I have been in New Mexico for a total of 30 hours or so. Yes, I did do my math right, that should be closer to 40 ish by now, but, that's what happens when my first area is El Paso, Texas!
Before I get going, I have seen Elder Larkin- AP, welcomed me at the airport and called me out for being from Shelley (I was shocked when he did, I had no idea who he was at first) Elder Kirkham-(who is not my trainer, but was shocked to see me) Elder Nulph (in the same ward as Grandma Dial, and is returning home today), Elder Gulbransen (who is also leaving today, he got a picture of us, I told him to put it on Facebook or something, so be on the lookout for that in the next week [hopefully]) And the senior couple from Shelley that's serving here, the Butlers, I guess are in my zone. I met Elder Lester-the guy who's cousins with the people who own that MASSIVE mansion on the end of Hansen- yeah, I went tracting with him for 2 hours in ABQ.
Anyways, from the beginning.
I am not getting on a plane again until it is absolutely necessary. That was no bueno, even for a 75 minute flight. I did not have a window seat, but that's ok, cause the guy next to me who did acted asleep when I was looking through, and when I looked away he was suddenly awake. It's almost like I was Medusa or something. XD
My trainer is Elder Proctor, he's awesome, and I'm his last companion. He's the District leader, and the other missionaries in the district are all Sisters, so guess who gets to teach tons of lessons? Our area is the El Paso 1st ward, we have a baptism on Saturday, and we have the ghettos of El Paso. We go all the way to the border (with Mexico), and from what I understand, El Paso is where the mission president sends all the English speakers to learn some Spanish-- also, no bueno.
We are the farthest you can get from the mission home/office. And because the mail is unreliable/people steal your mail and stuff, we've been asked that you send all your mail to the mission office. Someone will give them to me as often as they can, but, because we're the farthest you can get from the mission office, I will basically get all your snail mail once a month, when we have zone conferences. P-day is usually Tuesday, but I get to send this because it was Labor Day on Monday, Transfer day yesterday, so now it's email day today.
We get to do a temple trip twice a year, right around General Conference, so I get to go through the ABQ temple on Sep 26- So I get a 4 hour car ride to get there, and a 4 hour ride back on the same day. We do a mission wide phone call every Tuesday, so we have all the missionaries from Santa Fe to El Paso listening in and participating when asked to beforehand, and it's sweet!
President and Sister Guffey are awesome, and this mission is a hugging mission. Literally everyone hugs. EVERYONE. 6 months ago I wouldn't have liked it, but now I don't really mind. I'm now more prepared for it.
Some of the mission rules- the 4 C's
No Complaining- (makes sense, that's not good, distracts from the work, I agree)
No Criticism- (also makes sense, that destroys comp unity, not good for teaching)
No Comparing- (well yeah, that's understandable, everyone's different, don't try and think other wise) and
No sarCasm.
Well.
Crap.
That's enough said about that.
If there's anything more you want to know, let me know through email, cause I don't know when ZC is, so I have no idea when I'll get your mail.
Te whanaunga mo ake tonu!
(Tay Faw-now moe aw-kay toe-new)
[Maori for "Great is my love for you all"]
Elder Eli James Dial
PS- tell the nieces, the minions, (and the Nestle ;) that I love them! Email ya all next week!
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