Wow, we've been busy! Last week was crazy, we went from the MTC to trains, to planes, to cars. It was pretty sweet, our mission president and wife are soooo cool and so nice. It was so good to actually get some good food when we got here and some really good ice cream. The next day we had meetings and we all met in the chapel where we sang a song and the trainers came in. It was pretty sweet. They then went through everyone I knew, and assigned them companions. I was the last one to get my companion. They called my name and I stood up. There was like 50 other missionaries sitting in the back so I had no idea who they were going to assign me to. He then told me I was going to the middle of nowhere lol and told me that my companion was elder Hacking!

I was so excited and then we all split off our ways and I left everyone I'd come to know so far. It all happened pretty fast. We then had a pretty long drive to our car, which was like an hour away, we then got in our car and drove like 30 more minutes until we arrived in Winchester!

First day out in the field we drove to a place called West Union, another smaller town in our area. We were walking around and met some interesting people. It is super surprising what people consider home and what they live in, it makes me realize how blessed I truly am. Anyway, we start walking down the road and we see another person to talk to. But before we even get close to him he starts yelling. It was very clear he had a bit too much to drink. He ran over to us as fast as he could and said PRAY FOR ME haha it was pretty funny. Apparently his knee hurt and he just wanted us to pray for him so we stood in a circle real fast and said a prayer. His name was John, he said thank you and then started walking away from us, we tried talking to him but he never answered, he just kept walking away from us. Then a little way down the road a truck honked at us, rolled down his window and yelled Y'all wanna beer? It was pretty funny and he then drove away haha.

So, so far here we get yelled at a lot and get called LOTS of names, it is pretty hilarious. People also roll coal on us - pretty funny. A lot of people here do drugs it seems like and a lot of them don't have jobs so they just sit in front of where they live and smoke so there are a lot of people to talk to but they are all pretty crazy and most have little teeth depending on where you are. They are also pretty hard to understand most the time lol. We have talked to some pretty crazy people and been in some pretty crazy looking houses, everyone has cigars in the carpet and most of the time it is hotter and more humid inside their houses because no one has AC. So, we set our apartment at 65 degrees and we are soooo blessed to have AC. It feels sooo good after a long day.

It is a pretty cool area, it's hard to find people to teach because there are just as many churches as houses it feels like. lol There are a lot of different churches I have never heard of before. So, everyone says they already found Jesus and tell us to go away. So, we haven't been able to do hardly any teaching yet but every once in a while we get something. People ask a lot of questions but aren't interested in the church. It kind of sucks because you think your conversation will go somewhere and then they just tell you to leave haha. This week we were blessed to get fed a lot as well. I guess the missionaries don't get fed that much here, but since I've come there has only been one day where we weren't fed for dinner, which is pretty sweet, but this next week doesn't look as good lol.

Its all good! We have been fed a few different kind of foods, nothing too crazy though! One of the first meals we had here was peanut butter sandwiches that we dip in chili - haha. Everything here is eaten with either chili or peanut butter lol. Chili hot dogs are pretty common and chili spaghetti. They also put lots of peanut butter in ice cream and oh my is it good haha. I bought ice cream and peanut butter today. Other than that nothing crazy on the food, it's all good haha! Oh and they put cinnamon in chill too. Anyway, I love it and it's been quite an adventure, not at all what I was expecting but I still love it!

There are also a lot of fireflies here at night. They are pretty cool looking.

I love doing the Lords work, although it's kind of rough sometimes, it's really fun!

Funny stories!!

1) not really a funny story but just wanna let y'all know I've seen a lot of pigeons

and geese

and turkeys

and tons of white tail lol

2) there was this yellow car that kept passing us and yelling stuff out the window. then they would turn around and come back. they did this like 4 or 5 times yelling different stuff every time it was pretty funny.

3) one of the members in our ward had us over for dinner and they have these home made go carts that go really fast lol. it was fun to watch them zoom around and then one of them spun out into some bushes haha

4) this car came zooming by and this family comes out of their house and runs in front of the car. they were all yelling words I haven't heard in a while lol and then this mom just starts chasing the car. this car would let her get close and then just take off haha. it was kind of funny. I wish there was something I could do, but I couldn't so we just talked with the family for a bit haha

5) Some people must have heard me wrong, they were all going around telling everyone I'm from Fruitloop, Idaho. lol It was some little kids in the ward, so I'm slowly killing the rumor... haha

Also, our Bishop is a replica model of Brother Watson. It's pretty hilarious, they are almost like the same person haha

I know this is the Lord's work and that His timing is perfect. I am exactly where I need to be and that this is his church!

Ill keep y'all updated!

Love Elder Lawrence