I guess I will thank President Tucker in my email to him for telling all y'all where I am serving. Don't worry, my accent isn't that bad...yet. Texarkana, Texas! And Arkansas! We serve both sides. And the surrounding area. We have a HUGE area. There used to be four missionaries out here, but now it is Elder Redmon and myself. It's tough.
So, we bike a lot. A LOT. Elder Redmon was a BMX trickster before his mission and loves to bike. I enjoy it too. The weather is great. It's getting colder. I think it was 28 degrees the other morning. Janurary and Feburary are the coldest months. My bike works great, though I need to put the chain back on. It fell off Saturday night. We haven't biked since then.
The food is pretty good. I actually had black eyed peas and cabbage (with corn bread) on New Year's Day. It's supposed to bring you good luck and something else. The peas were cooked with ham and tasted really good. We ate at a less active member's house. He is in a wheelchair and has lung problems so going to church is hard (to get there as well as sit). Brother Cambell is his name. Nice old man. We've had two other dinner/lunch appointments last week. Kelly (I forget her last name) is a less active. She fed us spaghetti. The next night we also had spaghetti with another lady named Kelly Rowland and her son Jonathan. They were baptized April 9th and are considered new converts. Kelly is preparing to go to the temple. They are really nice. She told me a story about when Jonathan was 4 and was talking about angels who were nice, but he didn't like the mean one named Lucifer. Pretty neat "no veil" story. She was freaking out at the time. Anywho, we have several more appointments for dinner and lunch this coming week. And I cook food as well. Elder Redmon made me breakfast the first day, and I made dinner once... the rest of the time I cook for myself.
The Ward is really nice. Not very many people. 60 maybe. We have lots of "moms" so I am taken care of, so don't worry about me too much, Mom. :)
In our kitchen in our apartment, we have... COCKROACHES!!! Hahahaha, they're not very big. The biggest one I have seen so far wasn't longer than a quarter, and not nearly as wide. We are fighting a war, and we hope to win! I will send a seperate email with pictures you can look at.
I met a man today by the name of Lyman Sisson. Probably in his late fourties early fifties. Maybe a little older. Anyway, he has lived here for 27 years, but grew up in Mapleton and actually knew some Mendenhalls. Bruce, Melanie, and Heidi Mendenhall. I know we are from Mapleton area, so I thought I would send the info to y'all. Really nice man. Has 64 acres of property here. REALLY pretty. Has a pond with catfish we can go catch. He took us on a tour around the property. He also raises long horn cattle. I think we are helping him put up a fence in the next week or two. He is a less active. I think I will go back and visit him and maybe work for him for a summer after my mission. If he has work to pay me, if not, I still want to go visit and fish and hunt. So maybe the winter. Who knows?
Funny story. Well not really, but pretty cool. We tracted into the wife of a pentecostal preacher the other day. Really sweet and nice lady. She wants to have us over for dinner sometime. They recently had a fire in their house so it will be a few weeks while that is cleaned up.
Anywho, the gospel is true! Always remember that. It is so amazing. I think it is my calling in life to teach it. No joke. Though after my mission, it will be to members. I feel like it's the thing to do. So look forward to me doing that in the future.
So the first night, a week ago, we had orientation the first day and then went and knocked on some doors. Fun stuff. Ate food, slept, and left at 10AM for Texar, and got to Shrevport about 3:30/4:00. From there it is another hour or so to Texarkana.
Anywho, need to get going! :)
Love,
Elder Mendenhall
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