Jan 6th 2010 letter

Hey,

Well thanks for your letters and your prayers. I am sure they have helped. This new area has definitely been a new experience. It was strange coming into an area and knowing nothing. The previous missionaries left us some notes on some of the people they were teaching but we have to figure almost everything out for ouselves. We did go see the Bishop. We did that the first night. It was interesting the planes with the new missionaries coming in from Salt Lake actually got held up a couple days cause Salt Lake had a big snowstorm. Transfers were supposed to take place on Thursday but ended up not happening until Saturday. So we got to Powhatan Saturday afternoon and then Saturday night we saw our new Bishop-Bishop Hugo. He is nice and seems to be pretty missionary minded. I think he will be a good person to work with. We also spent most of Saturday just going through all of the people in the area book and unpacking and getting organized. On Sunday we met our Ward Mission leader and talked with him for awhile. He is a great man and very excited about the work. I am not sure why they took both of the missionaries that were here before us out. They seemed to be doing a good job but for some reason President put new ones in. I am thinking they were good missionaries but they were kind of in a rut where they couldnt find anyone to teach. We dont have many investigators. I think President wanted this area to have a fresh start. So on Monday and Tuesday we did alot of knocking. We selected lots of former investigators and less actives to go see and then knocked the area around them. We have been able to talk to alot of people and some have set appointments for us to come back so we will see how solid they are when we return. Its pretty hard to tract here though. I really like this area because it is all country. It reminds me alot of Grandma and Grandpa's area, except there are more trees here. But there is lots of land and not too many businesses. It makes it hard to find places to tract though sometimes because lots of time there is like a half mile between houses. But we have been able to find places that have more houses and have talked to everyone we could around there. And just about everyone that we have met has been very nice. The people here are so friendly. I kind of thought country people might be a little rough around the edges but everyone we have talked to has been kind. And the members here are great too. We have had two member dinners already, and one member offered to buy our groceries today when we go shopping. Many of them introduced themselves to us at church and they have all been very nice excited to have us. The ward has been very welcoming and I am sure I will begin to enjoy this area much more when we find some more people to teach and once I begin to better know the members. My companion is Elder Terry. He is a great missionary. He has a strong testimony and is very motivated as I am to get the work going in this area. Sometimes he doesnt talk as much as I would like though, so I have gotten alot of practice talking on doorsteps. I told him he should talk more but he says he always freezes up. lol, But we get along great and have had enjoyed working together thinking of ways to best help out the area. And yeah this area does have alot of history from what I have heard. Alot of people have talked to us about it telling us about all these places we need to go check out. So once I get the area figured out I will try to find out what they are talking about and go see some places. Right now I am not too worried about it. And yeah it has been so cold here. Its been quite a bit below freezing and the wind has made it really bad. Especially when we first got here. Thank you for all the clothing you sent me because i have had it all on, and as long as I have had all of it on I stay pretty warm.

Thanks alot for your letter mom. I really enjoyed reading it and it helped me stayed motivated to keep working hard. Its funny how people say we should always pray with real intent even when times are easy because one day we will be in a hard time and we will have to pray with full intent. Well I think I have fallen victim to that because my prayers have definitely become much more meaningful as I have realized now how much more we needs Heavens help. But I feel like the Lord is working through us and this area is slowly going to improve as we find more people to teach.

Well things are going good. I still miss Meadowbrook a little bit, but nothing to worry about. It was weird going from so many people to teach to almost no one but its been a good new experience. Normally each night we planned for what we were going to teach each person but now we have to plan who we are going to try and see and where we are going to try and find new people. Its alot different. But its fun and Im happy. Thanks again for your letters and prayers. Talk to you next week.

Love,
Elder Larson