doing and also it helped me find things that I can work on, because I was able to see the mission from the perspective of 2 different Elders. Both of the trade off days went great, we were able to get out and walk alot, and I really needed it. Also we were able to see areas that we really don't have in Holland, it makes you appreciate what you have and also it helps you to understand others when you get to see different lives I think.

   This week in our companionship everything has gone ... Alright. We aren't great, but we are trying. Elder Draper doesn't always agree with Elder Villalobos, and Vise-Versa. So it causes some contention. Elder Villalobos had it rough last night. But I think we are doing better now, and  I am in no way excluded from all the problems so we all need to work more on being better to each other.

   As always President Hess we are here for you, and what ever you need we are more then willing to do it. If you have any information on my Visa (or any reassurance haha) that would be great. I try to do my best and not worry but I put my visa in in October or even September, and the other Elder put his in in December, so I'm alittle worried I did something wrong. I'm not sure excactly how the whole process goes.

Friends and Family Letter

Allright another week down ... here in .... MICHIGAN. Hmmmm now what.

    No this week has been good, nothing really happened in the beggining of the week just same old same old. But on Wednesday I and Elder Draper went to Grandville Spanish Area for a trade off, that was pretty fun actually. We dropped the car off in a nice part of town (nicer part of town) outside a members house so some one could watch it. Then we walked the rest of the day. Me thinking we had the car for the day, and having leardership training the next day, brought my nice shoes. Ouch those hurt to walk in all day. But off we went and door after door we got turned down haha. But it was actually pretty fun, the area of town was pretty run down, with alot of really interesting people. We ran into one of the elders that I was trading with's investigator. She had 6 parrots, I'll send pictures next week. Also she had acouple of dogs and a wolf. She may be kinda crazy, she thinks that someone is controling her and she is just a puppet. But hey ya know stuff happens right. Anyways from there we had another fun experiance. We were knocking doors, and the next house had a couple of Black Bothers outside (yeah thats capatalized because I'm pretty sure its a proper noun, and the CORRECT term) Well we start walking towards them, and one guy says "no one is home (waving his arms for us to leave)" another chims in "Aint nothin but Gangsters and Hoodlums here" so just messing with them (I had earlier heard them say that we wear some church guys in shirts and ties) I was like "Ohh yeah Gangstars and Hoodlums huh, Aight... Well then you guys answer me this. I look good right? I mean you were talking about my shirt and tie, but I look good right?" There were some chuckles. Later we were walking down the streat, and a couple cars passed us, it turned out to be them. They all waved and honked there horns.... Yeah, aint nothing but Gansters and Hoodlums there. haha.

    So the next day we had leadership training, and the President came up from Lansing, and 80 of us missionaries got together. Whats' up Money, yeah, I got to see Monson Welch and he was way suprised haha. But after that, I was supposed to go home but randomly got assigned to go on another trade off. So again went off with a different Elder but this time I was with Elder Villalobos, A pretty good guy. The day went by pretty slow because the Elder we were with, really had no plans and didn't know the town. So finally we just told him we were going door knocking. We did that then after went and taught a lesson to a boy who is autistic, but his mom wants him to get baptised. Anyways, haha he says he is not going to go to heaven if there are no video games, or hot female characters there. He says those are the only things he likes. So we talked to him about that and at the end asked him to pray before we left. Well his prayer went something like this "Please bless that there is video games and hot female characters in heaven, really I guess just give me a sign that there are. I'm only going if there is so... if you could please give me a sign. thankyou that would be great." haha He isn't my investigator, but apparently we missed some stuff when we were teaching him :)

      So my companions aren't really getting along. And Elder Draper may or may not have severe anger issues. usually there is stuff getting thrown around the appartment and yelling going on ( mind you he is maybe 5 feet tall) but this week we pull into a persons drive way, and we get out of the car but apparently the childs lock was on and Elder Draper couldn't get out, so after a second we figure this out. But apparently it was far too long. I pulled open the car door, and he kicked it the rest of the way open. As he exageratedly threw his bag from the backseat. He then turned his anger onto the thing that had kept him locked up. The door of course, so kicking and slapping the door, he notices his backpack again. and like a bull to a waving flag he turns on it. Pretty soon he is 30 feet down the driveway still drop kicking his bag everytime he gets to it. As he goes off still storming mad, we turn to the garage and as we see our investigators face. Just laughing away... we figure all is well haha. Well he wouldn't come with us and left for a good 2 hours then finally came back... Oh how much fun. So then last night, something else encites him, he gets mad, but this time Elder Villalobos is mad to. So Elder Villalobos kick the chair, picks it up, Throws it across the room, storms over to the other Elder yells and screams. and then walks back to the couch, takes off his shoe and coudles his foot. For the chair was triumphant and now his foot broke haha. I'm sure its not broke but It hurts pretty bad.

    Alright last little bit no worries. Today we went with a member and just were playing basketball well me and the member were on the same team. As we both reached out to knock a ball loose, bam woopsy I guess I broke his thumb haha. Ahh man. No he is way cool though. and really the ball just hit him in the hands bad.... I mean if he had any cordination at all, he would be fine.... haha no just kidding but it was an accident. So we quite that and went and played ping pong. pool, soccer and and ate lunch over at his house. So overall it has been a good day.

  Awww man one more thing, so the two elders that came with me, got there Visas and have since left..... Thats Jacked Up.... I put my Visa in in what August, they put theres in in December. Anyways. I guess I'm just supposed to be here for I while so I'll just love it while I can.

      I love you all, and am doing great here. We have 7 dates for Baptisms coming up soon, in one of the worst areas to baptise. The goal for the Mission is every missionary to get 2 baptisms this year. It hasn't been to fruit full in the past. But hey we work hard, and we are seeing the blessing come from it in our area. So it really has been great. Love you all again. Write me back haha :)

.... Sammy do you have relatives in this area, there is acouple Adkins around here?

Two weeks now ..........So I basically own this place!

3/12/12

Allright, I've been out two weeks now .... So I basically own this place :). No just messing, the mission is way fun, this week we gave up the car and instead biked, wow it is nice to do some physical excercise, but at the same time it can be hard because we have such a lose of time. Like yesterday I think we were on our bikes for 4 hours, (thats alot of time that I could be knocking doors, or teaching lessons), oh and the bike I have is terrible. One of the Elders, Elder Draper is kinda selfish, and most deffinetly gets on everyones nerves around here, anyways, When I went and got this bike its tire had inflated half way off of the rim, but I had to ride 3 or 4 miles to a members house to fix it. A serious pain, and the rim is bent pretty bad, mostly thats how it was, and also I may have done allittle damage this week by jumping around. But its been fun, and YES IVE BEEN BEING SAFE :)

    So as far as investigators and the city go. The city itself is way cool, we have a big pond out of our back window, and there are actually ponds everywhere. Michigan has alot of really tall and nasty looking trees, it kinda looks like something out of Wizard of Oz, but its way pretty. The part I don't like is that there are no mountains or anything like that. You can't really see anything in the sky if that makes sense. Which feels really weird, and kinda sureal. The town is pretty cool, it apparently has amazing tullips in the spring, but right now I just like all the buildings, it is called Holland for a reason. It was settled by Dutch people and alot of the houses look like they are structured after England and that area. But then again, I'm never in those areas :) we tract in the trailer park homes because there are aton of them, and they are full of people that speak spanish. There is also a College here, Hope College, It is a non denomintional religious college, Kinda weird. But it makes the town fun, and talking to people fun because they think that they now everything :) but we really don't ever bash with anyone we try to keep everything pretty tame. Oh but this week we were talking to this guy in spanish, and he was a character. He had to open his eye with his hand and he was waiting on the corner, we went up and started talking and got into the B of Mormon, well he said he had read it all, and that God isn't in it. Well my comp brought up the scripture about the stick of judea and the stick of whoever being combined. and he went into how that was the seperation of the veil when Christ died. haha I thought he was crazy and might have chuckled and that really set him off, next thing you now he is yelling at us in spanish (so I only got a couple of the words :) ) and we swiftly got on our bikes and rode off into the sunset... Or the dark it was around 8 30

    Now for good news, or bad news. Our best investigator we didn't get to see at all this week, She canceled on us 5 times, and wouldn't tell us what was up. Well she came to church sunday and when I talked to her apparently her kids had been taken from her this week, which is a major bummer and was way hard on her, I guess in the end though all I can do is pray hard for her. But the rest of the people went really good. We have 6 baptisms coming up soon, and we got 2 more dates this week. It's amazing to see the lord work. Last night actually we were with a family that didn't read what we had left them, so we had to read it with them. We just read the first chapter of Nephi, but at the end of the Chapter a girl that wasn't taking the lessons asked if she could keep the book and possibly take the lessons. It deffinetly was the spirit that got her because there is nothing in the first chapter that would compele me to read the book :) Its cool to watch this kinda stuff happen. Also that guy from last week that we met in the library was way cool to talk to. That night he read most of the book of mormon, and in the morning we discussed it and our practices for over 2 hours. He unfortunatly proly won't accept the message for along time, because there's alot of misconceptions that are deeply engrained in him but It still was a great conformation for me of the truthfullness of the Gospel. This kid wore the new testement around his neck and studied and new aton about it. But at the same time his information was missing something. It is amazing to see that the information lost, is the information we have.

   This week, we were tracting down a street around 8 or 830 kinda late but we were just rapping up the day. Anyways we started talking to this man, thats was pretty knowlegable about the history of churchs and got into a pretty interesting conversation, well we started talking to him about the restoration and his son walked up. About half way through his 15-16 year old son walks up who has a little bit of a handicap I'm guessing walks up. Half way through us talking about the restoration the boy interjects. " I I I just have one thing to say... (proclaiming very matter a factly).... I'm in" his dad turn to him, "Son you don't know what your talking about, You don't even know the 10 commandments yet" to this the boy pokes his finger to the air and with pride... well more puzzled "That.. Is right" as he puts his finger down Haha.

Yesterday we ate dinner at a members house and they have a 4 or 5 year old little girl, as she walked in her room I bonked her on the head and just gave her a smile. Well she came back out a couple minutes latter with a letter that read like this "Carphol I almost Krotty Choped You! From:Emily B. To: You" haha it made me smile. I think I'll take a couple of punk kids when I'm older, seems like it could be fun eh.

I love you all and hope that what ever your up to your safe.

Peace, Love, and go with God

Andrew Rushton

Elder Rushton

And the Last shall be First! Last day MTC and First week in the field.

February 28, 2012

Leaving the MTC

So I leave tomorrow at 730 I think is my flight, and I proly arrive at the airport at around 530 6 ish, so I will try to call in between those times for you guys, I can't promise anything though. I'm not completly sure I'll have time. So today is pretty good, last day of the MTC, but I've packed most the morning, and I'm freaking out haha, not really but its getting pretty stressful, you know how I was fine on weight before, It's alittle harder now. Actually alot harder, everybody has 2 check bags and I only really have 1. So I'm trying to get underweight and by the restrictions, but It's freaking hard. I guess I'll figure it out though, I had better. I will proly end up leaving some stuff here I don't need, If its something important I'll send it home or to my mission home. I love the mission and everything, but sometimes its hard they don't want you to be in the world or worry about that stuff, so they end up not giving you anyinformation about anything. So really I'm not sure what to think about tomorrow, but I'm way excited. The MTC has been way good, and way spiritual. But I'm ready to get out of here :). How is everyone at home, pops be careful up on the MNT. don't go get yourself buried. Z I love you man, also be careful though, the body eventually will break :) you'll learn that soon I guess haha. Mads, Jordy, love you both and I'm glad you guys are doing allright. How's gramsy, whats the concensus?... Man I can't think of anything except how to get my bag under 50 pounds haha. Today is not really my P day but I'm waiting on an elders clothes to get done, so we decided to email for a min. Anyways, I love you all. I really am doing just great, and having a way good time here. I learn so much, and have enjoyed the packages and letters. Oh momma, thanks again for the geneology and for lectures on faith. I don't have aton of time to read that stuff, so I will proly end up tossing most of the Geneology, but my main focus I guess was just to get a general jist of backgrounds. After the mission, I'd love to get into it alot more. Oh and you can actually still get more than one patriarchle blessing, the church has said that you most likely don't need more than one, but If you want more then one you can get one.

  Also lectures on faith is an amazing book, I'm going to try to read it, then proly send it home for you guys to read. It's not really something to study, so I proly wont keep it with me the whole mission. But Its has some way cool writings in it.

  Today I went to the book store to get ride of the money left on my MTC card, and I had 18 bucks or so but I can't add anyweight to my bags, haha so I ended up buying a couple things of lead and some time lines but I cashed almost all of it out in stamps haha. It's basically like currency so I figured it was the best way to go :)

  Anyways leaving here is sad but pretty happy at the same time. There is alot of teachers here and elders that I really like, but hopefully I see some of them in a couple of years, oh and I've been inspired here to make a ski movie when I get home from the mission, compromising of skiing, dubstep, and church, the 3 best things in life :) haha

  

I love you all so much, I hope everything is going great at home

March 5, 2012

First week out

Whats up everybody. Hows life. The mission is so cool. To start I'm sitting in the library 2 seconds ago and some 19 year old kid came up and started asking about the church and the difference between this church and his beliefs. It was way cool, his freind came up but they are both amazing. Kevin and James, both of them have given up most of what they have just to serve the lord, but they believe so much on the same things we do, and already have such a testimony of the Holy Ghost, I talked with James for a good 45 mins, and am meeting with him again tomorrow. But its just amazing to see what the lord can do.

     K so, MTC was great. the last night I stayed up with a budy till like 2 in the morning and had to get up at 3 but everything went over well. Airport and flying was good, nothing to really report there. President Hess picked us up at the airport, me and the 2 kids that flew with me then drove to our areas. Mine is about 2 and a half hours from detroit, it is Holland Michigan. Its pretty fun here. My comps are Elder Draper, a kid from toelle Utah (thats all I need to say) and Elder Villalobos) haha they really are both pretty good. So the first day I got to the apartment at 9 so didn't get to do anything. But got up in the morning, did our studies and went out. We had an appoinment or two but with unprogressing people that I don't remember their names, but we went tracting in a trailer park. And came up on this house. I knocked and a man from laos came out. We had no idea what he was saying but he kept talking about bombs and stuff. Well he invited us in to look at some book. Both my companions entered and as I walked in I noticed his TV was on. (I've been 2 months seeing only sister missionaries) and he is playing a porno on his TV haha. I just turned around but my companions still hadn't noticed. They are talking with him and finally Elder villalobos turns around and sees it, haha he was so stunned. they are teaching this guy and all I can do it laugh. Elder Villalobos, looks back at the guy and asks so what are you doing. pointing to the screen... Great experiance.

       Next day again tracting we went to this guys house, and he invites us in to his trailer. The inside is trashed. Next thing you know he is going off on this story about how is about to die and slipp through a hole in the ground and enter hell. Then he goes off about how this window reminds him of Jail, and while he was in jail God showed up, and came through the window. DRUGS ARE BAD.... DONT DO THEM :) thats the end of that story.

      Saturday we went and tracted on Main street... I went up one side of the rode (keeping companions in sight) as my comps went up the other, and we just contacted people on the street. It went pretty well, it was pretty fun but freezing cold. So we met up at this fire next to the shops and started talking to people there. Well 6 old ladies walk up, and apparantly its girlfriends weekend out here. Which I guess means, lets get smashed and go shopping, cuz thats what they were doing. These are 50 year old women who are haha inviting us back to there place and stuff :) I love the people we get to meet here. Oh and while this is all going on Elder Draper is talking in a australian accent, because it breaks the ice for him. It he doesnt he gets scared and screws up haha.

   Spiritual stuff. This week was also was way spiritual. To start we have alot of really good investigators. We have 4 dates for Baptisms and should have more coming soon. My favorite lesson this week was with a man named Vicente. We went through the restoration with him ( in spanish :) ) but I do pretty well now, and at the end of the lesson we asked for him to pray about it, to know the truth. Well we got on our knees and sayed a prayer, and in the middle of the prayer the spirit testified of the truth and it really was so cool. We asked him after what he thought. All he sayed is I know that this is true. Pretty sweet.

   Also this sunday was great. It was fast and testimony and we had 6 investigators at church. Well the begining of sacrament was really slow. and they said it is always like that. So I got up and bore a testimony about my investigators and also to the kids that they all need to go on missions. But then I challenged everyone to listen to the spirit and come up and bear there own testimony... There wasn't another pause in the meeting, and alot of kids got up. And even our best investigator got up and bore testimony of the truthfullness of this church. It went way well. overall everything went great. and I think our investigators are doing great. I'm doing great, they gave me a jacket thats pretty nice, but its huge on me and I sleep on a blow up matress with a straight up gross pillow and nasty blanket :) loving life. Really though I'm loving it up here. Its pretty pretty in Michigan, there are aton of Trees

And some crazy rich people, we went to knock on this house jsut because it was huge (really we stopped the car and went up to it) but couldn't even get close there is a gate so we figured we could just buzz our way in. Nope looking at the gate, we could call the grounds crew, the guest house, the kitchen crew, and the maids. freaking insane... it was huge. :)

I love you all and Hope everything is going great whereever you are, and whatever your doing. I hope you got all my pictures :)

March 5, 2012

Hey this is my letter to my pres this week, but I figured it says more about it up here so you can read it if you guys want. Love you pops

Drear President Hess,

Hopefully I get this letter to you, the email was being a little weird, To start I am loving Holland, it really is a great place. The people sure are pretty set in their beleifs and alot of them are alittle angry or mad, but hey just another great reason to get the gospel into their lives. Open up their hearts alittle bit. This week has been great so far, my new companions are great. Elder Villalobos and Elder Draper. Both of them are very helpfull, work hard, and are very obedient, so they are great examples to me. The apparment is nice, alittle small with three people but hey we are companions and I guess are supposed to be close. As far as clothes and bedding go, I got a jacket from you and a bed from you and I figure that that is good enough. I will proly go buy a hat and gloves but as far as blankets go, I talked to a member and they said they could let me borrow a sleeping bag. I don't want to charge the church for random stuff. I'm here to serve god, that doesn't mean I always have to have great stuff, I've got my savior and what ever comes with that I will take.

As far as Investigators go, the ones I went to this week really are very good and are coming along great. I'm not sure exactly what to put in this letter. But overall I think that the investigators are doing great. We got 6 to church this week and had a great testimony meeting and I think most of our investigators have already had very strong spiritual experiences while at church and with us. It really has been great to see them change and to watch as they recieve confermation of the truthfulness of our message. It is both a growing experiance for them and me. I think overal the best thing I can do out here, is just try hard to keep up and learn what I can, while exapnding my horizons and strenghtening my testimony. I really am loving it, and having just a great time out here. The members are great and the town is great. Remember that we as missionaries are always here for you, and I am always here to serve you... Right underneath my lord, still though thats pretty high in the ranks. I'm very grateful to have you as my mission president.