Dear Barton Family,
So my flight to Houston was so nice, it only took about 2 hours instead of the intended 3 hours. When we got off the plane and headed to baggage claim we ran into the Assistants to the President - Elder Brady & Elder Hiatt (who looks like Toby from "The Office"). Then we met with President & Sister Hansen who are super nice and caring. They did their homework before we came out - for example, they pronounced Elder Keliipuleole's name correctly on the first try and that never happens. Same thing with Elder Batt (looks like bat but pronounced Bot). Well it was raining when I got off the plane and it has been raining since but I am loving it here. So many things remind me of Tennessee - rain, Kroger, Krystal, trees, churches of other faiths everywhere and Deanna's favorite...Black people, so it's good to see them again. After we got our luggage we then traveled to the mission office to have snacks, get interviewed by the President, get our pictures taken, watch a driving video, and sign a bunch of forms. It was good to be interviewed by President Hansen because he is very optimistic and you can tell he really cares about you. After we did all of that we went over to the church right next to us and had our first official Texas barbeque dinner. (The ward missionary person owns his own barbeque place so it was legit.) The food was very, very good and filling and I was pleased to hear about our dessert (chocolate sheet cake and Blue Bell ice cream). I mean whenever someone talked about this ice cream all you hear is that it is the best ice cream. So I was anxious to try this ice cream and, oh my, does it live up to its comments. It is the best ice cream I have ever tasted but I had very little of it because I was so full! After that they split us up with different missionaries to go straight to work. So I went with Elder Martin & Elder Johnson and when I asked them what we were going to do they told me we were going to a dinner appointment at a member's house. And may I have it put on the record that this was shortly after I had that Texas dinner so I was so full. So I asked the Elders how I was going to eat after having such a filling dinner. They responded "eat it anyway". So we arrived at this member's house which was the Pack family. So I basically missed what was going on because I was so focused on trying to get this food in my stomach. I would say a few words here and there so I could let them know I was paying attention. But to make a long story short (and painful) I somehow ate all of the food on my plate which is saying a lot because the members packed my plate with food. I have never wanted to throw up so much in my life! But after dinner I shared a message with the family and we were on our way. After that we went tracting (which is something I will struggle with on my mission) but it was a good experience. Gotta learn to keep yourself motivated and optimistic after you get doors slammed in your face. (I usually say out loud or in my head a phrase that my district at the MTC would say; it will make me chuckle and smile so I can keep going). Then that night I went to sleep pretty easily (I struggled with sleeping at the MTC).
The next morning I went to the mission president's home to have breakfast and get my companion. The breakfast was amazing - we had french toast, bacon, yogurt, pineapple - talk about my favorites! Then the big moment came - who would be my companion until the next transfer. And I got Elder Conrad who is super cool. He is from Orem, UT and he has been out in the mission for 21 months so he is almost done. After that we had pictures with the mission President and did a orientation with our trainers, then we had lunch and then most everyone left after that except for ZL's and DL's. My companion and I stayed for this because our ride fell under that category. After that we got my luggage and went to our apartment so I could unpack and officially move in. Then we had a dinner appointment at 7 so we went to that and met the Veldez family (a member family). Bro. Veldez is first counselor in the Bishopric and Sis. Veldez is an amazing painter and that is an understatement! She did all the paintings in her house and I mean they are good. She said she painted in high school and said she stopped painting for 20 years and she showed me her first piece she did in 2005 after those 20 years and it looks like she has been painting for her whole life. I mean she could sell her paintings if she wanted to. But another thing I guess that I will have to get used to out here is eating food you hate because before dinner the Veldez family gave us cantelope and a bowl full of it and I forced it down yuck! But I will never do it for beans, that will not happen!
But today was an interesting day. We had a district meeting and there are only 4 of us in our district which is weird but whatever (other districts have 10 or 11) and we did a get to know you thing and district goals (mine are to read "Our Search for Happiness" and to workout daily because seriously my biggest fear is that I will get fat with the food these members are feeding me). After that our district and another companionship went to Subway and then Elder Conrad and I went back to the apartment to do our weekly planning and that takes forever! But whatever, gotta get used to that. Then we went to Johnny's house (investigator). He is 60 years old and wants to get baptized but can't because he is not married. He was married then got a divorce but they still live together and love each other (confusing, I know). He wants to marry her but he says if he does the insurance will not cover the cost of his medication anymore (which costs $600 - he has AS). But we told him that if he follows God's commandment and gets married that he will be blessed and that hit him really hard so I am hopeful (his ex is Catholic and won't speak with us). Then we went to Brad (late 30's) and Amber's (9 yrs.) house. Brad is divorced (his ex-wife thinks the LDS Church is a cult) but he was baptized when he was little but doesn't have the priesthood and is having a hard time with smoking. Amber is just a little sweetheart and she has been taught all the lessons and wants to be baptized and we want her father to baptized her but he is struggling with smoking but he told us to go ahead and baptize her. So we are going to try to set a baptismal date when we seen them Wednesday.
So that is what's happened so far and it has been pretty exciting! Oh, also there is the Maxci family and the mother came out last week to church and she loved it and wants to bring her whole family and if she does then that would be a total of 9 people which is way awesome. Oh, our mission president is challenging the missionaries to get 600 baptisms this year because last year was the most baptisms in a year in the history of the mission with 439. That is a big increase and he has a lot of faith in us. In January last year they had 32 baptisms and this year they got 36 so already off to a good start and hope to keep this momentum going.
Love, Elder Barton
P.S. Just started to teach lessons to an Ethiopian family and just learned to say hello and goodbye in their language - it's pretty cool.
