Week 3--Arriving in Baltimore

June 5, 2013

Hey guys,

I just have some time to let you know that I made it safely. The flight wasnt too bad. We got in yesterday and then we went to the mission presidents house for dinner that night. After dinner we had dessert, which I did eat because missionaries are supposed to eat what they are fed... not sure triple chocolate cake and strawberry cheese cake are really my thing. But, you know, we all have trials. Then we all had an interview with Pres. Richards. There were thirty-one of us so that took a while. As each person went in the rest of us played games and stuff in the living room. Me and my buddy, Elder Barzee, spent our time put pocketing each other and the rest of the people there with mormon.org pass along cards. It was pretty funny. We got this one guy's pocket so full of stuff... haha

Anyway, after that we spent the night at the Marriot. Traditionally, I think that the missionaries usually stay in the mission president's house but our group was huge. It was funny to see so many missionaries on the same plane.

I met my trainer this morning. He seems pretty cool. Elder Hibbard. He has been out about fifteen months. We are in an apartment with another pair of elders. Elder Briggs, my companion in the MTC, is in the other companionship that As staying in our apartment. so, that's pretty cool. I think we are moving to a different apartment in two weeks though.

We are going to meet with a part member family tonight. I pretty much set up that appointment- the mom sent us a text saying "have you got the new greenie yet? How green is he?"( haha)  And then we go meet the bishop of the ward we are serving in. Should be cool. I am serving in the Frederick area. Haven’t seen too much of it yet, but I'm told that this area is having great success as of late.  Two baptisms are on schedule and its been going really well here.  We don’t tract in this area. We focus on strengthening the members and building their trust to get referrals. We also work with part member families. Humidity isn't  too bad, it actually feels really nice here. It's nicknamed "forever Frederick" because people tend to be assigned to this area for a few transfers at a time. The elder I am replacing spent the last six months here

Ps. there is a tennis court right outside our apartment... haha