First Week in Sunny Orlando!!

FAMILY and FRIENDS!!

It has been a very full week! I can not believe that Christmas is this Thursday! AND that despite leaving only a couple weeks ago, and having a long conversation with Mom on the phone at the air port, I also get to Skype with you in just a few days. Time flies here. First of all I just have some business:

- The address that you will need to send any letters and packages through will be the mission home address that you should already have. I guess a lot of stuff has gone missing never to be found again if things are sent to specific addresses.

- Along with that first point, our mission leaders and senior couples made a point of saying that when you mail something, they try really hard to make sure we get what is sent asap. The senior couples here are so awesome. Many of them help (especially this time of year) to make sure that the missionaries receive whatever may be. However they did mention that despite many families using FedEx and UPS (wanting to get packages out quickly to their missionaries), it is actually a lot faster for you to just send everything through the US Postal Service- I don't remember the reasoning behind it.

- Skype- So, we have a really great family in our ward who wants to make sure that we get to Skype our families and everything will go smoothly. Though we can't Skype from any of their own devices, me and my companion will go over to their house to Skype everyone. The plan is that 10:00 am (Utah time), I will call you. There is a time restriction of 30-40 min. And to ensure that all goes well, this family (the Wards) have offered to be in contact with you before hand so that we know there won't be any tech issues. They want to help you set up an account and do a trial run before Christmas Day.  They are so wonderful. They didn't give me a time or day for you to contact them, but I would think that before Christmas Eve would be best.

Alrighty. Well, I have been assigned to the DeLand Area! It is a really green place with a lot of really thick tropical trees everywhere. My companion is so fantastic. Her name is Sis Arsenault, and is originally from TX but her family is currently living in CO. She is fun lovin', hard workin', and southern twainin'.  She has only been in the mission for 5 months, but is that good that she has been assigned to be a trainer. She is very bubbly, so I haven't had a problem meeting the ward. There are 2 sets of missionaries in each ward- 1 group of elders and sisters. This is a BIKING MISSION! So, despite us having a car share (1 week on, 1 week off (sharing with other sisters near our area)), they want us biking as much as possible. This week was bike week. I am so sore. But I love being able to speak with so many people. Between the confidence, and speaking skills of me and my comp, we have been able to meet a lot of people this week. So good.

I am short on time so here are some quick fun facts:

- FOM is also an Ipad and Facebook mission- but those I don't get till I am done training.

- I now completely understand why people gain weight on the missions- EVERYONE wants to feed the missionaries and give them so much food that we are required to eat. Especially around Christmas time. I suppose people may feel less empathetic in January though. Haha

- My apartment is sweet. The mission is actually pretty rural, but our not-so-humble-abode is really nice, and updated. I will send you pics next week.

- I am the only one in the ward that can play the piano. I have been unofficially invited to prepare all the music now :) I am just excited for the excuse to play!

- The ward is really great. Since my comp has been there her whole mission, and she is so fun to talk to, everyone really embraces the missionaries.

Really fast experience:

We have a fantastic family my comp has been working with the last 3 months. We have been particularly working with the wife, Diane. Though I haven't seen her whole transformation, it was incredible to see the change in her eyes and her families actions after we brought her to a temple tour. Without speaking to us first, she announced to the whole RS in church that she has received a confirmation of the truthfulness of this church and will be baptized on January 10th.

.........

I was shocked. After working at Vivint, and basically working people into buying a security system, I am amazed that the spirit truly can transform people- not my words. The change that has come upon their family in the last few days has been incredible- I feel privileged to have seen it happen.

I love being a missionary!!! I look forward to seeing you soon!