Letter #12 OUR BOY IS OFF TO NY

OH MY GOSH! SO it turns out today is my PDAY out here, so i am really exited that i get to write everyone so fast! WOW this place is insane, let's just say it is not very much like Carlsbad, CALIFORNIA or the MTC! Very different! The streets are filled with people! As i am sure all of you can guess... my first area is China Town! I have a really cool first companion, his name is Elder Near and he is from Iowa! (dont worry, he doesn't wrestle so i won't be getting any more skinned knees!) But he is really funny and knows amazing Chinese! I also live with two other missionaries who are also extremly cool! One of them is from Hong Kong and the other is from Utah i think? Pretty good guess! But they are all awesome i really lucked out!

Ok... so let me just tell you about yesterday! First i woke up at the mission home, ate breakfast, had a fast lesson then we hit the road to meet our new trainers! Of course, as i am sure that you can guess we met in the Bronx, in a five story church building! The windows were bullet proof and it had a parking garage that was located under ground with a steal plated garage door! haha! The Bronx is actually a very good area for missionary work!!! Supposably, the missionaries have a really good rep with some of the gangs there so that is really cool! So then me and the 4 other Mandarin elders grabbed my stuff and walked through the Bronx to the closest subway entrance! Subways are soo cool! There are so many people on them and very interesting people! Our subway ride was about 30 minutes to get to China Town! Let's just say you know when you are in China Town! The smell changes to a nice pungent fish smell and all of a sudden a ton of Chinese music starts to play! I am no longer in the U.S.!!!!!!! I am in CHINA, and it is awesome! I am so happy! I had the biggest smile on my face walking through the streets of China Town, it is so awesome! OUR apartment is in the back of China Town! AND is very small!! so cool!

So then, I unpacked and we went contacting right away! I guess one of the main ways that they contact here is by getting to teach chinese people ENGLISH! You tell them that it is a "free class" and they get all excited!!! They are a hallarious people! One of the ladies i contacted yesterday laughed at me the whole time and did not speak a word, then said "bye bye!" haha! I love Chinese people! They get so surprised when i speak to them! They say, "how do you know chinese!" really loud! It is awesome! I asked this little old man where he was from and he grabbed my shoulder pulled me about two inches away from his face then said, he was from Beijing! Then said something that i did not understand! I asked my companion what he said and he said he asked me if i could get him a green card! Contacting is so fun!!! I got a few people to take pass along cards and i was really happy about that!

Then, i went and saw my church building! A very small floor of a building with about 30 members! They have a ping pong table in one of the class rooms! How awesome is that! I look forward to getting "whooped on" by some of these members! It will be a blast! ha ha! We also have two sisters in our district from mainland China and they are very nice people! At least if i can only understand what they were saying!

Then to close of my day, I taught a lesson in English! some of the English Speaking elders in Manhattan needed a companion to come teach a single lady! It was so wierd teaching in English! She had 4 kids and was a single mother! Last Sunday she took all of her kids with her to attend church all by herself! Getting on subways and pushing her 3 month year old child in a stroller! She is an amazing investigator, i really think she is ready for baptism! Then i came home and tried to sleep through the sound of sirens and car alrams! "It's the best!" (nacho libre voice!)

Well, yesterday was awesome! I really am enjoying the mission field! 117 motts st new york new york 10013 is my China Town address! You CAN send small packages and letters there!  (bigger things to the mission home address!) THANK YOU all for your love and support! Sorry this email was a little long! I had alot to say! Love you guys and hope you have a great week!