Josh's first letter

Here is Josh's first letter:


I'm in Silsbee Texas and we cover Silsbee, Kounze, Belmount, and I think some other places. I had to drive about an hour and half to two hours to get to my area. we don't have any investigators right know. we gave someone the book of mormon last week and we are going to check up on him. The ward is pretty cool. mainly old people but there are a few young families in the ward.

Trainer
I love the weather its moist and a little humid and nice and warm. In the 80's. Yeah we get fed pretty well. My trainer is Elder Packard he is from Washington and he has been out for eight months. He is a really great trainer. I have just learned what I have been taught at the MTC. so just an overview. we only have biked once so far cause we have a car.

Flight
The flight was great. It was about four hours long. Oh yeah I think Paul Hunstman or one of his brothers was on the flight because it sure did look like him. I love my President, a way neat guy. President Mouldenhour (I don't know how to spell his last name.)

Blessings
On sunday we gave two blessings and the first one I gave the blessing and the lady that was watching us was crying so much because she said she felt the spirit so much that she said to us why we don't cry when we feel the spirit that strong. well each person feels and reacts to it differently. I felt the spirit and knew what I had to say. the second one a lady got into a pretty bad car accident. someone hit her behind and her car rolled lucky she had a seatbelt on and that she has some brusies, cuts, and burns but she is fine.

Finding
we taught seven lessons since thursdays to members and part members. we've just went around were we lived. The first guys door we knocked he stuck out his head and said i'm not interested nervously. than closed the door before we could say anything. we knocked on aanother door and this guy actually listened to us and his name his chad and he's in his late teens I think. we gave him a restoartion packet and probably going to check up on him. then some other doors we knocked on, alot of people say there not interested. i'm mean were not selling anything were inviting them to come unto Christ and to listen to our message. this other kid listened and gave him a pass along card. This one guys door we knocked he said he was a baptist and we gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he was willing to read it. He thought Elder was our first name and he's like who would name there kid elder. It is so weird that these people haven't heard about our church or anything. You don't want to tract when its getting dark because that's when you get into big trouble. its even scary tracting at day. they are really old homes, junk everywhere, and its falling apart and they seem they would be abbandoned but there still people living in them and the people look a little scary.

Ward Members
Brother Lucas is our ward missionary leader and he gave us some salsa and I was opening it and when it opened it got all over me. I forgot my camera so I will send you guys some pictures next week. The schedule is not that bad except waking up to early. I think they need to give you some more time to sleep.Oh yeah the elders in Fred was washing there car and they locked there key inside the car and know they don't have a car. no we don't see the other missionaries that often but the missionaries in our district. they are elder Olsen and elder Tateoli and he played for the Utes for football when he gets back he is going to play for them again. we live in a tailer home thing, so it is pretty small and we have a bathroom, kitchen, a backroom and the bunkbed is right by the kitchen. we don;t have that many supplies. since we don't have a microwave, measuring cups and all the other things I just get some canned soup and put into a pot and heat it up. make peanut butter sandwhiches. for dinner the Lumberton elders invite us and feed us or the members would have us over to eat dinner. There are really nice people here and others not so much. some people in other churches would listen to our message.

Well we don't have any ice so no. Yeah my ankle is very slowly getting better. Oh yeah Hurricane season started and I don't think it ends until september or maybe even later. right know Texas is in a huge draught, have not got any rain for more than 8 or 9 months. When I got here it rained a little. The streets where a little flooded. the Lumberton elders where riding there bikes and they got drenched so much. we ate at Bishops Miller house and had catfish which was so good. Next week we are having a big crawfish feast at a members house and he said we have to watch the whole process. we went to see this part member family and the father won't let his son get baptized because he has mild autism and that his father said he has to understand everything before he does and some other kids are waiting for there fathers permission to get baptized. so we are just waiting and just working with them.

Yesterday we went over to the Ratcliffs to meet them and they invited us to dinner so we got to meet them there grandpa loves fishing and going bass fishing. The father is a civil engineer from BYU Provo. His wife is from Alberta Canada that also went to BYU and they met there. they have two daughters and two sons. The oldest daughter is twelve or thirteen and she plays soccer and she is really good and she has played the piano for three years and she writes her own music and its beautiful. I wish I knew how to play the piano. Yeah thats a little about them.

We are in the wards choir. Its me and my trainer and two other elders and just three or four other people so they needed us. It feels so good to be in the mission field and working with real people. The new bike and hlmet are so nice, I will send a picture of it next week. today monday is the day we write letters. Yeah its in the 80's here and probably in june its going to get in the 90's and soemtimes it gets up to 110 with humidity 100%.



Elder Hickey