First Week in the Field

Hola a todos!

Wow, this week has been crazy. I don't think I have much more time to write (decided to start with personal emails today), so here's the lowdown.

(P.s. I'm not sure if my family posted this on the blog they made for me, but I've been re-assigned to the Boise, Idaho Mission while I wait for my visa to Argentina.)

Got up at 3:30am Tuesday morning and drove in a bus to the SLC airport. Called home using an iPhone that a nice lady at the gate let me use. 

We were greeted by President and Sister Winder of the Boise Idaho Mission, and afterward had a wonderful "welcome/orientation" meeting with them and the mission staff. I got my new companion, Elder Shade ("Shaw-day"), originally from Mexico, but most recently from Utah. He is a great companion and helps me a lot with my training and with the language. We are in the Spanish-speaking area of Boise, which covers 3 English stakes. We work mostly in trailer parks, since that's where most of the people who speak Spanish live. And it's great. The first Sunday in our branch was really good, and I was strengthened a lot by the testimonies of the members. They are really good people; very kind, generous, and humble. It's great to be around them every day.

This first week has been very long--probably in part because I haven't had a chance to write normal emails for a week and a half. We study hard in the morning, and then go work hard in the afternoon, and we have dinner with a member just about every night.

I have to tell a really quick, funny story. As we were tracting Elder Shade told me something he heard from another missionary, that if there is an onion on the grill (BBQ), the residents are probably Hispanic. But since we had just been talking about cars, I thought he meant the front grill of a car. I was so confused. Why on earth would anybody--Hispanic or not--put an onion in the grill of their car?! haha, he straightened me out and we had a good laugh.

God bless you all. Thank you for all the good things you are doing. Keep going and never give up! The Lord will always provide.

Les amo muchisimo!

Elder Blake