Week 2

Hey mom and dad! I'll start by answering the questions. The earplugs and case have both come. The earplugs work great- and I have a lot of them, so now I don't have to worry about the snoring! We do have fast food places. There is a place called the Waterfront that has a Chick-fil-a, a Steak n' Shake, a Longhorn Steak House, and more, but it is quite a ways away. We have a McDonald's very close nearby. I've mostly been having frozen food- we have brought home some member meals, but nothing I particularly cared for. And yes, we are in a district! We had district meeting on Wednesday, where we talked about goal setting. This week we are gonna talk about Christlike attributes. Also this week, we might go on exchanges- it will be nice to have experience with a different partner. I'm not sure if I need a camera. I think my tablet's camera will be enough for now.

This week I have been focusing on getting used to teaching the Restoration. I've practiced with members, and I think I have a good grasp of what to teach. My main problem is that I don't feel like I'm participating in lessons or conversations very much at all. That's something I feel like I need to improve. I've been reading Tad R. Callister's talk about consecrating myself as a missionary. I am trying to incorporate Preach My Gospel more into my studies. Sister M.P. (I told you about her last week, right?) has introduced my companion and I to the addiction recovery manual- not that either of us have serious addictions to overcome, but she said it could be helpful in many different ways, like getting rid of negativity. Elder Groesbeck has been having me use Area Book to find people to help me participate more in proselytizing and to help me trust my instincts more. As I am still learning about the area, it has been quite tough, but we've managed to contact some people I've suggested. Lastly, this weekend we've had stake conference! There were many great talks in it! Many people spoke about business, keeping clutter out of our lives, and staying focused on the gospel. President Bednar spoke about following spiritual promptings- something that will be important to me on my mission. The D.C. temple president also came and spoke to us! He spoke about blessings that come from going to the temple. Lots of great talks all around!

That should about sum up this week. I still have a lot to learn and there are many ways I can improve, so I need to study and pray diligently. I haven't been all that homesick- I already feel like I've been here a while! My main focus right now is adjusting. Hopefully I can improve!

Love you guys!