June 14, 2010

I think this picture accurately represents my last transfer.

Hey, my address is:

1531 Country Club Rd.

Lake Charles, La.

Box # 826 70605

I wrote the wrong address on the envelope, the address the mission office gave you (above) is correct.

I was actually just thinking the other day that you will probably be leaving in about 2 weeks....good times. Maybe you will get a taste of what I am living in down here.

Talk about humidity, that's fog as I was leaving Jasper

My new area is a city I would say pretty close to the size of Layton...all of Layton. That means lots of houses which means lots of tracting. Last Saturday almost all of our appointments fell through. We did a lot of tracting in the sun. We have probably 3-4 "searching" investigators. The ward seems pretty cool, it's nice to have a ward mission leader that is "on the ball" (he's actually an assistant to the mission leader, the W.M.L. is away working on the oil spill.) We don't get fed as often here, it seems like the members are more hospitable in the country. Or maybe it's just Louisiana.

THIS PLACE IS CRAZY!!!! people say drivers in Utah are bad.... they're practically NASCAR drivers compared to these ragin'-Cajuns.

For their sakes' I am glad Elder Clark never served with Elder Hugentobler. They both want to work hard, but are pretty much the opposite in every other way. Elder Clark was a goofball and had a temper, Elder "H" is serious and more patient. More like myself I think. Technically I am a senior companion by 1 transfer- but that doesn't mean I am a better missionary.

How am I doing? I'm' learning a ton and sweating just as much.

The voice recorder needs a program to put recording back on it. The device came with the program but the library computers won't let me install it. I think if I can install the program on the recorder itself instead of on the computer I might be able to listen to files emailed to me. I need to try it first though.

Could you please get me Tyler Christensen's Mailing /E-mail Address? I think it would be good for him to kind of know what to expect.

This was on the back of a semi truck.

I'm going to send this now so I can send some pictures. love you bye!

June 7, 2010

Hi,
Was Dad praying for me to go to Cajun country? That's right, I'm in Lake Charles Louisiana. It's a pretty big city, well big compared to Jasper any way. My new address is : 1531 Country Club Road. Box: 826. We stay in some apartments, their pretty nice. Sorry, no pictures or voice today left them both in the car. I seem to have misplaced one of my memory cards during transfers. I think I know where I left it in Jasper, but if not it's alright. There weren't any pictures on it that you don't have.

Tell me about it! I love Gatorade, especially in this heat and humidity. It is supposed to be in the 90's with the heat index in the 100's all week I heard. Outside right now, the only way I can describe it is like the first summer we went to pageant. This is the first time I think it has really been this humid...or maybe it is just more humid because I am that much closer to the gulf. Have you heard if the oil spill is supposed to affect the weather at all?

My new companion is Elder "Hugentobler" (I think I spelled it right) He is from Manti. He came out one transfer after me and has been here for one transfer. The elder that used to be here was Elder Farley, the elder who had been in leader ship most of his mission. He got transferred home, he flies out on Weds.

I lost my copy of Mo. Tab. "Showtime" if you could send me another copy of that along with the soundtrack to the New Testament seminary videos (not really sure what it is called, but I know it is available to buy) I would really appreciate it.

I'm really tired right now. It is probably because I got up at 6:00 and haven't had any breakfast or lunch. On the bright side, the scale at the apartment said I weighed 195lbs. in full missionary dress, shoes and all. (Jasper didn't have a scale)

I wish the summer meant I could relax and sleep in. The good news is that Elder Hugentobler doesn't have a bike, and the area is really big so no biking for at least 6 weeks probably more. Elder Clark is supposed to be sending a package home for me today. I'll make sure he remembers. Oh ya, no more bunk beds, not in this apartment anyway.

TEXAS BBQ!

The barbecue last night was really fun but I felt kind of gross afterwards. Not sick, just Blah....

Leftovers !

10 min left.... hmmm. Is Ethan going to BYU in the fall? or summer?

Well, we'll see how things go, talk to you next week, Love you! bye!

Photos are of Micheal Ratclif's Birthday BBQ in Jasper Texas.

June 1, 2010

Hi everyone,

It's June!!!! AHHHH here comes the heat!! Transfers next Monday! I'm pretty sure I'm out of here. I would be very surprised if I stayed.

We had a really fun time yesterday, we played 6 vs.6 Volley Ball, Soft ball, and Ultimate Frisbee all 3 games were going at the same time we just rotated. I didn't use sun block, my neck got it pretty bad. President even got out and played softball w/ us.

I wish I could tell you more about what is going on. The last week is kind of a blur with transfers coming up. Elder Gardner got assigned an Assistant to the President. We all knew it was going to happen, President really likes him, we just didn't think it would happen so soon.

6 months tomorrow!!!!! Since it is against the rules to burn a tie on my 6 month mark I think I'll drown one in the washing machine. (don't worry, it'll be an old one) I realized tomorrow is exactly 1 year from the day I graduated. I will have been on my mission the same amount of time I was out of school, Crazy!

Our two investigators finally came to church the other day. They are children of a less active family. We have been doing a lot of tracting lately, lots of ring-around-the-collar....lots of Gatorade too. It has rained a couple of times since last Mon. One time was so bad we had to pull off the road and into a pawn shop for 30 minutes or so until it lightened up.

I have started carrying my scriptures in a case I made from a Captain Crunch cereal box. Mostly because it is lighter, and the members love it.

I gave myself a haircut yesterday it is a #2 again. Luckily that was enough hair to keep my head from burning.

Oh, ya, did we have a CD of the primary songs at home? I seem to remember one. If we do would you please copy it and send it out, if not that's alright. Also, I can't find my Mo.Tab. "Showtime" CD. Could you please have Dad make another copy and send it out after transfers?

Well, got to go. Talk to you later. Love you!