...and the mountains

OK! Gotta go fast again.

We went down to Oakley a few times. It is really cool down there, close to the mountains and lots of old buildings. We also saw a house with cows in the front yard, they were scared of us (the cows).

We have pretty much visited everyone that was already being visited and need new people to teach. It'll work out, but it is hard right now because everyone is still busy harvesting things. Apparently they are done with the beets and are almost done with potatoes. Hopefully people will be home soon.

I saw a Hot Springs Arkansas U-Haul trailer, but didn't take a picture of it, now it is gone, so I took a picture in front of another U-Haul trailer instead.

I did see an Arkansas license plate though and I did take a picture of that. Also, one of the leaders of the YSA's family is from and currently lives in Floral AR and Batesville. Also, lots of people think that Arkansas is either Kansas, or right next to Georgia.

Speaking of the YSA, (Young Single Adults) we visited with some of the leaders Monday night at a Family Home Evening activity and got some names of less active members we needed to visit. So right afterwards we went to go visit one of them. When we pulled into the driveway they looked at us through the window. There were a few people there and they looked like they were doing something. Then we realized it was Family Home Evening night and we weren't supposed to visit members. So we creepily continued driving out of the circle drive and left. We may have lost him by being creepers... it was kind of awkward.

We had interviews with President Bartlett this week and he challenged us to speak only Spanish when we are in our house. So we do that now. Spanish is getting better as a result.

Election season is starting here in Burley. I personally think incumbent Mayor Merlin Smedley has this one in the bag, but anything can happen.

Everything else is going pretty good, pictures will be attached as usual. Our area covers parts of Idaho, Utah, and Nevada. Trying to figure out an excuse to visit all three states that our mission covers while we are here.

Anyway! About all the time I have, Love you!

PS: The subject lines on these emails are basically just inside jokes with me and Elder Hodge. Don't read too deeply into them. They are for my own amusement.

Q & A with Elder Hazeslip:

I'll answer your questions really quick.

1. Have you had time to get a warm jacket? We tried to buy winter clothes but all Burley has is a Deseret Industries, (thrift store) It was small and didn't have much. They used to have a JC Penney but it is being turned into a Ross right now. We are going to Twin Falls today to buy stuff.

2. Are the members feeding you much, or are you on your own? Members are feeding us pretty well. We only have about 1 or 2 days per week that we are on our own.

3. Doing much door to door? We have mostly been looking for people that the Hermanas’ were already teaching but now we are getting pretty good at identifying Latino homes.

4. Have some teaching opportunities? Teaching opportunities are daily.

5. Do you need anything? I don't really need anything right now, so far so good.

6. Will you have the opportunity to work at the Meridian temple open house? The Spanish branch is taking a bus to Meridian on the 4th of November, we will go with them and bring investigators.

7. What's the most challenging thing so far about being a missionary? Not being able to use Google and having no idea what is going on in the world around me.

8. What's the best thing? Meeting people and practicing Spanish.

9. How big is the Spanish branch (congregation)? The Spanish branch has about 90-100 people who attend sacrament meeting every week. Sacrament Meeting is last and YM/YW (Young Men/Young women - youth 12-18 years old) and Primary(Children 3-11 years old)/Sunday School is combined with an English speaking ward. 

10. Do you just attend there on Sundays? Or different wards? We attend the Spanish Branch on Sundays.

11. Where do you go to check your email on p day? We check our email in the Burley family history library. It is pretty big, they actually have books and records and stuff, and I’ll send pictures.

Bonus feature: THE CREATURE

So our shower drain wasn't working. Luckily I am an experienced coat hanger operator and built a tool that Elder Hodge used to remove the... um... creature. Beware, the following image is disturbing.