DANIEL FAMILY!!!!
Alright! So last week on Tuesday July 2nd we packed our bags and headed to the airport from the MTC and got released back into the outside world after two weeks, haha. I wish I could live there, I miss it so much, especially the food. Nah, the spirit is just so strong, you meet so many righteous people, and its just amazing, I love it there, no place like it anywhere else. I want to be a teacher there when I get back.
I digress; anyway we got on our plane with about twenty other missionaries and headed for San Diego. Palm trees everywhere!! We met out mission president and his wife and headed for the mission home. When we got there he told us all to take a nap, which will be the only time that will ever happen on my mission, while he was interviewing us all. It was sweet, slept like a baby. After that we went to the transfer meeting were we got a run down on our mission specifics, received our bikes, and got our new companions. How they did it is President Kendrick called their name of the greeny, told a little bit about him, and then he would say who their trainer would be. Then the trainer would come up and give you a hug then you both would go sit back down as companions. So he called me up, told a little about me then said "and Elder Daniel's trainer will be Elder Thompson!” This kid who is about a foot shorter than me comes running up and says "NEEHO" and gives me a big ol' bear hug. haha. It means "son" in Spanish. So Elder Thompson is my dad and I'm his son because he's my first companion/trainer and I'm his first greeny, get it? haha. He's been out for about 14 months and he is a Spanish speaking missionary. This is actually his first time in English work this transfer. We get along great! He's from Hurrican, Utah and he's a pretty chill guy. A little on the eccentric side, but he's a very hard worker, very patient, and he knows his stuff.
So were living in a members home in a gated community off of a road called Mission Street. It's kind of like living at your grandparents though because they re always hounding you and you also have to obey their specific rules, haha. It's all good though, they re a nice retired couple.
So the area I'm in is called Fallbrook. It’s so gorgeous here! On our way to the member’s home from the stake center in Vista we drove through the hills in Oceanside. It was like a scenic roller coaster!! haha. Yeah it's just beautiful here and the weather is superb. I'll send some pictures.
So the work right when you get to the mission it’s off to the races, you drop your stuff and go. I had only been home for about five minutes and then we were out getting contacts, its crazy!! Sometimes it doesn’t even feel real, I have to look down at my name tag every now and then just to remind myself I'm a missionary, yeah its just crazy. So right now we are working on finding because we are in a drought when it comes to investigators. We go street contacting everyday. It's sucks because everybody is Hispanic, so I just smile and nod while my comp does all the talking in Spanish, haha. I can say " soy de la Iglesias de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimo Dias" which means I’m from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that’s about it. Its fun though, I learn a little bit every day, and I didn’t think I was going to learn a new language! haha. We get honked at like a million times a day and have people yell out their windows " GO MORMONS, YEEEEEAH!" so that’s fun, haha. We’ve ran into a basher in an apartment complex who was drunk, he didn’t make very much sense with his questions, but we answered them all and went on our way, so that was fun. haha. Going on splits with the missionaries back home really prepared me for the field I tell you what! We picked up six new investigators last night! So Elder Thompson had me looking through the area book and I said "let’s go here!" to a neighborhood full of trailer homes, like grandpas when he lived in Anaheim. We went to a house on the list that Elder Thompson thought that we should go to and we met the Father outside smoking. We talked to him for a little bit, he invited us in, and we had an awesome conversation/lesson with his entire family and they want us to come back! So that was a little miracle I've seen thus far.
We eat like kings for dinner every night! Holy crap mom I didn’t believe you, all the members are pretty much loaded here so they eat good. It's awesome!
I love the work. I'm so glad I've decided to go on a mission. I love that I'm immersed in the scriptures all the time and learning so many new things about life, teaching, and this gospel. I love doing service and helping others come back to their Heavenly Father. AHHH I love it!! I love it here.
Alright, I got to go.
I love you guys, watch out for each other. Say your prayers every morning and night. Read your scriptures everyday. Be good examples. Don't be afraid to stand up for want you think is right. Don't ever lose sight of how important this gospel is, it's why we're here, it's everything, never forget that.
Until next time,
-Elder Jon Daniel
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