Wow, so many emails to read, so much to say! Well, as you know, I made it! And it has been quite the first week let me tell ya. First though, before I forget, here are some big things I figured out that you need to know. 1.) I NEED A RAIN FENDER for my bike. ASAP. Just a back one. If its not too pricey a front one would be nice but a back one will do. It's rained the last 3 days here and we haven't been able to go out because I haven't had a fender. 2.) Send any and all mail/packages to the MISSION OFFICE and then they'll send it to me where ever I'm at. It'll take a day longer, but it's much easier that way than me constantly having to tell you my new address each time I get transferred. 3.) Mom, please feel free to send any recipes you feel like I would use. Ha we're given 135$ for the month, so I'm trying to make that stretch by buying healthy food and cooking meals instead of frozens pizzas! <---- except that does happen a lot. Oh and thanks so much for the Vemma. I take it every day! Now for the cool things. We can have ipods! Not touches, but the kind like Tyler got, or a mini. And music wise we're allowed to have anything that is "spiritually uplifiting". Also we don't have to get it checked through the mission pres first either. As long as it fits that criteria he said he trusts us. Pretty cool right?! So whenever you send up the next package, and if we have an extra ipod around, feel free to load it up with as much spiritually uplifting music and talks as it can hold and send it! Only if we have an extra ipod though.
So Day 1, had a really bad migrane. Put me out of it, wasn't fun. I'm in the Noble area, which covers three towns: Noble, Purcell (where our apartment is at) and Lexington. I think i'm going through culture shock! Haha this area I'm in is like lower half of the middle class to lower class. It's hard to see how some people live. Everyone here smokes too. IT'S KILLING ME! I'm seriously going to come back with lung cancer. We haven't taught a single lesson yet either. Ya know missionary work I thought was about teaching right? Ha well first you need people to teach. All these people think they've been saved! So all we've done is tracting. And tracting. Well and studying inside because it's rained alot and we haven't been able to go out because of the weather. The members here are awesome though. President Taylor, in the numbers we report to him, doesn't count lessons taught, he only counts member present lessons. The reason why is because the more members are there, the better the fellowshipping will go = more retention after baptism. The area I'm in though, the numbers lately have been nose diving lately. Maybe not nose diving but they've been poor. So this transfer, Elder Woodland (my trainer) and I set some lofty goals to get things rolling again. Haha whenever our Zone Leaders or other elders of our district ask about our goals, they say "man you've got that greeny fire!" Guess so. I just see it as if you can why not. And actually, the reason I'm like that is because its what I see Tyler being like, ya know shooting for high goals. Our "standard of excellence" in this mission for baptisms in a transfer is 1-2. We made our goal at 5. Git er Done!!! But i'm sure now you want to know more about my trainer.
His name is Elder Tyler Woodland, he's from Wyoming, and he's a straightup rancher! Ya know, like my wanna be life? Ya he did that his entire life. Haha they moved from ranch to ranch, raising cattle and breaking horses to make them rideable. He's a hard worker and we get along fine! He's been out 9 months I believe and is our District Leader. Our appartment, I took some pictures of it, is a.... ok place. I've seen better. My bike though. Wow! Love it. Ha I bought a computer for it, it was like 20 some odd bucks. Another elder gave me the idea to keep track of how many miles i've bike on my mission. Cool idea right? So I realized in order to do that a computer was a necessity!
Last night we had a baptism! It was for this kid name Justin. He's 16, and his story is funny actually. He found us, as in Elder Woodland and his comp before me, and came to church ready to prove Mormon's wrong because of course we are in every instance... But after church it wet his appetite and he wanted to learn more. They set a date and time and first lesson they taught him the Restoration, Plan of Salvation and Gospel of Christ because he already went and researched it prayed about it and got an answer. So they had him committ to read the Book of Mormon and then next lesson they did the Commandments and after going to Church three times he was baptized! Interesting thing is his father is a Baptist minister in a small town called Little Axe. So he didn't come to the baptism but his mother did. He's already decided he's going to go on a mission and he texts us almost every day asking us Gospel questions. This kid was golden.
Another funny story we passed around the dinner calender for the month of October and only 4 people signed up. The 4 families that Elder Woodland and I were close too. Sooooo we have some damage control to do.
Quick thoughts on my mission president. LOVE the man. He's going to be a general authority some day. I'm calling it here and now. I'm really bummed he's going to be finishing his mission in 9 months. Okay, well I love you all, I pray for you each night! Letters are always welcomed, they help break up the week! Keep on keepin on, and may the Lord bless each and every one of you! Love,
Elder Traasdahl
