Dear fam,
I got an email with pictures from jAnn. That was funnnn to see some of the older kids and some newer pictures. It was crazy to see Brooklyn with glasses.
I was trying to say something about how terrible the area is but it is really great place. The first Sunday was good. There’s an average of 110 active members, seems to be a good, strong branch. Everyone was giving us crap for being the new missionaries, in a good way. It was really good because the mission leader Ken Dvocak said that a lot of the members already like us. The member they (the previous missionaries) were living with said that he was ready for them to be gone and to get a fresh start. Ted Newcomb is his name, great guy! We slept at his place one night. Let me give you a little low down on everything that happened since last email.
Monday, dodge ball was great, lots of little kids. Got home and started to pack. Since we closed down the area, the appt had to be spotless. Elder Pedersen wanted to sleep, so he did. I stayed up till about 12 cleaning. Woke up at 630 and back to work cleaning and packing. Went and visited some investigators and Dorset’s … tried to hit Ty and Blondie but no luck :( Got home around 930 start packing and cleaning more. Got done around 4am, goodness it was a long day. We filled 5 dumpsters (size of the one at the church we went to in Tucson) of junk, furniture and other random things. Woke up at 630, showered, ready for the day. Did a little more odd and ends cleaning. Ready by 730, sisters get there to get vacuum, broom and food for their place. Bro Fletcher came and picked us up, went to church and a member from second ward took us to the mission home. It was a long ride.
I learned a lot in the transfer with Elder Pedersen, really built a lot of love there, great friendship. Got to the mission home, president updates 1/4th of the missionaries on the success we are having. President really seems to be wrapped up in numbers lately. All is well. Got to see Elder Snedegar, great kid. The missionaries that served in New Prague before, gave us the car keys, area book and said good luck and off we go. Elder Marks is white washing into Eagan with Elder Maxwell.
Got to New Prague, signed on the papers opening the new appt, went and cleaned the old appt. Than off to mutual to meet members. Great chat with the mission leader. The branch seems to be very goal oriented. Slept in Bro Ted Newcomb’s home on the floor … but it’s a home. Thursday moved in the new appt … gee whiz lots of time consuming, but not very difficult, work. Got done with the basics by Thursday night. Had dinner with the Wilson family, less active. The mission leader (ml) has been trying to get the missionaries in there for a while and finally, success! The family is wild and crazy :) everyone had a different color of hair purple pink blue ... good times
Friday finally able to work. Drove like 60 miles. There’s about 5 outer cities that we cover Montgomery, Belle Plane, New Market, Jordan and I cant remember … got a lot of new information coming in. Got everything moved in Friday night like the desks and beds. Slept in the new appt Saturday, had some appointments set up but they all fell though. Elder Sned hasn’t done a lot of tracting. He said that on an average has taught 25 lessons a week his whole mission. ha-ha I laughed when he said that. I have only hit 20 a few times and done a lot of tracting. He has done some training with the Karan(crayon), people learning a new langue and all that jazz. He has been out for 6 months. Since the lessons fell though we went tracting :)
Sunday was good, President Naajaties already trusts us. He let us come to branch council. From what I know that seems to have been a struggle. We were only there for 15 minutes for the part on missionary work and then we left. Branch is great, very spiritual people … everyone knows everybody and almost seems like in each other business a little too much but it’s a small town. Branch President took us out to visit some o= some less actives and recent converts. That will now be a Sunday thing. Trust is building everywhere, so rapidly :)
Monday, able to laundry at Bro Newcomb’s home, he is in the branch presidency and serves in the bishops warehouse, so he is never home … he’s a busy retired guy. Yup that’s that in a nut shell!
What’s a road show?
Nope I don’t need any thing for now. Well actually a Wal-Mart or Target would be nice. Flipping have to have the members go shopping for us. The prices for groceries is out rageous! or I’ll lose some weight ... mmm now there's a thought. Got on a scale and it said 180.
Yesterday we did stop-byes with former investigators and set up 3 out of the 4 we went by. The area is really going to turn around it seems. I’m really grateful for that whitewashing in to Eagan and Rochester 3, it took a while to get a teaching pool. Luckily the area here has been prepared and the elders before were doing a little teaching.
Elder Snedegar is from California somewhere near LA. He is 19. Did a year at BYU-I, he graduated when he was 17 I believe. He is into singing ... boy he sings a lot. He was in the byu-i choir for the priesthood session last year April session I think. Obedient, hard working, good kid all round.
Thanks for doing the work on the schooling. As I was praying about the situations, a clear thought entered my mind as I was wondering about ea "go, there’s a very important lesson you need to learn".
well till next week, by than I should have more of a handle on the area!
love
elder baker
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