First week in Palo Cedro

Dear Family,

The new ward is awesome! The people are great and they really seem to like us. After just one Sunday and a few interactions with some of the ward leadership throughout the week I know I am going to love this place. Our area is massive and sooooooooooo much different than Chico. We are allotted 2300 miles a month to drive, and yet we can burn through that easy. On Saturday we put 120 miles on the truck in a day...that hurt. 

My companion is a way nice guy and goes out and works each day, and this is his first time being senior companion. I wanna help and support, but I don't know the area and can't offer much advice about where to go and what to do.

Again I love the ward and the people and we have a lot of work here. It is so fun to get to drive around when it is hot in the a/c and not mess my hair up with a helmet. Plus the cooler weather has been nice. The area is so spread out though, so when we do go out and bike, we have put over 20 miles on our bikes in one day. And Redding is not flat like Chico was...haha. 

We live in an awesome apartment. I didn't know anything could be bigger than the Chico one, but this is and it is so much nicer, just a little dirty:/ It is way spread out here which is nice, but a little tough when you want to go tracting. We had 2 days this past week that we didn't have the truck, so we biked both days...wow it is so much different here than it is in Chico, so many more hills. We started meeting ward members and met this family, the Christofferson’s, who just moved here from Alpine. They knew a ton of people that I did. It was so cool. It kinda made me homesick, but they are awesome people. We also met a guy who is just about to move into Alpine, right down the road from you guys (I don't know their names, sorry). The dogs here are awesome, it is really nice. We don't even lock our door because we are so far off from everything. There also are 4 horses here, but we can't ride them (mission rules). I am sure Lindsay would love it. The member's whose property we live on are awesome. Their house is so nice and they take great care of us. It is a nice place to live. I will send a picture of one of our lunch activities in our apartment. 

 

We only cover 1 ward, that’s how most Elders are in the mission. Our area is absolutely huge though. It goes all the way out to Mount Lassen to the east. It is funny because you look north and see Mount Shasta and then look east and see Mount Lassen...Ha ha I am sandwiched between 2 Volcanoes! On Saturday we had a big rainstorm here and it got down to 40 degrees. Afterwards we looked up and saw SNOW on both mountains!! It is getting closer!:):) Our ward is awesome and I love it here. They welcomed me and take great care of us. Yesterday the high councilman spoke and talked all about missionary work. He said that members of the ward "should love the missionaries assigned to the wards just as much as the one's that are in the world serving from their wards." That was really cool to hear. The people are great and the work is going well. We will be having a baptism on October 12 if all goes well, which is awesome! No I don't get to drive, there is only one designated driver in each companionship (with the exception of ZL's). So no, but it is great because if we get in an accident, it isn't my fault;) 

So we did some service...on the coldest, wettest day this year. Our truck got so muddy...haha the other day we were out tracting on a street that is like the road Jeff's cabin is on! It is so crazy, its like we are in the woods all the time. I will have to take some more pictures. The people are...different...haha its also crazy how many people grow marijuana up here! You wouldn't believe it! Hence some of the signs we see....

We also have a couple of Recent Converts that we call our "Duck Dynasty" guys, they look just like it. I will have to get you a pictures some time. It is sweet. 

That is crazy about the movie! I want to see that when I get back, I am jealous. [Steve and Sinjin were filmed in the third upcoming Saints and Soldiers movie that will be out next year.  Ricky Bennett, Michael's cousin, will also be in it.] 

The dogs here are hilarious, whenever we wash the car, one of the dogs jumps in the way of the hose and tries to bite the water stream, it is funny. 

Wow, that is weird that the Powell's are related to them. It is a small world! Let me know how dinner is, I am curious. His dad is an engineer, and he says he is kind of nerdy. [The daughter-in-law to the Powell's in our ward is the sister of Michael's companion, Elder Porter.  The Porter parents are coming to Utah this weekend, and we will get to meet them!]

Ha ha don't ask me about social things in high school, I have no idea. Dad escort her? What? I have never heard that before...I have no idea, sorry. [Aimee was nominated for Homecoming royalty this coming weekend.] The primary program is always fun, I am excited for that. [Ryan just had his this past Sunday.] It is kind of sad out here though, because we are lucky to have 15 children up there. But it is good none the less. Mom would cry when talking about missionaries. [Laura was asked at the last minute to give a report in Relief Society on Michael and his mission.]

So that’s about all the news from Palo Cedro. More to follow later. Have a great week and let me know if you have any questions. Good luck this week and have fun back in Highland. I love you guys!

Love,

Michael